Washington Spirit midfielder Hal Hershfelt suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her right knee during Sunday's match against the Kansas City Current, announcing she will miss the remainder of the 2026 NWSL season and the start of 2027. The team confirmed the injury on Thursday, placing Hershfelt on the season-ending injury list. Hershfelt left the 2-1 loss in the 20th minute after receiving medical attention, making her absence a major blow as the Spirit chase their first NWSL Championship.
The team, currently third in the standings, hosts the November 22 final at Audi Field. Hershfelt has been a mainstay in midfield with 31 appearances this year, contributing one goal and one assist. The 2024 NWSL Draft fifth overall pick from Clemson University, she started 23 of 25 games as a rookie and helped Washington reach last year's championship final.
Known as a hard-nosed defensive midfielder, she earned NWSL Second Best XI honors and has five U.S. women's national team caps.
Source: ESPN Soccer · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing