LEESBURG, Va. — The Washington Spirit are headed back to the NWSL Championship for the second year in a row. After falling to Orlando in last year’s title match, the team enters Saturday’s showdown with Gotham FC determined to return to the District with hardware.

Players and coaches say the experience of last year’s disappointment has fueled their preparation.

“We know there’s a little more expectations, more noise, more cameras, more attention, but we are focused and doing our thing,” head coach Adrian Gonzalez said.

Spirit defender Tara McKeown reflected on the year-long climb back to the final.

“After last year, we knew that we wanted to be in this position again," McKeown said. "Definitely on the other side of it. We’ve just been working toward that the whole year, in our bubble,

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