The Washington Spirit advanced to its second-consecutive NWSL semifinal in dramatic fashion, needing penalty kicks to defeat Racing Louisville after a 1-1 draw through regulation and extra time. Rebeca Bernal, Esme Morgan and Hal Hershfelt put through their penalty kicks while Louisville only scored one thanks to two saves by Aubrey Kingsbury to give the Spirit the win.

Saturday’s quarterfinal was played in front of a sold out Audi Field, welcoming 19,215 fans to cheer on the Spirit. The match opened with high energy, with both sides looking to claim possession early. The Spirit generated a promising run of first-half opportunities, applying pressure with multiple looks on goal, though a breakthrough never came. Sofia Cantore recorded three shots, more than any other player on the field. The teams went into the break deadlocked at zero, despite the Spirit taking possession for 73.6% of the first half.

The beginning of the second half saw limited action, with the Spirit registering only one shot on target to start the half. The breakthrough finally came in the 73rd minute when Rosemonde Kouassi delivered a ball from outside the box into the area for Gift Monday, who slotted it into the right corner of the net to give the Spirit a 1-0 lead. Monday has now scored the opening goal in four NWSL matches this season. Some back-and-forth play ensued until Louisville responded in the second minute of second half stoppage time, with Kayla Fischer finishing a pass from Courtney Petersen to level the score at 1-1 and send the match into extra time.

Both teams continued to knock on the doorstep in the first half of extra time with multiple shots each to no avail. A contentious second half of the extra period, including five shots by the Spirit, eventually led to a stalwart, sending the match into penalty kicks.

In a decisive penalty shootout, Louisville began with a successful attempt from Bethany Balcer, matched instantly by Rebeca Bernal for the Spirit. Louisville’s Ellie Jean hit the post on Racing’s second attempt, while Esme Morgan converted with momentum to give the Spirit the edge. Louisville’s response from Marisa DiGrande was denied, and Washington extended its lead when Hal Hershfelt made her shot with confidence. With pressure building on Louisville, Ary Borges stepped up to make the last effort only for Aubrey Kingsbury to deliver the clinching save, securing the shootout victory for the Spirit.

Next up, the Spirit will host the winner of tomorrow’s Portland Thorns FC-San Diego Wave FC quarterfinal match at Audi Field next weekend in the NWSL semifinals. Full schedule details for next weekend’s matches will be announced soon. Ticketing information can be found here.

-NWSL Match Report-

Match: Washington Spirit vs. Racing Louisville FC

Date: Saturday, November 8, 2025

Venue: Audi Field (Washington, D.C.)

Kickoff: 12 p.m. EST

Weather: Sunny, high-60s

Lineups:

WAS: 1 – Aubrey Kingsbury; 14 – Gabby Carle (6 – Kate Wiesner, 33′); 9 – Tara McKeown (25 – Kysha Sylla, 105+2′); 4 – Rebeca Bernal; 24 – Esme Morgan; 19 – Rosemonde Kouassi (26 – Paige Metayer, 82′); 7 – Croix Bethune; 17 – Hal Hershfelt; 10 – Leicy Santos (5 – Narumi Miura, 88′); 27 – Sofia Cantore; 21 – Gift Monday (13 – Brittany Ratcliffe, 88′)

Unused Substitutes: 28 – Sandy MacIver; 2 – Trinity Rodman; 16 – Courtney Brown; 22 – Heather Stainbrook

LOU: 24 – Jordyn Bloomer; 16 – Janine Sonis (88 – Bethany Balcer, 90+1′); 3 – Arin Wright; 5 – Ellie Jean; 2 – Lauren Milliet; 8 – Ary Borges; 20 – Katie O’Kane (14 – Marisa DiGrande, 85′); 26 – Taylor Flint; 6 – Ella Hase (11 – Courtney Petersen, 85′); 42 – Sarah Weber (9 – Kayla Fischer, 66′); 13 – Emma Sears

Unused Substitutes: 77 – Madison White; 12 – Allie George; 17 – Maddie Pokorny; 32 – Avery Kalitta

Stats Summary: WAS / LOU

Shots: 20 / 26

Shots On Goal: 8 / 8

Saves: 7 / 7

Fouls: 11 / 13

Offsides: 2 / 1

Misconduct Summary:

WAS – Esme Morgan – 87′ – Yellow Card

LOU – Ary Borges – 90+9′ – Yellow Card

QToys, the popular collectible toy brand from China, has officially opened its first Maryland location at Westfield Montgomery in Bethesda. The new shop is located on the mall’s upper level, right next to Läderach Chocolatier.

According to Westfield Montgomery, “QToys is a leading collectible toy brand from China. Whether you’re just starting a collection or hunting standout showpiece figures, 52TOYS offers fresh, playful, and well-crafted creations that celebrate the joy of collecting.”

The grand opening weekend celebration (Saturday, Nov. 8th and Sunday, Nov. 9th) features free gifts, special giveaways, and photo-friendly moments. The first 120 guests on Saturday receive a Panda Roll Journal Tumbler, while those who follow and tag @qtoys_usa on social media can earn a free magnet. Guests posting with the hashtag #qtoysmaryland unlock daily gifts, including Panda Roll Luggage Tags and Pouka Keychains. Shoppers can also redeem exclusive items such as a Panda Roll Mirror or an exclusive tote bag with any purchase.

Located at 7101 Democracy Blvd, Suite 2192, QToys is open from 10am-9pm on Saturday and 11am-7pm on Sunday for the grand opening weekend.

Each year, MoCoSnow summarizes and compares some of the most popular winter outlooks before the season begins, including forecasts from all major local networks, The Washington Post, and online meteorologists who’ve built devoted followings across the region. Earlier this week, we looked at FOX 5 DC’s winter forecast, and now we’re turning to one of the most recognizable independent forecasters in Maryland, Justin Berk.

Berk, a former broadcast meteorologist for ABC2 News in Baltimore, has become one of the state’s most followed weather voices through his Just In Weather brand, where he combines local data, pattern tracking, and what he calls “gut-level forecasting” to deliver community-centered outlooks.

This week, Berk released his 2025–2026 Winter Outlook, and he’s predicting a noticeably snowier season than most others so far. “I am in rare company as I have seen other outlooks staying low,” Berk wrote, “and that is easy with our two-year drought, decade snow drought, and a typical La Niña. But I see more under the hood of this car.”

Berk’s map shows wide ranges to account for mountains, valleys, and coastal differences:

• McHenry: 100″–140″ (near average to 40% above average)
• Allegheny Ridge: 50″–80″+ (50%–100% above average)
• Front Ridge: 35″–50″+ (10%–50% above average)
• Suburbs (Westminster, York, Bel Air): 30″–40″+ (near average to 30% above average)
• Baltimore/Washington Metro (including MoCo): 20″–30″+ (near average up to 50% above average)
• Annapolis to Salisbury and the Beaches: 10″–20″ (near average)

He compared forecasting to sports rankings: “I see this falling in line with MLB or NFL team power rankings before their seasons. We can’t know who will have a career year or who will get injured. I am not responsible for your gambling.”

Berk notes that a weak La Niña pattern is in place and is expected to return to neutral conditions by mid-winter, a combination that can still fuel active Pacific storm development and stronger jet stream shifts. He points out, however, that “it can get pushed around by stronger forces closer to home,” suggesting that local atmospheric patterns may take over during the heart of the season.

He also reminds readers that the last time Maryland saw multiple blizzards in one season was 2010, when three major snowstorms brought 77 inches of snow. Since then, only three winters, between December 2014 and January 2016, have finished with above-average snowfall. The last one, in 2016, included the 29.2″ “Snowzilla” storm in late January. “We are OVERDUE for snow!” Berk emphasized in his post.

While Berk’s outlook is one of the more optimistic ones so far, it continues a recent theme: most forecasters are hinting that this winter will be more active than the past two. MoCoSnow will continue to track forecasts from other local sources, and see if this year finally delivers the snow Maryland’s been waiting for.

Coming soon signage is now up for Guapo’s Taqueria and Charcoal Chicken at the former California Tortilla location at 12211 Darnestown Road in Gaithersburg. The new restaurant will replace the long-running fast-casual Mexican spot, which closed permanently last week.

The closure marked the second California Tortilla location to shut down in Gaithersburg within the past year. The company’s restaurant at 255 Spectrum Avenue in the Spectrum Town Center closed in November 2024, leaving the city without any remaining California Tortilla locations.

Guapo’s Taqueria and Charcoal Chicken will bring the local restaurant group’s popular fast-casual concept back to Gaithersburg. The brand, operated by the same family behind the long-running Guapo’s Restaurant chain, currently has three similar locations in Northern Virginia. Each offers a streamlined version of the full-service Guapo’s menu, focusing on rotisserie chicken, tacos, burritos, and Latin American sides made fresh daily.

As longtime locals may remember, Guapo’s previously operated a fast-casual restaurant at 411 N Frederick Road (Route 355) in Gaithersburg. That location opened in December 2010 before closing in 2017, when Ixtapalapa Taqueria took over the space. An opening date has not been announced yet.