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the most obvious to say the least," Miller said. "It's been nice to have them around, having some close friends when things aren't going so hot." Of this talented group, Lindsey (11 starts) and Roberts (nine) logged the most minutes for the Spirit in 2013, while Toulose started five games and Jones two. Jones was the Spirit's No. 2 goalkeeper behind starter Ashlyn Harris, a veteran keeper who was the 2011 WPS Goalkeeper of the Year and has also played in Germany and for the U.S. Women's National Team. The former Virginia keeper relished the chance to learn from someone who has already accomplished so much in her career, even if she did once play for UVa's ACC rival, North Carolina. "It's a great experience for me, especially playing behind Ashlyn. She's so experienced and she knows so much about the game, it's great for me to learn from her and just observe her and learn my own way," Jones said. "It's been a great summer for me." And while the Spirit finished last in the NWSL with 14 points (3-14-5), despite ending the season on a three-game unbeaten streak, each of these former Wahoos sees a great future for the league, one which has the full backing of U.S. Soccer, even in the wake of several other failed women's leagues in recent years. "I think one of the things that helps this league is that there have been two leagues prior to this," Lindsey said. "So you can always learn from the leagues beforehand and that's why we are where we are today. Unfortunately, the other two folded, but there were some great things about both of those leagues, some positives and negatives that we can take. "It's a good product with good fans in a lot of good venues." One reason for that optimism is the fact that the Spirit drew an average of 3,641 fans in their 11 home dates at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Germantown, Md. That total includes four sellouts, including a club-record 5,011 fans coming out May 4 against Portland. "Obviously we've got great fans. I'm approached by people almost every day," Toulouse said. "If I'm wearing a Spirit jersey or shirt, they'll say it's great to have soccer back in D.C. It's great to have a professional league back. We have a small fan base, but we have fans who are absolutely diehard and love the game. I think the fans this time around know how integral they are to making sure the league is sustainable. Hopefully we can keep that going." Roberts agrees that seeing such a solid turnout in their 11 home games this season has been a huge positive in the NWSL's inaugural season and something they can build on going forward. "We have great fans in Washington," she said. "We always have a really good turnout. We have a very nice field. I think we just attract fans to watch a good game. "We just went to Portland and they had 12,000 fans. That's really good for the league long term, but a lot of girls have been coming out to our games, local club teams, and that's been really nice to see." The approximately 160 players who played for one of the NWSL's eight clubs in the league's inaugural season, which ended in late August, are definitely living their dream of playing professional soccer in the United States. And for five members of the Washington Spirit — Jones, Lindsey, Miller, Roberts and Toulouse — that experience has added meaning since they are all products of UVa women's soccer. Their bond as fellow Wahoos remains strong while they each realize how integral their time in Charlottesville was in helping them reach this point of playing at the professional level. "I guess it's not that crazy of an idea to think about since we're all from the area, and having a team in this area and kind of wanting to pull local players was probably a goal of the team," Toulouse said. "But if you had told me two years ago when all of us were at UVa that we'd all be playing on the same team together, I honestly wouldn't have believed you." ◆