But what have you learned about staying effective when defenders, you know, take away that first option for you?

Yeah, I think for me, I'm just trying to build more, um, if it's coming into the pocket, if it's playing on both sides, if it's connecting with the midfield more often, or even just rotating with the outside back.

If they wanna go high, I come inside, midfielder goes down, um, which we've already worked on this camp.

But yeah, I've, I feel like I've been a player that loves the sideline.

[laughs]

Mm-hmm.

I show that on and off the field.

Um, and I, I love that about me, and she loves that about me, but I think her just always getting me in the right mind space of, like, not putting too much pressure on myself, 'cause even in training sometimes, like, I'll, like, cuss at myself for missing, like, one shot.

Mm.

And then having a few months in between going straight into playing Spain, I think, um, I have been more focused on kinda just having completions and playing the simple pass, and, like, retaining the ball.

Um, I think as you get into the game and as we, like, demonstrate our identity, then that's when you can kinda start trying things.

But what have you learned about staying effective when defenders, you know, take away that first option for you?

Yeah, I think for me, I'm just trying to build more, um, if it's coming into the pocket, if it's playing on both sides, if it's connecting with the midfield more often, or even just rotating with the outside back.

If they wanna go high, I come inside, the midfielder goes down, um, which we've already worked on this camp.

But yeah, I've, I feel like I've been a player that loves the sideline.

[laughs]

What do you think makes the three of you work so well together?

I think our overall confidence individually is really good.

And we're so similar when it comes to the way that we play, but also so different.

Like, we're obviously like very clinical in front of the goal.

We're goal scorers.

Um, we're fast.

We can 1v1.

What made you choose the Spirit and not take an international offer?

Are you looking forward to playing against Spain, and what do you think is gonna be the hardest part about it?

It's huge.

It's really exciting, and, like, in my time with the national team, like, I've barely played them.

So, um, for me specifically, like, I am really excited.

And like you're saying, like, all these high-ranked teams, like, they bring so much diversity and, like, different play that is so challenging for us, especially when you haven't faced it in so long.

So yeah, going from Japan to Brazil is like, whoa.

Like, it's such an adjustment, but they challenged us in so many aspects.

How would you say this summer has kind of affected just, uh, the American approach to soccer in general?

Um, how is that process for you, um, being in that moment again?

Yeah, it was a weird feeling for me.

I wasn't... [exhales] Like, I wasn't as...

I was more devastated the year before, which is weird, 'cause I was more emotional this last year.

But I think I was just in a place of, I could only do so much in the moment, of I don't even know how many minutes I'm gonna play.

I still was going into another championship not 100%, so I was just, like, thankful to be on the field.

But obviously, the frustration of, like, I wish I could have played 90 and, and done it again.

So you had every option, including overseas, um, but why is this the right moment to commit long-term to Washington and also the NWSL?

This is good for every player, young and old.

Yeah, I mean, I obviously knew it was gonna be a pretty big announcement, just 'cause it's obviously never been done before, and it- there's been just so much talk around pay and increasing that, and keeping the best players in the NWSL.

Um, but yeah, I think it's really good for the league, especially because-... pl- our best players have been leaving to go overseas to get paid more.

Um, but I think if we can keep, um, just raising the ceiling on what the NWSL can, can be, it's gonna be even more, and the skill's gonna be more, and then it's gonna get better and better and harder for these players to leave, and ultimately get more players to come over here from overseas, which I think is great.

But, um, yeah, the phone's been pretty busy.

Um, people I haven't talked to in a while, and that's just natural.

I think you start succeeding, and everybody's in your phone.

How has that been, obviously being a topic of conversation amongst people on the internet and tabloids and such?

When you're injured, when you're in and out, do you feel more of that? Like, oh, gosh, I really want to be out on the field and like helping continue to grow this league?

I mean, yeah, being out is not ideal at all, just for the sake of like, I want to be healthy.

I want to get those minutes.

But yeah, at the same time, like at this point in my career with decisions needing to be made and just the momentum of... who I've been on the field and off the field and the power and platform that I've had.

The timing of my injuries have not been ideal for me.

So that's been unfortunate, but I try to take again the pressure off of it and just control what I can, which is progressing as fast as humanly possible to get back on the field.

But no, I've gotten a lot better at managing the injury situation since the beginning of the back.

Yeah.

We were obviously all just clutching our hearts when we saw you in that game against Monterey, but how are you doing? How has that recovery process been like? We have seen a few minutes from you here for Playoffs.

Yeah, it's, you know, injuries are just a rollercoaster in general, I've learned that.

Um, so like being able to kind of embrace that and be okay with like the emotional days and the hard days, but also, um, just like extremely grateful, um, because like you said, like it could've been way worse and it can always be worse.

So being grateful to just be able to get those minutes last weekend, and then hopefully be able to see the field again this weekend for the final.

Trin, what's that locker room been for you?

Yeah, just amazing.

Honestly, like this year, we've grown so much closer.

And it's not just like us saying it for the media.

But how do you balance actually just staying present and focus on this final and not really thinking ahead to what's next for you?

I think it honestly was a struggle in the beginning, but the more you think about what's next, the more you get lost in what you're doing.

So I think for me, the more that's on my mind, the less fun I'm having and the more overwhelmed I am.

So I think, yeah, just keeping my head down, having such an amazing team around me, and then obviously being in the finals is enough to think about right now.

And then once this is over, hopefully we'll be able to celebrate.

Sorry.

you?

Yeah, just amazing.

And I'm wondering if you can just talk to us a little bit about your mindset with your injury and your rehab.

It was hard for me.

I've already talked about how just I'd never really experienced a severe injury.

So yeah, Having to deal with that was very tough.

I've obviously seen so many teammates go through stuff like that, and you can only know so much from afar and just supporting them.

But then being in it, I realized how difficult it was.

Being honest with it is the best thing for me, especially when it comes to communicating with medical staff and all that.

But I'm wondering in what ways you've seen your team grow from last season.

How was that moment?

I think when people hear me say that that was my favorite moment, they think, oh, she's just happy she scored a sick goal.

But for me, I think I loved that goal so much because I had underperformed the whole game.

I was in my head.

I played horrible.

I was... taking touches so long that I would never mess up in other games so I'd gone in at halftime just being so emotional like I this is not gonna happen like this is not the time for me to underperform and I was so frustrated and then I went out and I was just like it's fine like it's just Clearly not your game.

Just go out there and finish.

We finally are getting our flowers.

And switching gears to the US Women's National Team, what an incredible summer you had, winning a gold medal and obviously just performing out of your mind there and, um, adopting a new name with the Frontline Triple Espresso, getting, you know, scoring goals and an important one, a decisive one against Germany. How was that whole experience for you?

Uh, whirlwind, but in the best way. I think I keep telling everybody, I wish I could relive that every single month. It was so hard, but so much fun. Like, it almost felt like vacation in the way that we were together as a team, the way we celebrated wins and the way that we worked for each other. It wasn't a selfish tournament and it was just amazing to celebrate each other and, and to take it home and to perform well. I think that was the biggest thing, especially coming off the summer before. So yeah, I wouldn't trade it for the world and I'm so proud and so happy.

Take us through that goal against Japan, the, the game-winning goal in extra time, um, for you. How was that moment?

I think when people say, like when people hear me say that that was my favorite moment, they think, "Oh, she's just happy she scored a sick goal." But for me, I think I loved that goal so much because I had underperformed the whole game. Like I was, in my head, I played horrible. I was taking touches so long that I would never mess up in other games. So I'd gone in at halftime just being so emotional, like, "I, this is not gonna happen. Like this is not the time for me to underperform." And I was so frustrated and then I went out and I was just like, "It's fine. Like, it's clearly not your game. Just go out there and finish." Um, and so, I don't know, Emma had told me like, "It's fine if you miss a couple, if you have a bad touch, the next one..." And that's ex- exactly what happened. I took that left-footed shot that almost went out for a throw-in right beforehand, and then I was like, "We're gonna try it again, see what happens." And then it was the highlight, one of the highlights of the tournament. So yeah, proud of that for sure.

What did that feel like to get called in for the very first time? And who did you call to tell them the news first?

It was crazy.

I mean, I never...

That's the thing with me.

Like, I'm never thinking...

It's weird to say I'm never thinking ahead of, like, what's going to happen.

I obviously have those goals for myself, but I'm never thinking, like, oh, I could get called up.

So how have you handled being asked to do so much for the national team in such a short amount of time?