Aubrey Bledsoe is adding some more hardware to her growing trophy case, winning the NWSL Championship MVP after lifting the Washington Spirit to the league title.
The honor comes after Bledsoe clinched her second-consecutive Goalkeeper of the Year award, recording 78 saves on the season.
The perfect present 🤩@AubreyBledsoe x @WashSpirit pic.twitter.com/MRdgf2ENK4
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) November 20, 2021
During Saturday’s NWSL Championship, Bledsoe only had three shots on goal from Chicago to contend with, but the Spirit goalkeeper showed up when it mattered most.
Down 2-1, the Red Stars turned up the heat in the final minutes of overtime, forcing Bledsoe to make a big, game-sealing save in the game’s 117th minute.
Ohh boy, Bledsoe coming up big. #NWSL pic.twitter.com/a5FlhYuIFD
— Our Game Magazine (@OurGameMagazine) November 20, 2021
Bledsoe’s late-game heroics kept Washington out in front, securing the club its first-ever NWSL Championship.
The Washington Spirit’s Aubrey Bledsoe is once again the NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year.
Spirit fingers makin' saves all year 🙌@AubreyBledsoe taking home back-to-back Goalkeeper of the Year awards 👏 pic.twitter.com/ugyReukhRy
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) November 18, 2021
It’s Bledsoe’s second-straight Goalkeeper of the Year award after having been tabbed the top goaltender in the league following the 2019 regular season. (The award was not given out in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.)
The goalkeeper started in all 22 of the regular-season matches she appeared, holding down the net with a 79.8 distribution rate and a 78.8 percent save clip while saving 78 shots on the year. Through seven clean sheets, she held the last line of defense for a team that conceded less than a goal a game on average throughout the season.
In October, Bledsoe recorded 20 saves and three clean sheets as the Spirit went an undefeated 4-0-1 on the month.
Interestingly, Bledsoe was not named to the NWSL Best XI first or second team. The goalkeeper nods instead went to NJ/NY Gotham FC keeper Kailen Sheridan and Portland Thorns FC goaltender Bella Bixby who finished second and third in voting for Goalkeeper of the Year, respectively.