Spirit Forward May Be Short, But She Plays A Big Game

By Randy Vogt

At 5’1″, Jasmyne Spencer might be one of the shortest players in most soccer games but she’s been huge as a goal scorer at every level that she has played.

In youth soccer, she played for the Brentwood Herricanes and Bay Shore Hotshots of the Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL), then for the LIJSL’s Albertson Fury ’90.

She scored goals for the Long Island Fury from 2006 to 2011, helping lead the red and navy blue to the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) national championships in 2006 and 2009.

In 2012, she transferred to the Fury’s sister team, the New York Fury of WPSL Elite. She was coached on all three Fury teams by Paul Riley.

[show_disconnected][show_to accesslevel=’Subscriber’] She is now playing in the National Women’s Soccer League with the Washington Spirit.

“Jaz is a phenomenal athlete with great professional potential. We won six Eastern New York State Cups with Albertson Fury ’90 together and a huge reason why was the attacking partnership of Jaz and Vicki DiMartino as they were very difficult to contain,” commented Riley.

“Jaz is electric quick, brave, tenacious and a problem for any defense. She will make an impact for Washington in the new NMSL this year because whatever the mountain, she seems to conquer it. She is a brilliant young lady with aspirations and a desire to be the best.”

The 22-year-old played for Brøndby in Denmark last winter.

“I got to play in the UEFA Champions League which was such a surreal experience,” Jasmyne said. “I remember hearing the Champions League song before the game and getting chills because I was in awe that I was getting to play in an actual Champions League game.”

Jasmyne is now playing with the Washington Spirit, just a long corner kick from the University of Maryland where she scored 22 goals for the Terrapins from 2008 to 2011 and was named to the Atlantic Coast Conference First Team two times.

Former Fury and Maryland teammate Domenica Hodak is a member of the Spirit as well. Although Jasmyne has found some success in pro soccer, her favorite memory comes from youth soccer.

“My favorite moment ever on the soccer field was at the 2009 Regionals,” Jasmyne stated. “We were playing World Class for third place and were losing 3-0 with about 10 minutes left to go. Our Fury was insanely tough back then and we tied it up. I had scored two goals and Vicki (DiMartino) scored the game-tying goal. ”

“At this point both our keepers had become hurt so we had a field player in goal for both overtimes. Then we were headed to a shootout and Paul (Riley) asked me if I could take one for the team.

“I thought he meant taking a PK but really he wanted me to play keeper! I had an oversized goalie jersey and gloves on and was practically dancing on the goal line, but managed to stop two shots and make mine so we wound up defeating World Class. Definitely a game for the ages!”