Photo by ISIPhotos.com
By CAITLIN MURRAY
Hope Solo should not have to miss any additional time this season with Seattle Reign FC or miss World Cup qualifiers with U.S. Women’s National Team, despite her legal woes.
She will stand trial for fourth-degree domestic violence assault on Nov. 4, a judge said Monday, long after both the National Women’s Soccer League and CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers end.
Solo, 32, was arrested in June for allegedly assaulting her 17-year-old nephew and his mother, her half-sister, while intoxicated at a family gathering. She had plead not guilty and a judge issued a no-contact order with the alleged victims and prohibited Solo from drinking alcohol.
In court Monday, her attorney signaled she would seek to have the evidence and charges against her dismissed, according to one Seattle-area report.
Solo is the starting goalkeeper for Reign FC, which have dominated the NWSL and look poised to win the championship at the end of the month. She is also the starting goalkeeper for the USWNT, which will go through World Cup qualifiers from Oct. 15 – 26 to secure a spot in next summer’s tournament.
After her arrest, Solo skipped a Reign away game in Rochester, N.Y. and was informally given a one-game suspension as punishment. The club later issued a statement indicating Solo may face formal punishment once the legal process is completed.
U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati had indicated the federation would also wait for the case to work through the courts before acting.
Shortly after her arrest, Solo issued a public statement expressing confidence that the charges against her would be dropped, even as she apologized for her arrest, writing: “I understand that, as a public figure, I am held to a higher standard of conduct. I take seriously my responsibilities as a role model and sincerely apologize to everyone I have disappointed.”