U.S. women's national team star Rose Lavelle met a young fan on Saturday night with a very familiar name.
Lavelle was signing autographs after her club side, the Washington Spirit, fell 2-1 to the Houston Dash at the Maryland SoccerPlex.
The 24-year-old did not participate in the match but was honored after the game alongside five of her teammates who also participated in the recently completed World Cup.
Following the brief ceremony, Spirit fans had a chance to meet their heroes and one fan in particular stood out due to her unique, but familiar name: Rose Lavelle.
The younger Lavelle went up to the USWNT star and, in video captured by NBC Sports Washington, the elder Lavelle can be seen expressing her disbelief at the coincidence.
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"Your name is my name?" Lavelle exclaimed. "What the heck!"
The younger Lavelle's father went on to explain that he thought he was giving his daughter a unique name. That idea has now gone out the window thanks to Lavelle's performance at the World Cup.
Lavelle scored three goals in France, including a solo effort in the final against the Netherlands that clinched a 2-0 win and the USWNT's second consecutive world title.
"I wasn’t surprised honestly," Lavelle's teammate for club and country Mallory Pugh said of Lavelle's performance in France.
"I know that Rose is such a great player and I had a feeling that that was her time. She stepped up and she executed and the rest is history."
Now back with the Spirit, Lavelle reflected on a whirlwind journey that has seen her quickly become a household name and a role model to youngsters all over.
"I think it's cool how I've come full circle and now I can give back to the game in a way that it gave to me when I was growing up," Lavelle said.
On Saturday, Lavelle was able to give back to her namesake, for whom she has high hopes in the future.
"Hopefully little Rose Lavelle will come up and everyone will forget about old Rose Lavelle."
