The Houston Dash finished their 2019 NWSL season tonight, falling to Utah Royals FC in a 2-1 matchup at Rio Tinto Stadium.
Houston midfielder Christine Nairn made league history this evening, becoming the first player to appear in 150 NWSL appearances.
Utah found the back of the net three minutes into the game when forward Christen Press found the ball in the left side of the box through a cross from forward Katie Stengel and shot the ball in the right side of the goal.
The home side continued to attack in the first half when midfielder Vero Boquete sent forward Amy Rodriguez a ball in between the Dash backline to finish with a second goal in the 23rd minute.
Houston pulled a goal back in the 78th minute when midfielder Kristie Mewis slid to drive home a low cross from midfielder Sofia Huerta. Forward Rachel Daly sent Huerta into space down the right flank, and the midfielder drove into the penalty area, drawing two defenders and pulling Utah goalkeeper Nicole Barnhardt to her near post before sliding a pass across to the back post where Mewis put it away. The goal was Mewis’ fourth of the season and the 20th of her career.
Down a goal late, Houston created four fantastic chances over the final 10-plus minutes in an effort to level the score, as Huerta worked free inside the penalty area before Barnhardt could race off her line to cover the loose ball. Then in the 90th minute, forward Jamia Fields got free at the back post, but her left-footed shot hit the side netting.
Four minutes into stoppage, Daly found space for a shot, but her right-footed effort missed just wide of the target. A minute later, midfielder Sophie Schmidt cracked a powerful right-footed shot from distance that forced a diving save from Barnhardt. The goalkeeper nearly spilled the rebound, but was able to recover and smother the ball.
Houston finished the season with a 7-12-5 record, totaling 26 points under head coach James Clarkson in his first season on the bench. Of Houston’s 19 combined wins and losses on the year, 14 were decided by one goal.
With the season concluded, the Dash will be back in action in early 2020 when they return for preseason. The 2020 NWSL College Draft will take place in January, with the date, time and location to be announced in the near future.
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Utah Royals (10-10-4; 34 pts.) 2-0 Houston Dash (7-12-5; 26 pts.)
NWSL Regular Season, Week 25
Saturday, October 12, 2019 – BBVA Stadium – Houston, TX
Attendance: 9,513
SCORING SUMMARY:
<strong>Team</strong> |
<strong>1H</strong> |
<strong>2H</strong> |
<strong>FT</strong> |
<p>Utah Royals</p> |
<p>2</p> |
<p>0</p> |
<p>2</p> |
<p>Houston Dash</p> |
<p>0</p> |
<p>1</p> |
<p>1</p> |
URFC: Christen Press 8 (Katie Stengel 1) 3
URFC: Amy Rodriguez 9 (Vero Boquete 6) 23
HOU: Kristie Mewis 4 (Sofia Huerta 4, Rachel Daly 2) 78
LINEUPS:
Houston Dash: Jane Campbell; Haley Hanson (Lindsay Agnew 86), Ally Prisock, Amber Brooks, Ari Romero; Sophie Schmidt, Christine Nairn (Cece Kizer 60), Kristie Mewis; Sofia Huerta, Rachel Daly, Kealia Ohai (C) (Jamia Fields 86)
Unused Substitutes: Bianca Henninger, Ari Calderon, Betsy Brandon, Satara Murray
Total shots: 6 (Rachel Daly, Kristie Mewis 2); Shots on goal: 3 (Kristie Mewis 2); Fouls: 9 (Ally Prisock 2); Offside: 4 (Rachel Daly, Jamia Fields, Kealia Ohai, Ari Romero, 1); Corner kicks: 1 (Kristie Mewis 1); Saves: 5 (Jane Campbell 5)
Utah Royals: Nicole Barnhart; Mallory Weber (Michelle Maemone 79), Becky Sauerbrunn (C), Rachel Corsie, Gunny Jonsdottir; Vero Boquete, Desiree Scott, Lo’eau LaBonta; Christen Press, Katie Stengel (Katie Bowen 82), Amy Rodriguez (Erika Tymrak 88)
Unused Substitutes: Abby Smith, Gaby Vincent, Sydney Miramontez, Madeline Wolf, McKenzie Doniak
Total shots: 22 (Christen Press, Amy Rodriguez 6); Shots on goal: 7 (Vero Boquete 2); Fouls: 13 (Vero Boquette, Lo’eau LaBonta, Mallory Weber 3); Offside: 4 (Amy Rodriguez 4); Corner kicks: 8 (Christen Press 7); Saves: 2 (Nicole Barnhart 2)
DISCIPLINE:
HOU: Sophie Schmidt (caution; foul) 26
HOU: Ari Romero (caution; foul) 29
URFC: Vero Boquete (caution; foul) 70
HOU: Rachel Daly (caution; foul) 71
OFFICIALS:
Referee: Guido Gonzalez Jr.
Assistant Referee 1: Seth Martin
Assistant Referee 2: Melissa Beck
Fourth Official: Brad Jensen
Weather: Sunny, 49 degrees
