The Houston Dash concluded their 2016 NWSL campaign with a 3-2 loss to Seattle Reign FC tonight at BBVA Compass Stadium.
Kealia Ohai scored her 11th goal of the season, placing her in a tie for the NWSL goalscoring lead with Western New York Flash forward Lynn Williams. Ohai finished second in the Golden Boot race by virtue of the first tiebreaker, assists. Williams finished the year with 11 goals and five assists to Ohai’s 11 goals and four assists. All 11 of Ohai’s goals came in Houston’s final 10 games.
It was a tale of two halves, as Houston controlled play throughout the first half and went into the break with a 2-0 lead. Seattle broke through in the 61st minute when Reign forward Manon Melis beat Becca Moros to a long ball down Houston’s left flank. Dash goalkeeper Lydia Williams came out to challenge for the ball at the top of her own penalty area, but Melis got there first and lofted the ball over Williams and into the net. Two more goals in the next 20 minutes pulled Seattle even and then ahead.
Seattle netted the winner in the 81st minute when Seattle forward Beverly Yanez was the first player to reach a cross from Carson Pickett and her first-touch shot beat Williams to the far post. The Reign’s equalizer came in the 76th minute off a goal from midfielder Kim Little. The 2014 NWSL MVP collected a pass near the penalty spot and beat Williams with a low shot that went between the keeper’s legs.
Ohai opened the scoring with a left-footed shot from the left flank that beat Seattle goalkeeper Haley Kopmeyer to the upper right corner of the net.
Carli Lloyd doubled Houston’s lead three minutes later when she finished off a brilliant 90-yard counterattack by the Dash. After Ellie Brush won a tackle at the top of the Dash penalty area, the ball made its way to Andressa at midfield. The Brazilian drew two defenders before releasing Denise O’Sullivan in space behind the Seattle defense. O’Sullivan played a low cross to Lloyd in front of the goal, where the FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year controlled the ball and rifled a shot into the top left corner of the goal.
Lloyd’s goal moved her into the top five of the NWSL’s all-time scoring list with 25 career goals in league play.
With the loss, Houston ends the season at 6-10-4 with 22 points, which places them seventh in the league table. Seattle, who were eliminated from playoff contention on Saturday by virtue of the Western New York Flash’s win over the Boston Breakers, ended the year in fifth place with an 8-6-6 record and 30 points.
Although the 2016 regular season is over, Houston will host the NWSL Championship on Sunday, October 9 at BBVA Compass Stadium. Tickets for the NWSL Championship are available online at NWSLChampionship.com, by phone at 713-276-GOAL or at the BBVA Compass Stadium box office.
