A brace from Rachel Daly secured three points for the Houston Dash as they defeated Sky Blue FC 2-1 at Yurcak Field this evening. With the victory, Houston set a new franchise record for points earned in a season with 26.
Kealia Ohai dribbled past a Sky Blue defender Christina Gibbons into the heart of the box in the seventh minute and found Daly with a low cross to the near post for her eighth goal of the season.
Sky Blue equalized in the 65th minute after Jane Campbell denied Savannah McCaskill’s close-range effort, but the rebound fell to Madison Tiernan for her second goal of the year.
Houston regained the lead in the 74th minute after Daly converted a penalty kick for her second goal of the evening. Daly won the spot kick after her cross was illegally handled inside the box by a Sky Blue defender near the penalty spot.
Houston almost doubled their lead as Sofia Huerta found Amber Brooks off a corner kick but her effort bounced off the near post in the 15th minute. Houston hit the woodwork again four minutes later off another Huerta corner kick. The spot kick found Veronica Latsko at the far post but her effort was denied by the post.
Daly was denied her second goal of the evening after her header was handled by Sky Blue goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan at the goal line. Houston forced nine saves from Sheridan who faced 21 shots this evening, 11 on target.
Latsko almost tallied her fourth goal of the season in the 52nd minute when she was in a one-on-one duel with Sheridan, but the Sky Blue goalkeeper denied her effort with a touch near the penalty spot.
Houston returns to BBVA Compass Stadium at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 27 to host Rose Lavelle and the Washington Spirit. Tickets for the match start at $19 and are available at HoustonDashSoccer.com.
