The Dash defeated Texas A&M 1-0 this evening at Ellis Field thanks to an 87th minute goal from midfielder Caity Heap. The match was the final preseason contest for the Dash before they travel to the Pacific Northwest for the Thorns Spring Invitational.
Heap scored the game-winning goal in the 87th minute after she controlled a pass outside the box, evaded a defender and beat the Texas A&M goalkeeper with a shot to the bottom corner of the near post.
Dash forward Heather Kaleiohi was inches away from the first goal of the night after her first-touch shot went wide of the near post in the fourth minute. The chance began when Heap found the West Virginia product near the penalty spot for Houston’s first scoring opportunity of the game.
Rookie goalkeeper Sarah Shimer made back-to-back saves in the ninth minute after she blocked a header that was curling inside the top corner of her near post. The keeper handled the next shot and the threat was quelled after Texas A&M’s third effort which was off-target.
Defender Amber Brooks found Kaleiohi inside the six-yard box off a free kick in the 22nd minute, but the forward’s effort went over the crossbar.
Heap’s long-range effort from outside the box in the 34th minute forced a save at the near post.
Rookie forward Veronica Latsko forced a save seconds before the end of the first half after she won the ball outside the box, but her effort was saved by the Texas A&M goalkeeper.
Heap found forward Savannah Jordan ten minutes into the second half, but her shot had too much pace as it went over the crossbar.
Three minutes later, rookie Haley Hanson forced a save at the near post with a shot from the edge of the box. The rebound fell to forward Sonest Furtado but her effort bounced off the near post.
The Dash will return to training in Houston this week before traveling to Portland on Thursday, March 8 to compete in the Thorns Spring Invitational. While in the Pacific Northwest, Houston will face off with the U.S. Women’s Under-23 National Team on March 11, the Chicago Red Stars on March 14 and the Portland Thorns on March 17.
