Denver Summit FC battled through rain and lightning delays to secure a critical 2-1 win over the Seattle Reign on Saturday night at Centennial Stadium. The win pulls Denver to within two points of Seattle, which holds the final playoff spot.
“I thought we were really good for 65 minutes,” Summit FC head coach Nick Cushing said after the match. “I think we gritted the last bit out, which is important for us chasing a playoff spot. I’m really proud of the players tonight. They did whatever it took to get over the line with three points.”
Denver opened the scoring in the 44th minute. Summit midfielder Delanie Sheehan had time and space on the corner of the Seattle penalty area. She took her time and hit a looping shot up and over Reign keeper Claudia Dickey. The ball hit the post and found its way into the back of the net. Lindsey Heaps was credited with the assist.
“Haters, especially [Natasha Flint], are going to say that it was a cross,” Sheehan said. “I’m standing on that it was a shot. Check the film. I think I checked where the keeper’s at.”
Denver doubled its lead in the 50th minute when defender Janine Sonis drove upfield. Without much pressure, she found Summit midfielder Natasha Flint in the box. Flint took the space, cut inside, and unleashed a shot past Dickey. Flint now has five goals in her first season in Denver. Sonis has 16 goal contributions from left back.
“It was good,” Flint said about rediscovering her scoring touch. “It was something I lacked last week. Not putting the ball in the back of the net. So it was nice today to get the ball in the back of the net, but the main thing is to get the three points. I’d like to say I could have had three of four tonight, but what we did was enough and got us over the line.”
Denver’s two-goal lead troubles continued. In the 55th minute, Seattle winger Maddie Dahlien took a shot from the edge of the box. Summit goalkeeper Abby Smith bobbled the catch, spilling the ball right to Reign forward Brittany Ratcliffe.
Ratcliffe poked the ball home, and Denver still looked shaky defensively after going up two goals. Ratcliffe had been on the field for less than 2 minutes when she scored, having come on as a substitute in the 54th minute.
The Summit had to weather the storm to earn the three points. Denver conceded a lot of the possession in the second half. It was bend, don’t break for the Denver back line. It didn’t break, and Denver retained a two-goal lead after failing to do so in the previous two games.
“The demand on each other and on individuals to defend the game out,” Cushing said of Denver’s effort. “You can see how hard the team is running to recover. You can see the two central defenders and the two fullbacks really engaged. Seattle caused us some problems.”
Summit FC remains in 10th place in the NWSL standings. Eighth place is the playoff cutoff. Angel City could jump the Reign, with a game in hand.
Summit FC plays Angel City again at home on Oct. 17. Denver will have to hope Seattle drops points in its last few matches.
Heaps has been as advertised since her return to Colorado and her return from injury. Along with her assist on the first goal, she was all over the field against Seattle, and has really anchored a Summit midfield that has, at times, not been much of a factor in games.
Next up for Summit FC is a trip to Kansas City to face the KC Current on Saturday, Sept.r 26 at 10:30 a.m. Mountain Time.
