4-1 in Houston: Denver Summit FC Answers the Questions

Kate Hanson: 38%, 43%, 53%. Denver Summits possession in their last three games. The first two ended in losses. The third ended in a four to one win in Houston. That number tells you everything about what has changed for the Denver Summit. Welcome back to the 5280 pitch Women's Soccer at Altitude. I'm Kate Hanson. Yeah folks, four. one on the road in Houston after a 96 minute weather delay. The first weather stoppage of the entire 2026 NWSL season. Denver used that time to settle in to get their mindset right because when they came out of that tunnel, who did they ever put on a show? They put four. ⁓

Katie: Everybody will talk about the goals and the assists. Nobody will talk about ⁓ the moment that you have to run and get back behind the ball and put a foot in and put a tackle in. ⁓ thought, ⁓ is the team's win tonight? mean, every player was on both sides of the ball, really, really high level.

Kate Hanson: a Houston team that had just lost three of their last four coming in. And honestly, it was not even close. Today we're gonna get into all of it. The lineup decisions, because there were lineup changes, and what those lineup changes actually tell us. The possession numbers across the last three games and why that comparison is extremely important. And of course, we're gonna talk a little bit about the Ryan and Sheehan homecoming. what happened on the one goal that Houston did score and the standout performances that made Saturday, well, an game. Because let's be real, for two weeks in a row, Denver blew late leads against San Diego. They were up nothing at halftime and lost three to two.

Katie: Honestly, vibe just felt different all day, this whole trip, yesterday traveling, this week in training. I when you go through these kind of spells of being challenged, like we have been the last two weeks, you either capitulate or you rise to the challenge and You know, we have a great leader in Nick who really never, never gives up and was very intentional when he came into training this week to get us where we needed to get to. We obviously had a really great performance. So ⁓ hopefully this is a turn in the tide for us. Part of our identity is to create chances from our goal, from our defensive phases. And there's a lot of principle and concept in there and, you know, double running and blindside pressing is the detail in that. And if you look, I've asked players to execute on the detail because we practice it a lot. that moment is, there's a lot of detail in that, in how you recognise where they're going to bounce it and how you sneak on the blind side and make sure that you block and pinch and... then you have to be clinical in that moment. yeah, she's enjoying her football at the moment. And I think the more that we can get her on the ball, the more you're going to see Tasha's quality.

Kate Hanson: So all three of San Diego's goals came in the second half, the 49th minute, 57th, and the Carson and the own goal. I can listen to the past. Kind of. Because it happened again in Boston. They had equalized through Yasmine Ryan at 18, went up 2-1 with that Tosh Flint goal the 77th. And then they conceded in the 90th and 94th to lose 3 to 2. They leads.

Katie: I sure hope so. I love playing with Yas. We got to play together in Portland a few years back and when I heard she was joining us in Denver, I couldn't have been more excited. She's a player with limitless potential and I think that we've seen that this season already, but tonight was a really full performance

Kate Hanson: two collapses, and then there was a ton of real questions about what this team is when things get hard. Last week after practice, Cushing was extremely honest. He knew what the reporters were gonna ask and he was ready. He was ready to have an answer for it and Cushing's answer was to shake up the lineup. I know a lot of people were expecting a bigger shakeup than what we saw, which we will get into, but... He did shake things up. Iooke got the start at right back. She had been mostly coming off of the bench. And then Natalie Means, our friend Natalie Means drew a start, which is notable given that She had played just a total of 54 minutes all season up until that point. So that means that the shape shifted. More compact, more disciplined.

Katie: Resilience, grit, determination, ⁓ a real deliberate, conscious ⁓ stability. You can see, you ⁓ we pressed a little bit ⁓ to create some chances and at 3-1, 4-1 you don't to win 5-6, 7-1 in from your defensive face, so we sat resolute and

Kate Hanson: built to absorb pressure and punish on the counter. Janine Sonnis described what the week felt like.

Katie: You know, didn't take breaks, mental focus, all the things you need in this league.

Kate Hanson: Cushing confirmed it post-game. The players who hadn't had minutes were pushing him in training, and that's what he wanted. Okie was excellent. We will get into her numbers. Means, we did see a little bit of growing pains. She played 60 minutes, zero shots, 24 touches, 14 passes at 78 % accuracy before Carson Pickett came in second half for her. Means didn't hurt Denver, but she wasn't ⁓ having impact

Katie: in the moments when we did need individuals to step up, Kayleigh Kurtz, Ava Gaetano, Avi Smith again, our full backs were good. We're going to need this to execute results. You can't just attack everybody in every moment. You have to absorb some pressure at times. And we did that really well tonight.

Kate Hanson: okey was on the other side of the field and whether she holds on to that spot going forward well We'll just wait and see what happens Cushing was asked postgame about what he wanted to see repeated from this team That's the blueprint. Whether the personnel who executed it on Saturday get to keep executing it is the conversation heading in to May 16th at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. Pride night. We'll get into that as well. But I do want to spend some time in today's episode with the numbers because numbers across these last three games tell a story. that is really important for us as maybe you're a new fan to the game, we're all new to the Denver Summit, but the numbers that the Denver Summit have been putting up over these past three games is, it tells a very interesting story. So San Diego, Denver was up to nothing at halftime. The way that we looked in the first half against San Diego looks like a different team than when the second half happened.

Katie: Yeah, I mean, honestly, since I got to play with in Portland, I knew that, I mean, we connected there and ⁓ I knew that when we got the chance to truly play together, she's outside back.

Kate Hanson: San Diego scored three times in that game. We have obviously we lose three to two. You might be saying, Kate, why are we spending so much time on this game from a few weeks ago? Wow, well, it's all a part of the bigger story here.

Katie: and I'm forward or just on the field at the same time, then we've always connected so well. And so when I got here, I was just extremely excited to play with her. And we've been talking, of course, about it. And we just have such a good connection on the field. And the way that we play really compliments each other. So ⁓ I know where she's at always. And it's honestly a pleasure to play with her.

Kate Hanson: Ah, well, what were Denver's possession numbers for that game? That is the story. They had 43 % possession, 356 passes, 77 % accuracy overall, 65 % in the final third. San Diego had nearly 57 % of the ball and 468 passes. Denver was surviving. And the moment that San Diego adjusted and Denver had to hold on to lead without the ball, they just couldn't do it. So Denver's XG, which again remember is expected goals, for the entire match was 0.9, nearly identical to San Diego's 0.93. The scoreline at halftime looked like it was Denver's game, but the possession numbers, those told a very different story the whole time. Let's look at Boston, May 3rd. Denver equalizes through Ryan at the 18-minute mark and then Flint gives Denver a 2-1 lead at the 77-minute. Two minutes, just two minutes away from three points. And Boston equalizes at the 90th and they win it at the 94th. Denver's possession tally that day?

Katie: it's always, I think, motivation. ⁓ when you play a former team, ⁓ just have that a little bit of edge and chip on your shoulder. But I tried to prepare the game the same way that I tried to prepare every game. I really just, I want to be dangerous no matter who I'm playing

Kate Hanson: 38%. 317 passes. 65 % overall accuracy. In the final third, 45%. Less than half their passes in dangerous areas were finding a teammate. Boston had a 3.02 expected goals to Denver's .66. That result was not bad luck. Denver was getting outplayed the entire game and the score line finally caught up. We were relying way too much on Abby Smith. So let's talk about Houston, because that's our most recent game. Houston, May 9th, 53 % possession, 424 passes, 82 % overall accuracy, 68 % in the final third. All on the road. after a 96 minute delay against a team that had just come off a 2-0 loss against Utah three days earlier. But that, folks, that is not a small swing. That is three completely different versions of this team on the ball across three weeks. And it connects directly to how Saturday played out because Denver wasn't hanging on this time. they were controlling the game. When Houston pulled it back to 2-1 on the penalty at halftime, which, I stepped away for one minute and I'm like, wait, what, how was it 2-1? Yeah. when I came back, we're only up by one. And it made me a little nervous. I'm sure we all felt a little bit like, uh-oh, is this, is this a sign of that second half collapse again? But Denver came out and scored right out the gate in the 49th minute. When it could have gotten complicated, they put it to bed. And Cushing pushed back all week that the losses were tactical problems. Looking at the possession numbers across three games, he's right. ⁓ It's not tactical, it's identity, whether this group believes in what they're doing all 90 minutes. Saturday in Houston, they did. Earlier this season, Denver and Houston completed largest cash trade in NWSL history. A million dollars for Ryan and Sheehan to come to Denver. Saturday night, they came back into Houston and combined for three of the four goals. Yaz had to assist both to Janine Saunas. That's not athleticism. That is anticipation. She knows where Janine is going to be. The 71st minute goal is the clearest vision. Yaz slipping a diagonal pass into space, Saan is timing a run and finishing low pass Jane Campbell. And that was a connection that was built on past experience of playing with somebody because they played together back in Portland. And Yas talked about it post-game. Janine said the same thing from her side, called Yaz a player with limitless potential. With limitless potential. A reporter asked directly whether we'll see more of this pairing. And on coming back to Houston, Yaz kept it measured, prepared the same way she does every week. But she also said this. Two assists, 4-1, the chip was well placed. Sheehan's goal in the 49th, a header off the Oakey cross, put the game away at 3-1. Now, ⁓ again, I say put it away, we've seen some second half collapses from this team. But I think that that shifted the mindset of the team. Like, hey, we're still in this game. We still got it. Her passing numbers, she hands passing numbers on the night, 86 % overall, 90 % in the final third. 10 passes into Houston's final third, nine of them connected. In a road game at a stadium that she had played in previously. Cushing pointed to that goal specifically as what their identity looks like when it clicks. The movement, the patience, the right moment to commit. Ryan and Sheehan combined, three of our four goals on Saturday night. That trade is looking real good for us right now. I do want to talk about the penalty. It's like I said, I left for just a minute, come back and everything's changed. So what happened in the 43rd minute, Flint caught Daniel Caprizzo in the box and VAR confirmed it. Maggie Graham stepped up and she converted, made it 2-1 heading into halftime. It was also the night that Colapriso became the third player in NWSL history to record 200 regular season starts. Jane Campbell made her 200th appearance for Houston across all competitions. First goalkeeper to ever do that with a single NWSL franchise. it was a big night for milestones on the Houston side, not such a big night for results. ⁓ the save attempt, on that penalty kick, Abby Smith ⁓ it correctly. went the right way. Graham just hit it well enough that it didn't matter. Smith wasn't wrong. She wasn't beaten by a bad read. Graham was clinical. And that happens. Outside of that penalty, Smith was barely tested all night. Cushing said it specifically post-game. Kurtz cleared a shot off the line in the 77th minute the 4-1 lead. That right there does not show up on the headlines, but it mattered. It was extremely important for this team. And I said I was going to be talking about Io Oki because she had one heck of a game. Two assists before coming off in the 59th minute. Yeah, she had two assists in 59 minutes of play. She had 51 touches, accuracy, relentless driving that right touch line. Her carry and cut back in the 15th minute set up that Sonnis opener. Her cross in the ⁓ 49th Sheehan's header. Cushing called her out by name in the post game and that is earned. Janine Sonnis, two goals, her ⁓ 100th start, back at the stadium where she scored her very first professional goal as a Houston Dash rookie way back in 2016. Tash Flint just continues to make strides for this Denver Summit team. I am so glad that we extended her and she's going to be a part of this franchise until 2020 through 2027. Her goal in the 34th, intercepting a Campbell clearance at the edge of the area and finishing it so calmly past the stranded keeper. ⁓ it is the system doing exactly what Cushing draws up. my daughter's coach from a couple years ago used to call that exact move the cheetah play and it's it's so cool to see ⁓ cheetah play working up at the nwsl level I love seeing what Cushing is drawing up. He talked about it post-game. The second time this season that she's done something exactly like that. That's it is a craft. It is not luck. I also want to talk about Abby Smith, four saves on the night. Like I said, she didn't get tested a ton, but she did have a diving stop on Kate Fousey in the ⁓ minute that kept it three one and kept Houston from finding a way back in. Abby Smith has been one of the steadiest players on this roster. all season and Saturday was another example of why. 38%, 43%, 53%, two losses where Denver was getting outrun on the ball and couldn't hold leads. Then that 4-1 road win where they controlled the game, handled adversity when it came, and kept scoring. Cushing said at postgame that there's still moments to clean up, spots where they're committing balls into the box too early, execution details that just aren't there yet. He's not declaring anything is solved, and neither am I. But Janine Sanas, in the postgame room. said what was feeling. Denver's next match is this Saturday at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. Yes, we're at home. It is Pride Night. We're going to be diving into everything to expect for Pride Night, which is interestingly against the Orlando Pride. Also, we're going to talk about what Kayleigh Kurtz is doing for one of her initiatives for Pride Month, which I know is in June, but some that aren't playing, the NWSL isn't playing in June. So we're going to talk about what she is doing to help raise awareness for Pride Month. And we have a tough game this weekend on Saturday. It is not going to be an easy match, but. We're on the up. I think that the game that we just had against the Houston Dash. Was is a turning point for this team. We have the opportunity. How are we going to take it now? What have we learned in those two heartbreaking losses? What have we learned from a rebound game where we scored four the most in the NWSL over the weekend? We scored four. How are we going to take that and put on a show in front of our home crowd here in Denver? I'm going to break down everything in Friday's preview episode. also have been doing something fun in the preview episodes. So if you missed last week's preview episode, I had a battle of the mascots. So tell me what mascot would you assign to the Denver Summit for this week and for the Orlando Pride. You can make them up. They can be whatever you want. Just tell me what mascot you would have and why. And maybe your mascot will be the one that goes into the duel this week's preview episode. So send me a DM. Let me know what mascots you would have for each team. And it's just something fun that I'm doing for these preview episodes. Guys, we're on the right We're sitting at 12 in the table right now, which, you know, lower half of the table, but, you know, the season is young. We're finding our identity. We're finding our footing. There's no reason for us to hang our heads just yet. And if this is your first time tuning in to the 5280 pitch, well, thank you for being here. It's great having you be on the summit train, hop aboard. Plenty of room on this train to cheer on women's soccer at altitude. And we have a long season ahead of us. I'll do my best to get some more player interviews. you haven't connected with me over on the socials, I'm active on Instagram and on threads. Be sure to follow me there. Sign up for the 5280pitch newsletter. That's where I give all the latest updates and you get special discounts for merch. There has been some new secret merch drops that I just put together. So if you want to check those out, You're going to have to be on the newsletter. So head on over to ⁓ 5280pitch.com to check that out. And again, for matches, I'm going be doing some live pregame shows. Come on out, join in on the fun for the watch party. And with that, folks, ⁓ we'll see you on Friday for the Denver Summit Orlando Pride pregame show. I'm going to break down everything that we can look for, but the ship looks it's been turned around a little bit from those past two games it's going to be exciting to see where the summit take it from here.