Four Games In: Kössler's Records, 63k Fans, a Surprise Guest, and Seattle Reign Preview

Kate Hanson: Welcome back to the 5280 pitch women's soccer at altitude. I'm Kate Hanson Okay, so four games in and I genuinely don't know how to rank everything that's happened because there's just a lot and we've got a lot of numbers to talk about. We've got performances to talk about and I have a very special surprise guest that's gonna be joining me on today's episode in just a few minutes. So we're gonna get into all of it. But first real quick Saturday, It is always a pleasure having the opportunity to sit down and talk with one of the people who helped bring this amazing Denver Summit team to the mile high city. All right. So ⁓ Saturday, April 4th, Denver Summit is heading to Seattle. And look, I'm going to sugar coat this one ⁓ because this is a really tough road trip. We're so lucky to be joined by Jordan Angeli again. She was the woman of... well, the match on Saturday, if you all were there. She was on the big screen. feel, Jordan, you've been everywhere with this team over the past few weeks. I'm so thankful that you were able to make time to join us again on the 5280 pitch. And I wanted to get your thoughts about what the first four games of the season looked like, what it was like at mile high on Saturday. And since that's still so fresh in my mind, let's start there. How was it seeing this team? Denver Summit is on the road at the Seattle Reign, 6.45 PM kickoff. And there's something big that's happening. I'm going to be doing a live pregame show at DNVR at the bar right here in Denver before the match. Come out, meet me, watch the game with other Denver Summit fans who are just as obsessed with this team as you are. DNVR, it's off of Colfax. now you've been watching team four games now. We've had the opportunity to see ⁓ one win, two ⁓ draws, one loss, which I really can't fault the for because we played the majority of game with 10 players. ⁓ Seattle Reign through four games. They're looking pretty good. They have three wins and one loss, so they beat Orlando on the road to open the season, which was a bit of a shocker. Beat Kansas City 3 nil beat racing Louisville 2 one. The one loss was a rivalry match against the Portland Thorns. They're playing really well. Claudia Dickey is in goal and it was just announced. that started as just a concept of for Denver. And here we are, nearly, I mean, we were so close to selling out that stadium. How cool, 63,004 people came. What was that like being on the field, seeing all those people here for women's soccer? So far, what stands out to you? Like what has impressed you that maybe casual fans aren't fully appreciating? Details will be in the show notes and there's gonna be a ton of drink and food specials. But again, I will be there at 6 p.m. doing a live pregame and I would love to see you there. You can also find out more details on my Instagram, 5280pitch. All right, let's talk about this team.

Jordan: really been impressed just with the build of the team and how they compose the roster. think it shows a lot of acknowledgement about what the league is like and what you need to succeed in the league. If you look at our back line in that last game, was Carson Pickett, Megan Reed, Kaylee Kurtz, Janine Sonis, and Abby Smith. And if you look at all those players, they've all, I think, minus Megan. It was incredible. It's hard to really find the right words to describe what it was like to be there and to get to experience so many different things. Like I feel like I lived many different lives even during that game with all the different experiences that I had. But the moment that it really hit me and the emotions took over was when the team walked out onto the field. ⁓

Kate Hanson: this week that she is on the US Women's National Team roster. So if you're not familiar with Claudia Dickey's name, she is good. And she just broke the all time Seattle Reign record for career clean Their co captains, Jess Flishlock and Sophia Herreta are both healthy and both active ⁓ I'm gonna start with a little bit of a state of the union. So one win, two draws, one loss. Sixth in the standings. And honestly, for a brand new expansion team, four games into existence, I'll take it. But here's the thing, the record doesn't tell the whole story, not even close, because there's really two stories happening at the same time with this team right now. And I think both of them are really important. The first story is the defense. Thank you.

Jordan: have all won championships or shields in this league. So the experience is there and it's showing because two back-to-back shutouts from this group and really finding a way to make sure defensively they're super solid. The hardest part about playing in soccer in general, but especially in NWSL is the final third and figuring out who you're going to be in the final third. And I think that there's still some...

Kate Hanson: Yeah.

Jordan: you know, next to the Washington Spirit and they're in their two lines and the PA announcer said, Denver, welcome to the pitch for the very first time. You're a Denver Summit FC. And it was like, firework, firework, firework. And the roar of the crowd just penetrated me and I put my hands over my face and I was like, I honestly, like, I couldn't even imagine it be this, this big.

Kate Hanson: And Adams, who had six goals for them last season, is back and a threat every single time she touches the ball. So I feel like I'm a little bit record on repeat here. But our back line is going to have their hands full. But we shut down Trinity Rodman. you could tell, anyone that ⁓ watched the game, was at the you could tell that Rodman was frustrated by our back line. So this is not a soft opponent. Denver gave up two goals in the first 30 minutes of game one against Bay FC. Two goals before the half hour mark in their very first game ever. And I remember thinking, okay, this could get rough. This is what expansion soccer looks like. It's sometimes you're figuring it out in real time, but then something shifted. One goal allowed in the next 240 minutes of soccer.

Jordan: cohesion moments where you can tell that the team is still getting to know each other and how do they get the best out of one another, new teammates that are surrounding them. But there's a lot to like with this group. And I talk a lot to my broadcast partners that I work with. And there have been a lot of positives about a lot of the players within the group. And I think you can see that. think nobody really expected Devon Lynch to come in and play the role that she has from an outsider's standpoint. But this rookie is To me, God just like totally did bigger things than I could ever think, or imagine. And just to be able to experience that alongside so many of my family members, my friends, former players that are from Colorado who got to experience it and with the players too and the owners and gosh, so many people. just was incredible, really incredible.

Kate Hanson: four games in. This is a team that made the playoffs last year and a team that is starting 2026 right where they left off. So what does Denver need to do? Like I just said, the defense needs to hold. That's a first. We talked about the trajectory. ⁓ One goal conceded in 240 minutes and that has to continue On road against a Seattle attack that. Yeah.

Jordan: just elite and ball winning and doing a good job and shielding the back line and making sure if pass tries to go through, she can just clip it and try to regain possession. ⁓ pass progressor and finds the next line. I think we're still waiting on the next level from Tash Flint because I think from what she has, once she feels like she finds her groove within this squad.

Kate Hanson: Yeah. Well, I mean, as we saw in the post game interview with Janine, she said, you know, if this, if you guys were watching anything, if you build it, they will come and you've played in this league, you know what NWSL crowds look like. How far has it come? against Orlando against the defending NWSL champions in Gotham and then against Washington in front of 63,004 people. That is not luck. That is a back line that has watched film, identified the problems and fixed them fast. And a big part of that story is Abby Smith. She is leading the entire league right now in saves and save percentage. 20 saves. can hurt you in a lot of different ways. If Abby Smith can keep it close, and she's been doing a pretty good job, Denver has a chance.

Jordan: I only laugh because, I mean, if people would have known some of the places we've started. And I know that there has been a couple of posts showing the first game versus this game. And the difference is there. But there's times in this league where you would run out to your people that were watching. And it's maybe a couple hundred people. It might say 1,000 or 2,000 on the. It's going to be hard to stop her. She's just super creative and floats between the lines so nicely. And that's going to, as the team starts to feel more comfortable in the way that they build up, I think that's going to be shown off a lot more. But when you're watching the team, that's a really good start, especially when you're talking about playing the previous two champions and the previous team who had been in the final back-to-back years to get

Kate Hanson: through the first three games. She's got an 86.4 % save percentage. She got her first clean sheet against Gotham, who are the defending champions, and then kept another one on Saturday in the home opener. And I've it before, and I'm gonna keep saying it, Abby Smith is one of the best goalkeepers in this league, and Denver is lucky to have her. The second story is Melissa Kossler Three goals. A draw on the road against a Seattle team who has started off 2026 very hot that is looking really good. I would take that a win that would be a major for a franchise that is only five games old. ⁓ PM on Saturday, it's on ION and the Spot Denver three. ⁓ your reminders, ⁓ party at

Jordan: the final attendance number, but it didn't really feel like that. And I think there were so many times in this league where we felt really isolated. We felt really like we knew we were fighting for something that could be special, but it had to catch on in more ways than one in order for that to be a reality. And so I think that's why one of the most special parts to me was having some of those former players there. Some of the players who have seen it from a win and two draws against those teams in your first four games of the year. I'm pretty sure anybody would take that if they were no matter where you are in NWSL.

Kate Hanson: in the first three games and not just goals, history. She is the first player in NWSL history to score the first three goals for an expansion franchise. That record is hers. In game four against Washington, she was just one goal away from joining Alex Morgan as only the second player ever to score in each of her first four matches with the club. She didn't get there on Saturday, but the fact that we're even having this conversation about a player Find a local place that's going to have the sound on. I went to a bar a couple weeks ago with a group of friends hoping to watch the Denver Summit game and they wouldn't turn it on. ⁓ So make sure you find a bar that is going to have the Denver Summit game on and have the sound on so that you can really enjoy the game. And again, before the game, I'm going to be at DNVR doing a live pregame show. Come out. For sure. think that, you know, we really were not given any sort of a slow ramp up with our schedule to kick off the season. And I've been really impressed to see how the back line has come together. Melissa Kossler has three goals and three games, you know, first player in league history to score first three goals in an expansion franchise. What do you see from Melissa that's really making her so dangerous for other teams in this league?

Jordan: No. the beginning have been at teams where, you know, the investment is not there and you barely get have one athletic trainer, ⁓ let alone a whole facility, you know, dedicated to your team, your team and only your team and to stand there and for them to get to experience that and say, Hey, I, I laid a brick. That was the foundation of this. I laid one of those bricks and next to yours and next to this person's

Kate Hanson: on a team that didn't exist six months ago, tells you everything about what she's been doing. She has been that good. Now let's talk about the most recent game, game four, March 28th, the home opener, the score line, I get it, zero, zero. And in a vacuum, sure, a scoreless draw at home is not what you want, right? But I don't think anybody who was there or watching was,

Jordan: Yeah, Custler's so good. ⁓ Good target play, can hold the ball up against the back line, but deceptively quick, which is one of the things that even when I'm watching the game, you know, I kind of know as much about the players as everybody else does. So I'm watching sometimes them for first, second and third time as the games get played out and...

Kate Hanson: Yeah. meet me, ⁓ and watch the match with other Denver Summit fans that care about this team as much as you do. It's going to be a great time. Again, details are in the show notes. ⁓ Check it out on Instagram 5280pitch. ⁓

Jordan: We built something that was sturdy enough for them to then really truly reach for the ceiling and break the ceiling and do something big. So gosh, this league has come a long ways. And I think one of the coolest parts about Saturday is we still have more growth to go. We didn't sell out that stadium. Okay. So I think we can sell out that stadium is one of the cool things that I've been thinking about and realizing that, man, there's just really no. The way she can turn on the jets and get five people, you need that in this league. Speed kills. And you have to have the ability to stretch a back line because then that's going to open up pockets for the players in behind to be creative and find the next pass. So I think she's done a really good job of understanding what the game has given them and saying, all right, in this moment, I can get in behind the back line. They're a little bit high. Or in this moment, I'm going to check in defeat and just be that connector pass.

Kate Hanson: thinking about the score line. At least the people that know what a big deal having a new professional women's sports team in Colorado means to women ⁓ sport. 63,004 people showed up. That is the largest crowd in NWSL history. ⁓ shattered previous records. It broke not only the US Professional Women's Sports League attendance record, That is going to do it for this week's episode of the 5280 Thank again to Jordan for coming on. Always love having her here. ⁓ Always a wonderful conversation and I hope you got as much out of it as I did. If you're enjoying show, please subscribe wherever you are listening. Leave a review if you have a minute. you

Jordan: there's no way to restrict this anymore. It's going to continue to grow and it feels like we're on the precipice of something really cool.

Kate Hanson: Yeah.

Jordan: So her IQ about the game, which I am not shocked about coming from Germany, they're just so tactically proficient. She's done a really good job of adapting to NWSL and being exactly what she needs to be from a target number nine.

Kate Hanson: What do you think that that says not just about Denver, but about where soccer general is right now? It genuinely helps more people find this podcast and the more Denver soccer fans we can get in this community, the better. Tell a friend, seriously, tell someone who loves soccer about this team because what's happening here is worth paying attention to. That was just set last summer, but it broke a world record and Denver didn't just break it. Denver broke it by more than 20,000 people for the NWSL record. I mean, I hope that we all can sit with that for just a second because this team had never played in Denver before. It wasn't like this was the Super Bowl, a huge game for a team that everyone's been watching and growing with.

Jordan: First off, it says that Denver and Colorado in general were really, really ready for this. I talked to people at the game who grew up playing in Colorado but lived in a different state and flew in to come to the game because, yeah, there you go. Your dad was one of them. This guy coached for the Colorado Rush for a long time. he brought his wife and his daughter. And they came from Arizona. And they had to be at the first game. So I think for.

Kate Hanson: Yeah, I love the term deceptively fast because there's times where I'm like, ⁓ man, there's no way she's going to catch that through ball. I'm like, she caught it. She's, she's good. You know, so it's, it's great. I feel that she's been really exciting to watch. And I feel like she's kind of been our secret weapon because this is her first year in the NWSL. so yeah. Abby Smith has just been on fire for the summit. mean, she's leading the league in saves. She's been up. Yeah, my dad was one of them, yeah. This was a team that didn't exist six months ago playing just their fourth game ever. And I don't have a word for how, how big that that feels because it feels so big for this, the state, our city, for women in sports. And that's actually what I want to talk about today. What does Saturday mean? What does this moment mean for Denver?

Jordan: Yeah, not secret anymore. Now that she's scored three and three. Just speaking to that, ⁓ Colorado was really ready for this and was, we've lived here for long enough and covered sports in the Colorado area. We know that the support for sports teams in this region is incredible. And so it doesn't surprise me that Denver and Colorado showed up for that game. And it just makes me feel like there's, there's still a lot of growth to go. And I think that's why a lot of people are investing in women's sports is because.

Kate Hanson: check out the merch for the 5280 pitch. Have some women's soccer and altitude flair ⁓ when you go around to your daughter's games, your son's the Denver Summit games. This is some fun merch that you can wear. it out at the 5280pitch.com and ⁓ if you're on the newsletter, you do get special discounts. for NWSL Player of Week twice now. I know we're only four weeks in, but I mean, that's a lot to say from somebody who was considering retirement just a couple of years ago. So I mean, what have you seen from her as an analyst and how much of what she's doing is really kind of holding this team together, do you think? for women's soccer, what comes next? And I've got someone here who I think can speak to all of it better than almost anyone else. She played in this league, she knows it from the inside, and she's not gonna sugar coat a single thing, which is why I keep having her back on this show.

Jordan: The upside is gigantic and you can see that we're just scratching the surface. So I'm, I'm looking forward to what that means to NWSL and what ownership groups say, because now we've, you know, it's been three years in a row. We broke the record in at Wrigley field in Boston, ⁓ sorry, excuse me, Chicago. Then they were at Oracle park in the Bay and now here in Denver broke a record and I just, I'm hoping.

Kate Hanson: 5280 weekly goes along with the podcast episodes, gives you the brief show notes, and then I do write blogs every week. So check out the ⁓ 5280pitch.com. all the goodness, I'll see you this Saturday at 6 p.m. DNVR.

Jordan: I can't imagine being a goalkeeper in this league because there are only 16 spots. And if you think about every other field player, there's multiple opportunities on each team to get out on the field, typically. If you're a midfielder, there's probably at least two spots you can get into on every team. And for goalkeepers, it's just hard because people don't like to change. It's really important to have a quality goalkeeper in net. And I think for Abbey,

Kate Hanson: and let's keep watching this Denver Summit team climb to new heights. They have been so much fun already. I hope that you've been enjoying the podcast. If you have, I said, make sure to subscribe, leave us review. All right, I'll talk to you all next week or I'll see you at DNVR Saturday 6 p.m.

Jordan: people in Orlando, I hope the teams in Atlanta that's coming, Chicago, I hope people are scheming Seattle of saying, all right, we want to be the next ones to break the record. And I hope the record gets broken. I hope it does. And I hope it gets broken soon because I think it's now created a little bit of ⁓ competition within the ownership groups to be like, all right, well, who's going to go next?

Kate Hanson: Yeah.

Jordan: she's hit this like string of teams where she's been pushed to the back burner and pushed to that number two spot ⁓ time and time again. And it's since that run with Gotham in 2023 before she tore her Achilles, I think she hasn't had consistent playing time. And for me, just the mental fortitude that she shows to continue to show up. And she was the player that all of the

Kate Hanson: Yeah, well, and I think that that's exactly what is needed for NWSL. I feel like there's a lot of, you know, this is a moment energy and obviously it's earned, but you know, this is where Denver, I think, has given it legs to be something that's a goal for every other team.

Jordan: rookies said was the best teammate in the beginning of the year. Like that to me is, you're setting the standard with the culture, no matter if you're starting or not starting, you're a good person in the locker room. And so I think that helps her just be able to show up and be confident that her teammates trust her and that they're relying on her. I think the first game was a little shaky for her in moments and she'll probably say the same, right? A little tentative.

Kate Hanson: So I mean, I think that it's phenomenal with how much the sport has grown just over this past year. So ⁓ you were watching this, ⁓ players on the field. ⁓ my God, it was amazing. We got there ⁓ early. We invited both my girls soccer teams ⁓ ⁓ else was coming to come and tailgate with us, hang out. We were ⁓ a great spot right by the ⁓ and their tailgating. ⁓

Jordan: Mm-hmm. coming off her line a couple of situations. Not that the goals were necessarily her fault, but I think there were moments where she could have felt more like herself and just gone for it and made the decision. And since that first game, I don't think we've seen that tentativeness at all. She's made really good decisions and been decisive with them saying, okay, maybe it's not the right decision to come off my line, but I'm going to go and I'm going to make it difficult for the attacker. And you just have to... Wait, before we go on, I want to know how the game was for you. How was the experience?

Kate Hanson: I mean, it was just a moment. Yeah, yes, I was in lot C. Yeah, I don't know how we missed each other, but yeah, my girls were running around with the soccer ball playing as much as they could on the asphalt. it was a moment that I know I won't ever forget, but I hope that my kids won't forget, you know? And we were, you my daughter's soccer coach, she showed up as well. you know, we all just got together to...

Jordan: be confident in that. And I think the confidence for her really peaked after, you know, is, on the upswing after that Orlando game and then has just continued to go. Cause now it's back to back shutouts for her and shutouts against teams that make it very difficult to have a shutout against them. So I, I am super impressed with what Abby has been able to do both on the field, but also setting the tone for the culture within this group. ⁓ I probably was right by you in lot C. Yeah, I was right by you because I was by the 14ers too.

Kate Hanson: Yeah, she's definitely seems like a steady, steady hand for all the rookies. And ⁓ it's been great having her back there. I mean, you want to have that calm presence back there, somebody that you know, you can count on. So as we you know, I know we have the Reign. Seattle Reign is coming up on Saturday. And then we have a huge break before we come back to Denver for people that might have missed the game at mile high. And now they're having severe FOMO. really spend this moment to be a part of women's sports history. And when we walked into the stadium, was the first time that my girls have ever been at mile high. They've never been to a Broncos game. They couldn't believe how big the stadium was. And for them to see, you know, the people parachuting in and then the fireworks. I mean, like it was one thing after another. And I got goosebumps. I got a little emotional a couple of times because I just couldn't believe that we were watching.

Jordan: Yeah. Yeah. You Yeah, I bet. Yeah.

Kate Hanson: They can come on out to Dicks Sporting Goods Park and catch the next Denver Summit game. How do feel the energy is going to be for the home games going forward? Because it's going to be different, but I do still think that Denver is excited to have this team. women's soccer game in front with with so many other people who are passionate about seeing the sport grow so it was incredible for me so and then I saw you on the big screen a few times and I was like she's awesome she helped bring this here

Jordan: Yeah, you made me think of... didn't know... I'm anticipating it'll be energetic because whenever you're in a smaller venue, the thing about soccer stadiums and they're intimate, right? I think Dix holds 18 or 19,000. I can't remember what the number is. I'm hopeful that Colorado will keep showing up and showing that this is a place that, you know, the... I... Yeah, we can't not talk about the flyover too, because I have been at a lot of Broncos games. And that flyover was the closest one that I have ever experienced. It was so low. He was right... It was so low. It rattled my chest. That was so cool.

Kate Hanson: It was so low.

Jordan: To me, this is just my mindset. Like if you keep getting a lot of people to every single game, you're building a stadium and you better make sure that stadium holds more people. And I think it was a big eye opener that 63,000 came to the first game because there's clearly a market here. And so I just am hopeful that the fans keep showing up and utilizing these smaller venues than Empower Field to create an atmosphere because as

Kate Hanson: Well, and I think, I think that, you know, like I didn't know if there was going to be a flyover because, know, I was like, ⁓ well, it'd be cool. They do it for the Broncos, but I don't know if we're going to get that breath. I didn't tell my girls. Yeah. was, was everything by the Denver summit team. So Abby Smith was on the podcast on Tuesday and she was talking about how the production was put together. And she's like, the people, but you know, the people behind the scenes that were able to do all this.

Jordan: I didn't even think about it, so I was like, As loud as it got in moments in that stadium, I think there could be more energy throughout the match in the way that people react to things and the way they get behind the team and the chants and the cheers. And that will be on display at Dick's Sporting Goods Park and then also at the temporary stadium down in Centennial as well.

Kate Hanson: kudos to them, like what an incredible production they put on and hopefully, I mean I know for the players it was memory making, but I know it was memory making for me, I hope it was for everybody.

Jordan: ⁓ my gosh. They, yeah, they essentially threw a Super Bowl for their first game ever. First game ever. They've never put on a game before in Colorado and they're like, ⁓ we'll just do the most. So yeah, I know a lot of, a lot of people. Yeah. A lot of people on the staff were ⁓ talking about how they barely got any sleep. They were ready. You know, they were ready for the game to be over. So I, I, know that they.

Kate Hanson: For sure. Yeah. I mean... Yeah, I love it. Well, J on. Where can people find on right ⁓ Every game after this is going to feel so easy.

Jordan: I know. Yeah. Well, I'm finally back to my regular scheduled programming this weekend back on call. So I'm on the Boston San Diego game on Friday on NWSL plus, and then I'm on an ESPN package this year. So I'll be on the ESPN game on Sunday. I think it's Bay. It is Bay Washington. So make sure you tune into, ESPN and you can always catch me. ⁓ put a lot of work into it and I, after talking to them, they were able to enjoy the day with all of the work that they had to prepare for that. just kudos to the staff who sacrificed to make sure that that was really something that worked out and was monumental and not just the feet of the fans, but what the spectacle was as well. On Soccer Wise every week, a podcast that I'm on with David Goss. We talk all things NWSL. gives you some good breakdowns of the league and tactics there. Yeah. And say hi to me on social, Jordy at Jordy Angeley. So thanks for having me. This has been fun and I got my sweatshirt and I love it.

Kate Hanson: Awesome. Yes, Yes. I love it. Yeah, that's you got the same sweatshirt that Kaylee got and Devon gots and Abby got one with just the big smiley face on the front. I mean, the sweatshirts have been a big hit, so glad you got it. You are rocking the player merch, Jordan.

Jordan: So you're saying I'm cool like the players, thank you. As someone who's much older than the players, I appreciate that I'm cool like them still.

Kate Hanson: Well, awesome. Well, again, thank you so much for joining me on the 5280 pitch.