NWSL Houston Dash

Houston Drops Points in 3-3 Draw with Western New York

Published on July 30, 2016 under National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Houston Dash News Release


HOUSTON -Western New York Flash F Lynn Williams' late second half goal salvaged a draw for the visitors at BBVA Compass Stadium this evening in a 3-3 match with the Houston Dash. Houston has now picked up five points out of the last three games after losing six consecutive games by identical 1-0 score lines.

The Flash pressed early and the first goal of the game came in the second minute when MF Lianne Sanderson got on the end of a Williams' cross inside the six-yard box.

Dash F Rachel Daly equalized seconds before the first hydration break of the game with a 30-yard shot that beat GK Katelyn Rowland at the near post. That was Daly's fourth goal of the season and she is the first player this season to score in three consecutive games for the Dash.

Team captain, F Kealia Ohai, scored Houston's second goal of the game in the 47th minute with a box-to-box effort that spanned more than 60 yards. The forward reached Western New York's penalty spot and beat Rowland at the near post.

Houston's final goal of the game came in the 63rd minute when MF Stephanie Ochs found Ohai at the edge of the box. The captain's shot deflected off a Western New York defender towards the far post.

F Jessica McDonald scored her seventh goal of the season in the 70th minute. The former Dash forward was unmarked outside the six-yard box and got on the end of a cross from Williams.

The final goal of the game came in the third minute of stoppage time. McDonald found Williams inside the box and her shot beat Dash GK Bianca Henninger at the near post.

Western New York almost doubled their lead in the seventh minute when Williams' cross was handled by Henninger inches in front of the goal line.

Houston's final opportunity of the first half came in the 41st minute as Dash MF Denise O'Sullivan's shot from the top of the box missed the far post.

Ochs' left-footed shot outside the box in the 80th minute sailed over the crossbar missing the mark by a few inches.

Houston and the National Women's Soccer League will take a break for the soccer tournament at Olympic Games. The Dash return to BBVA Compass Stadium at 7 p.m. on Aug. 18 to host the Washington Spirit. This match was postponed in May due to inclement weather around the stadium. For tickets and additional information, visit HOustonDashSoccer.com/Tickets.

Houston Dash (3-7-3, 12 points) vs. Western New York Flash (8-5-2, 26 points) NWSL Regular Season July 30, 2016-BBVA Compass Stadium-Houston, Texas Attendance: 4,329

Scoring Summary:

WNY: Lianne Sanderson 2 (Lynn Williams 2) 3

HOU: Rachel Daly 4 (unassisted) 31

HOU: Kealia Ohai 2 (unassisted) 47

HOU: Kealia Ohai 3 (Stephanie Ochs 1) 63

WNY: Jessica McDonald 7 (Lynn Williams 3) 70

WNY: Lynn Williams 8 (Jessica McDonald 6) 90+3

1 2 F

Houston Dash 1 2 3

Western New York Flash 1 2 3

Houston Dash Lineup: Bianca Henninger; Cami Privett, Ellie Brush, Cari Roccaro, Becca Moros; Amber Brooks; Kealia Ohai (c), Denise O'Sullivan (Caity Heap 86), Stephanie Ochs (Megan Crosson 88); Melissa Henderson (Tessa Florio-Gavilsky 76), Rachel Daly

Subs not used: Monica Alvarado, Kate Scheele, Chioma Ubogagu, Caroline Van Slambrouck

Western New York Flash Lineup: Katelyn Rowland; Elizabeth Eddy (Michaela Hahn 71), Abby Dahlkemper, Courtney Niemiec, Jaelene Hinkle; Makenzy Doniak (Janice Cayman 71), Taylor Smith, Lianne Sanderson (Kristen Hamilton 83), McCall Zerboni; Jessica McDonald (c), Lynn Williams

Subs not used: Britt Eckerstrom, Adriana Leon, Meredith Speck

Misconduct Summary:

HOU: Caity Heap (caution) 89

WNY: Jaelene Hinkle (caution) 90+3

WNY: Abby Dahlkemper (caution) 90+6

Referee: Matthew Franz

Assistant Referees: Francisco Bermudez, Amber O'Connor

Fourth Official: Ruben Campillo

Houston Dash Transcripts

Houston Dash 3-3 Western New York Flash

Saturday, July 30, 2016

Randy Waldrum

Kealia Ohai

Denise O'Sullivan

Rachel Daly

Houston Dash Head Coach Randy Waldrum

(on the outcome of the game) "Really disappointed that we didn't hold the lead. I thought that up until [Western New York Flash Forward Jessica McDonald] Jess got her first goal that brought them back 3-2, we did a pretty good job on her and [Western New York Flash Forward] Lynn Williams. And then that last ten minutes or so, I felt that we were out of gas, or whatever the case may be. We just didn't cope with it well enough. So disappointed, I mean I'm happy that we've turned the corner a little bit - we're scoring goals and creating more chances, but obviously when you're up 3-1 on your home field with fifteen minutes left or whatever it was, you certainly don't want to lose points, which we desparately needed."

(on his message to the team after the final whistle) "Similar to that. We can't concede points like that at home. We lost our way in the last few minutes of the game. [Houston Dash Forward Kealia Ohai] K got into them pretty good as well, which I thought was great - showing some leadership. These things can't happen at home. Again, we're in that fine balance point as well, where you're still building on the positives - that we have at least turned the corner after that six game stretch. But at the same time, we've given away four points in the last two games that we desperately need. Everyone can do the math - we need three points out of these games that we have remaining, so a little bit of a mixed message. The effort, I loved. We went as long as we could with [Houston Dash Midfielder Denise O'Sullivan] Denise and [Houston Dash Defender Stephanie Ochs] Steph and those guys were gassed to have to make those changes at the end. We just didn't get it finished out."

(on tonight's defensive performance) "With our team defensively, it was good. I just think that collectively the team was pretty good (outside of the early goal). Knowing that they're so direct in the way that they play and they've got such big, physical players up there around the goal. It's really hard to go up there and win those balls and they play off of the knock down, so I just thought collectively, [Houston Dash Defenders Ellie Brush, Cari Rocarro, Becca Moros and Cami Privett] Ellie and Cari and Rebecca and Cami did a pretty decent job for the most part handling them, until that last ten or fifteen minute stretch. I thought that as soon as Jess got the second goal, there was too much time left because we were hoping to get into the water break up two goals, which is fifteen minutes left and then you can try to manage the game a little bit better. But they brought them close, so we knew that the last bit they were going to throw everything forward at us and then defensively we just didn't do a good enough job period. I thought K was fantastic today for us, on both sides of the ball and it was great seeing her get a couple of goals. I thought that [Houston Dash Forward Rachel Daly] Rachel was very good for us, and dangerous up front as well. You know, the ones that typically perform consistently well for us. I thought Denise was good as long as she could go again. [Houston Dash Forward Melissa Henderson] Mel I thought ran out of gas at the end. We're still trying to get her back to all of her game fitness. You know, we certainly did enough tonight to win and we just didn't get that done."

(on how Denise O'Sullivan has developed) "I think a lot of players from South America and Europe have difficulty coping initially with the league because of that physicality. I think the one good thing is Denise, she's got such an intense work-rate and competitive mentality about her. I think she's just probably been a fighter all her life because of her size, so she's coped with the league very well, really from day one. I haven't seen her have to have that adjustment period like some of the other players. She has stepped in and been very good for us and it was a great pickup for us to get her, because I would make an argument she's been our most valuable player this year, right now. Just for the fact that there are so many players out and she's kind of controlled things there for us in the midfield, so I think she's coped with it very well. I think [Western New York Flash Midfielder McCall Zerboni] Zerboni was really physical with her tonight and I think Denise handled it well and I think one of the things she'll have to do is learn to play off of that. So if she's going to be marked, maybe she can lay that ball off and then look to spin and get it again because sometimes she wants to hold it too much and people are really getting a good look at her legs to get a good whack at her. But I think she's handled it very well, the adjustment to the league."

(on the upcoming Olympic break) "We'll take a few days off this week and then get back after it at the end of the week because we've got a scrimmage against Baylor University on the 11th, so we want to get back a few days to get ready for that, so I think we'll come back in on Friday and get to work again. So we'll have about a week to get ready for that because we need to keep getting after it and keep the work going. We don't want to be off this whole time that there aren't any games. Of course with us, having that makeup game with Washington, we've got to be prepared, so I wanted to get a game in. So we'll take a few days off and then we'll get back into it at the end of next week."

F Kealia Ohai (on the outcome of the game) "We're happy to be scoring goals and if you score three goals in a game, you should win the game. So we're not happy with that. We're not happy about the end. It seems like a broken record but we can't do that anymore. You can't compete if you're going to let them score in the 90th minute every game, but we're happy with the performance and no matter what, we fight. I'm proud of that and proud we could get a point of that game." (on the confidence of the forwards after scoring seven goals in three games) "I said it after the Portland game, it is so much easier to play when you score. If we don't score the stress on the field - you can just see it from the backline up so we are happy that we are scoring goals. I knew after that drought that if we scored one goal it was just going to break open for us. We have some of the best attacking players in the league and there's no reason we shouldn't be scoring goals. So I think it was just a rut and a psychological thing where we couldn't get out of it. Once we did, it just broke open for us."

MF Denise O'Sullivan

(on the overall performance) "I thought we dug deep. It was a tough game. It was very physical and I think we were happy we got the goals, but at the end of the day, one point is not enough on our home field. We're disappointed in that aspect."

(on the physical nature of the game) "It was very physical. She was just man-marking me basically, on my back every time. We worked hard. The girls worked very hard. Tough game. We're disappointed, but we'll move on."

(on other teams' physical approach) "I think so. I think you could see it tonight every time she was just on my back, but that's the game, and you just have to deal with that. It was physical, but I dealt with it okay at times. A lot of times I lost the ball a bit, but we move on and we learn from our mistakes."

(on the Houston's offensive approach) "I think there is a good confidence in the team. There's a good attitude and everyone's working hard in training. We just have to continue that and get more goals."

F Rachel Daly

(on the outcome of the game) "A tie for me is like a loss. Obviously it's good to get at least one point, but to get three goals against a team of the quality of the Flash is huge. It's a gift. We worked so hard to get in that position. Again, I think it's just down to the fight, the nitty-gritty stuff trying to fight 'til the end. I think it's not good enough, but a goal for me and a couple of goals for Kealia. It's seven goals in three games now, we just got to tighten up on the defensive stuff and we're going to get there."

(on the team scoring seven goals in three games) "I don't think it's fully there. We need to push on it and get more and more. If we're scoring more we can win a game. It's great for me to score my goal, and Kealia to get involved and get her two. As an attacking standpoint I think we're doing well. Me and Kealia have finally found our rhythm and I think that's huge for us. Just keep pushing on. It's not by any means set the standard yet. I think there is a lot more to come from the two of us, and the rest of the offense. Keep pushing and it's going to come."

(on finding a balance between offense and defensive responsibilities) "I think we may got a bit of complacency 3-1 up, two goals ahead. I think you saw us settle off, back up a little bit when I think you just got to keep having that fight and go for more. Silly mistakes, being complacent down in the back. I think we just need to switch on. Most games we've played in the last 10 games, it's always been late on in the last minute of the game, or the last 10 minutes of the game, and it can't happen. That's something we have to change. I know Randy and the rest of the staff will fix that and just have the confidence, and hopefully everyone believes in us like we do."

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National Women's Soccer League Stories from July 30, 2016


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