Comeback attempt falls short for Houston Dash in 2025 opener
(image via Aldo Canale)
After falling behind 2-0 in the first half, the Houston Dash gave it their all in trying to stage a comeback, but ultimately suffered a 2-1 loss in their 2025 season opener against the Washington Spirit at Shell Energy Stadium. The match marked Fabrice Gautrat’s first match in charge as head coach, as well as the return of Katie Lind from maternity leave, and a number of Houston debuts.
In his first match as head coach, Gautrat opted for a simple formation that emphasized players in their natural positions. Jane Campbell retained the captaincy and started in goal. The backline consisted of Avery Patterson, Katie Lind, Paige Nielsen, and Natalie Jacobs. The midfield featured Sophie Schmidt, Delanie Sheehan, and Danielle Colaprico. Yazmeen Ryan, Messiah Bright, and Barbara Olivieri were the front three in attack.
Many wondered leading up to kickoff just how the Dash would approach the match. Early on, the team appeared confident with the ball, putting pressure on Washington. Unfortunately, their early efforts bore no fruit. An early, quick counterattack from Washington caught the Dash off guard. Casey Krueger delivered a cross that rebounded in the box, and Makenna Morris was in the right place to clean it up and give the Spirit the 1-0 lead in the 11th minute.
After taking the lead, the Spirit grew in confidence. They began to dominate possession and applied constant pressure on the Dash defense. Houston struggled with poor giveaways, one of which led to the second goal. Leicy Santos won back possession and passed to Chloe Ricketts, whose shot rattled the woodwork. Ashley Hatch was quick to follow up and doubled the Spirit’s lead to 2-0 in the 33rd minute.
The second half played out in a similar fashion, with Washington controlling possession and the Dash attempting to find a way back into the game. Substitutes Ryan Gareis and Maggie Graham made an immediate impact after coming on. In the 75th minute, a quick counter from Avery Patterson saw her whip a ball into the box. Gareis met it with a header on goal and Graham was able to redirect it into the net for her first NWSL goal in her professional debut. It made the score 2-1 to the Spirit with the Dash chasing an equalizer.
The Dash pushed hard in the dying minutes to equalize, but ultimately, they couldn’t find the back of the net. The final score was 2-1 in favor of the Spirit. Although the Dash had a strong start and showed resilience in the latter stages, the Spirit proved to be too much. Despite the loss, this game will as a valuable learning experience for the Dash against a very good Washington team as they look to build momentum throughout the season.
Next weekend, the Dash will be on the road, facing the Chicago Red Stars on Sunday, March 23rd, at 4:00 PM.
