Houston Dash 2024 player report cards: Sarah Puntigam
(image via Houston Dash)
We’re continuing our 2024 report card series, recapping each Dynamo and Dash player’s season. Today we look at Sarah Puntigam. The Austria international came to Houston midway through the 2023 season and has been a solid versatile squad player.
2024 Grade: B+
2024 by the numbers (NWSL play)
Appearances: 23
Minutes played: 1587
Goals: 0
Assists: 2
G+ per 96: -0.09
2024 in review
(via FBref.com and FBcharts.com)
Sarah Puntigam has managed to carve out what is not a flashy role for the Dash but a very important one. She has become the go to squad player as she has put in a solid shift as a center back, a fullback, and a midfielder. Players like this are a coach’s dream and add loads of value to your squad.
After a very unimpressive debut season in Houston, we saw what looked like a player who is beginning to become more comfortable in her environment like we tend to see with foreign players past their first season. As a defender, she was one of the best on the ball within the league, putting up some tremendous passing numbers. As a midfielder, she was one of the better defensive midfielders this season, also putting up some great defensive stats.
Sarah was easily one of the best players for the Dash this season among a group of underperforming players. She managed to earn herself a new two-year contract to be a part of this upcoming rebuild.
Moment of the season
Puntigam’s most exciting moment this season came early in the final game of the regular season with a fantastic assist to Barb Olivieri to level the score. Paige Nielsen played an excellent ball out of the back to Puntigam who then put in a perfectly weighted through ball to Olivieri to score a fantastic team goal.
Looking forward
Sarah is now under contract for the next two seasons, and she should be a cornerstone of this coming rebuild. Even if she is not a full-time starter, expect her to play loads of minutes in her multiple positions. The new coach will love having a player like Sarah around.
