Houston Dash vs Washington Spirit: Highlights, stats, and quotes
(image via Aldo Canale)
The Houston Dash opened the 2025 NWSL season Friday night at Shell Energy Stadium, falling 2-1 to the Washington Spirit.
MATCH SUMMARY
Houston Dash 1-2 Washington Spirit
Friday, March 14, 2025
Venue: Shell Energy Stadium - Houston, Texas
Referee: Matt Thompson
Assistants: Jennifer Garner, Matt Trotter
Fourth Official: Kaitlyn Trowbridge
VAR: Danielle Chesky
Attendance: 7,671
Weather: 84 degrees, partly cloudy
SCORING SUMMARY
WAS: Makenna Morris (unassisted) 16’
WAS: Ashley Hatch (unassisted) 33’
HOU: Maggie Graham (Ryan Gareis) 75’
DISCIPLINE SUMMARY
WAS: Gabby Carle (caution; persistent infringement) 35’
WAS: Rebecca Bernal (caution; time wasting) 90+7’
LINEUPS & STATS
Houston Dash: Jane Campbell (c); Natalie Jacobs, Paige Nielsen, Katie Lind, Avery Patterson; Sophie Schmidt (Maggie Graham 60'), Danielle Colaprico, Delanie Sheehan (Ryan Gareis 59'); Barbara Olivieri (Michelle Alozie 73'), Yazmeen Ryan, Messiah Bright (Evelina Duljan 73')
Unused substitutes: Abby Smith, Allysha Chapman, Sarah Puntigam, Belle Briede, Christen Westphal
Total shots: 11
Shots on goal: 4
Fouls: 11
Offside: 2
Corner kicks: 8
Saves: 2
Washington Spirit: Aubrey Kingsbury; Casey Krueger, Rebeca Bernal, Tara McKeown, Gabby Carle; Leicy Santos (Margie Detrizio 83'), Narumi Miura, Hal Hershfelt (Esme Morgan 67'); Chloe Ricketts (Trinity Rodman 67'), Makenna Morris (Brittany Racliffe 67'), Ashley Hatch (Meg Boade 94')
Unused Substitutes: Sandy Maciver, Croix Bethune, Kiley Dulaney
Total shots: 8
Shots on goal: 4
Fouls: 15
Offside: 2
Corner kicks: 0
Saves: 3
HOUSTON DASH HEAD COACH FABRICE GAUTRAT
On the game:
"Obviously, a little bit frustrating. In the first half, we lacked a little bit of belief in who we can be and who we are. You can see there's a little bit of hesitancy. It wasn't tactics, it wasn't the game plan, just more belief. You saw a little more in the second half and you saw a very different team come out. So, that's going to be the biggest thing for us, is to have more of that, to play with more conviction. Overall, like I said, if you look at the whole game, first NWSL game, trying to play a certain way, I think there's a lot of positives to take away. That's obviously one of the best teams in the league. So, for us to play that way and be so dominant in the second half, I think there are a lot of positives to take. As we all know, it takes two halves to win in this league.”
On Maggie Graham’s debut:
“Maggie (Graham) has a really unique skill set, if you just watch her, her ability to cover ground over distances is very impressive. The thing with her, she could play so many different positions, and right now, we kind of have her in the six spot, but she could play a lot of different roles. I think her career is very bright, and we're thrilled to have her with us, and yeah, gonna keep growing her confidence in minutes and we'll see where things go. But very, very pleased for her.”
On Yazmeen Ryan’s debut:
“She played a couple different roles for us in today's game. She could play so in many different spots. She's versatile. I think she's someone as we continue getting a rhythm, she'll really start getting into a flow and really having an impact for us. Didn't really get her opportunities in behind the line as much as I would have liked, so I definitely have to look back at that. Very pleased with what she gave, every time she got the ball in around the box you're holding your breath for something special. So, yeah, very, very pleased with her.”
On his first game as a head coach:
"One of the first things we talked about in pre-game is kind of having a shift in mentality in terms of what we believe of ourselves. I put up an image of our temperature and just kind of saw, okay, well, what does that feel like? What does that feel like when teams come in here and it’s obvious, you don't want to play against the Houston Dash because of the heat, but how do we make the opponent feel that more with how we play? That was kind of the main message for us, is, okay, how do you start implementing our game in terms of that way. In terms of the subs, we already had an idea of who we thought could come in and change the game. I was pleased with the players who came off the bench. Then at halftime, honestly, at the end of day, you got to coach what you see. I just spoke from the conviction that we saw as a staff. We all came together, put our notes together, and that's kind of what came but, yeah, I mean, felt fine, disappointed, that's all so, I mean, I'm optimistic, but disappointed, so that's what I would say there.”
HOUSTON DASH DEFENDER KATIE LIND
On returning to competitive play:
“It feels great. Wish we would have got the result, but it does feel like a big milestone. In my career, but I wouldn't have been able to do it without the resources around me, the staff and my teammates really rallying around me and supporting me in this whole endeavor. Most and all that credit goes to them.”
On the defensive mindset of the team:
“There's a lot to learn from this game. Any of the goals that we gave up were soft, to be honest. So that's something that we will work on this week in training. There were moments where we did dominate too. I think it's just trying to have more of those moments and lessen the chances that they get. But yeah, I'm sure the game plan is to sharpen things up this weekend, making sure that we're all tight for the next game.”
On head coach Fabrice Gautrat:
"Fabrice (Gautrat) has been great for us. He came in with a definite game plan and I think we all have really started to rally around him and the tactics that he has presented to us. He is a very intelligent coach and has a great soccer mind, so it's fun to learn from him and see how we're growing and improving every day. This was the first game under him. I'm sad that we didn't get the result for him because we have been working so hard, but it's going to be an evolution, and this is just one game in the season and I'm confident that we will improve and be better.
On playing with new teammates:
“Definitely. I think the players that we brought in young or old, however, they fit into the group, it's been great to see new faces and what they bring to the table. Everyone is so talented, and everyone's really bought in. But yeah, it's fun to now see that next generation come through and really start to take strides and push this game to a whole new level. So, I'm really excited to see where the league is going to be in the next few years.”
HOUSTON DASH MIDFIELDER MAGGIE GRAHAM
On her impact on the game:
“Fabrice (Gautrat) pulled me over right before I went on the field and just told me, ‘do what you're good at. You have freedom to press, so go wherever you can to make an impact’ and I think that's something I've always felt is my biggest advantage on the field. That off-the-ball pressure and counter-pressing. He gave me that confidence and the freedom to go do that. Offensively, I know that I can run box-to-box, so I did whatever I could to get in the box and was in the right place at the right time.”
On her goal:
“Avery (Patterson) got down the line. We have been working on early crosses into the box all preseason, so I think Ryan (Gareis) and I knew it was coming. I tried to make a run into the middle of the goal while she made one to the back post, and it was a floated ball that Ryan just got contact to make it go across the goal and I kind of bellied it in, trying to make contact however I could.”
On her relationship with Avery Patterson:
“Avery (Patterson) and I have gotten really close, even within the first couple of months that I've been here. We kind of lived similar lives, of course at different schools, but that same ACC competitiveness. We've always been 30 minutes down the road from each other but never really had a relationship, and now we've grown to have a really good friendship that will hopefully translate on the field the rest of the season.”
On support in the stands:
“I was just so excited to get on the field, so I tried my best to block out the nerves and the crowd. I did have my boyfriend here today. My family is actually at my sister's rehearsal dinner, she's getting married tomorrow so they couldn't be here, but they would have loved to be here, and they were, of course, watching from afar. It was so great to have my boyfriend here to support me.”
