Puntigam brings “quality and flexibility” to Dash
(image via Houston Dash)
Coming into the 2023 season, fresh off the first playoff appearance in club history, the Houston Dash brought back most of their roster under new head coach Sam Laity. Houston traded for Diana Ordóñez on draft night and brought in some rookies to fill depth. Sarah Puntigam, who signed with the Dash this week, is here now, but Laity would have liked her in Houston even sooner.
"We were actually looking at bringing her in preseason, but we couldn't make that happen,” Laity said today. “It's unfortunate that she wasn't able to join us until the two remaining games of the Challenge Cup and the last seven games league game, it would have been nice to have a player of her experience and quality earlier in the season. Puntigam is here now and she joins at the perfect time for the Dash. Midfielders Joelle Anderson and Sophie Hirst have been injured of late and captain Sophie Schmidt is away with Canada at the World Cup. Houston have been lacking numbers in the midfield, having to play some players there out of position. Punitgam can play a number of positions but Laity has a glaring need in the lineup that his new signing will fill. “We don't have, especially with (Sophie) Hirst being injured and continuing to be injured, and Sophie Schmidt being gone at the World Cup, we don't have a six,” Laity said on Friday. “That's created problems. We put Natalie Jacobs and Marisa (Viggiano) in there as a two in the last game. Right now, she'll come into the six. “
Puntigam is the most capped player for her country, Austria, and she has loads of experience across Europe. She fills three big needs for this Dash team at this time. “Number one: quality and flexibility. Number two: experience. Number three: a need for a player in that position< Laity said about how Punitgam ended up in Houston. “We're going to take advantage of her as much as we can and try and get up to speed as much as we can, no doubt about it, as there’s a big learning curve coming from the European leagues to the NWSL. So far, so good. She is settling in really well."
The Austrian will play as a number six for the time being but Laity said she can play other positions too. “You know, she's versatile, she can play at center back, at the six, fullback and left back as well,” Laity said.
With Racing Louisville in town for a Challenge Cup match Saturday night, Laity was asked if Punitgam would be available tomorrow. “100%”, the Dash head coach said. Punitgam should step straight into the lineup and provide a spark. “She's 29 years old. She's the captain of her country. She's played at the highest level in Europe,” Laity said about Punitgam. “She will offer quality and she'll also offer experience which is valuable right now. You can never have enough too much quality and we also need a little bit more experience in the middle of the pack."
The Dash wanted Sarah Punitgam months ago but they’ve got her now. With the six players at the World Cup returning in a few weeks as well, the Dash will hope their additions will provide a lift in the final seven regular season games to get Houston back into the postseason.
