Episode Details

Denver Summit FC’s inaugural NWSL season ended on Decision Day with a 1-0 loss at the North Carolina Courage. The only goal was a 94th-minute own goal, and it came after Seattle had already beaten Orlando to take the eighth and final playoff spot.

I loved how we started this one. We had 70% of the ball in the first 20 minutes and won the expected goals 0.94 to 0.55. Then the second half got away from us, and you could feel the nerves through the TV. I walk through the numbers that show where it slipped, from passing that dropped well below last week’s level to a game that finished under 50% possession.

Abby Smith was my player of the match. She made five saves, stopped all three of Ashley Sanchez’s shots on target on the night Sanchez needed one more goal for the single-season record, and put up 1.15 goals prevented. I also explain what goals prevented actually means.

Then the MVP debate. Sanchez tied the record at 20 and won the Golden Boot. I’m Team Janine, and Janine Sonis finished with 12 goals and 8 assists from left back. You’ll hear Nick Cushing make his case for her, plus Janine and Lindsey Heaps from the postgame press conference.

Plus: the packed DNVR Bar pregame show with Mariah Dean, my grade on last week’s 2-0 prediction (it’s not great), and where we finished in year one. The full season recap is next week.

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🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6jiBAbW0QXepwdqK0qhaaF
🎧 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-5280-pitch-denver-summit-fc-podcast/id1859060272
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