J. Sonis (8)
Denver Captures Three Points at Chicago
DENVER LINEUP: Smith, Sonis, Kurtz, Gaetino, Oke (88’ Eto), Sheehan, Regan, Yuzuki (62’ Means), Heaps ©, Ryan, Flint (74’ Kössler)
Unused Substitutes: Reid, Lynch, Bonner, McCormack, Thomas, Asman
CHICAGO STARS LINEUP: Atkinson, Gomes, Staab, Franklin, Alozie, Dellarose (77’ Gasper), Swanson © (60’ Charley), Grosso (86’ Farmer), Egizii (45’ Bike), Johnson (77’ Wood), Pinto
Unused Substitutes: Naeher, Valdezate, Evans, Mackiewicz,
How it Happened
Denver Summit FC recorded a decisive 3-0 victory over Chicago Stars FC in their final meeting of the regular season. The road win added three critical points to Denver’s tally, reaching 38 points on the year—a new NWSL record for an expansion team.
The Summit set the tone early when Janine Sonis struck in the eighth minute, converting a pass from Emma Regan for Regan’s first assist of the campaign. Sonis unleashed a long-range shot beyond the reach of Chicago’s goalkeeper to mark Denver’s fastest goal of the season and build on their expansion goal record (45). In the 26th minute, co-captain Lindsey Heaps extended the lead by finishing a setup from Sonis, marking Heaps’ fifth goal contribution across her last five appearances.
Following a quiet start to the second half, Heaps struck again in the 76th minute with an unassisted effort. The goal capped the fourth of the season for the Summit and Heaps’ first in the NWSL since Sept. 7, 2018. Goalkeeper Abby Smith kept the clean sheet intact through the final whistle to mark the 20th shutout of her career.
Facts & Figures
- With one goal and one assist in the match, Janine Sonis leads the Summit in both goals (12) and assists (6). Her 18 total goal contributions are tied with three others for the third-most in the NWSL. No other NWSL defender has more than five this season.
- Sunday’s game marked the third time in the last five matches that both Sonis and Heaps have scored.
- With her fifth shutout of the season, Summit keeper Abby Smith became the 14th player in league history to reach 20 regular-season shutouts. Smith walked away from the win with four crucial saves.
- Holding 61.9% percentage through the full 90, Denver secured their second highest possession percentage of the season alongside its fifth most shots (17) and third most shots on target (6).
The Playoff Picture
With today’s win, Denver sits in 10th place with 38 points: two points behind Seattle Reign FC (9th, 40 points) and four behind the North Carolina Courage (8th, 42 points), who claim the final playoff spot.
Looking Ahead
Following next week’s pause for the October FIFA international window, Denver Summit FC will play its last two home fixtures of the season at Centennial Stadium. The team faces Angel City on Oct. 17 and Racing Louisville on Oct. 24. For more information or tickets, www.DenverSummitFC.com.