A. Brazier (64)
Denver Summit Starting XI
Abby Smith, Ayo Oke, Eva Gaetino, Kaleigh Kurtz, Janine Sonis, Devin Lynch, Delanie Sheehan, Yuzuki Yamamoto, Yazmeen Ryan, Melissa Kössler, Olivia Thomas
Racing Louisville Starting XI
Maddie Prohaska, Lauren Milliet, Arin Wright, Courtney Petersen, Quincy McMahon, Katie O’Kane, Taylor Flint, Maja Lardner, Emma Sears, Makenna Morris, Kayla Fischer
Denver Summit FC walked away from Lynn Family Stadium with a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Racing Louisville on Friday night. Not only does this win prove the squad thrives under adversity, but the crucial three points have officially vaulted the Summit into 8th place in the NWSL standings.
With dominant 60% possession and a staggering 2.68 expected goals (xG) to Louisville’s 0.80, Denver dictated the pace of the game. Goalkeeper Abby Smith was a brick wall in the net, earning the clean sheet.
Here are the major storylines from our statement victory in Kentucky:
Road Warriors Make NWSL History
The Summit are officially cementing their “road warrior” status. Friday’s matchup marked our 8th away game in just 11 matches—tying an NWSL record for road matches to start a season, originally set by the Portland Thorns in 2019. Despite the grueling travel schedule and coming off a tough result against the Utah Royals, this team’s resilience shone through. True to form, the Summit have yet to lose consecutive away matches this season.
Tackling the Louisville Defence
Taking three points at Lynn Family Stadium is no easy feat. Racing Louisville came into this match looking to defend their home turf after a tight 2-1 loss recently snapped an impressive six-match home unbeaten streak. History was heavily on their side: over the last 22 months, Louisville had only suffered back-to-back home losses a single time. But Denver’s suffocating defense ensured Louisville would suffer that rare consecutive home defeat.
Shuffling the Starting XI & A Historic Attack
Denver entered the match boasting a historic, three-headed offensive attack. Tash Flint, Melissa Kössler, and Janine Sonis share the team lead with four goals apiece, making the Summit just the second team in NWSL history to have three different players hit the four-goal mark within the first 10 games of a season.
However, the squad had to adapt tonight. With Tash Flint out of the lineup due to an injury, the starting XI looked a bit different. Kössler and Sonis stepped up to lead the charge from the opening whistle, applying relentless pressure that resulted in 33 touches inside the opposition’s box compared to Louisville’s 16.
The Breakthrough: Brazier’s Milestone Moment
The game-winning moment came in the 64th minute. Shortly after Ally Brazier subbed onto the pitch in the 61st minute to inject fresh energy into the attack, she found the back of the net to break the 0-0 deadlock. This incredibly clutch strike marked Brazier’s first goal with the franchise—a massive personal milestone that ultimately sealed the victory and the standings jump for Denver.
Next Up:
The Summit will look to carry this momentum forward, defend our newly acquired 7th-place standing, and finally get some well-deserved rest at home. We will see you at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on July 3rd after the international break in June!
