In a game where nobody found the net, Denver Summit FC still managed to make a statement that echoed across the American women’s soccer landscape.
Forward Melissa Kössler of Denver Summit FC misses on a header off a corner kick while goalkeeper Sandy MacIver of the Washington Spirit dives to block the ball during the second half of a 0-0 draw on Saturday, March 28, 2026, at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver.
In a game where nobody found the net, Denver Summit FC still managed to make a statement that echoed across the American women’s soccer landscape. Summit FC played the Washington Spirit to a 0-0 draw in Denver’s inaugural home match at Empower Field. The game, played before a professional women’s sports record crowdEven with having to settle for a draw, Summit FC captain and Highlands Ranch native Janine Sonis believes the performance against one of the top sides in the NWSL “definitely puts the rest of the league on notice that we’re here to compete.” “We’re here to be the first expansion team to win a championship,” Sonis said. “So I’m proud of the way that we managed the emotion around this day. I think it could have very easily gone the other way with all the pressure. Denver Summit FC forward Yazmeen Ryan takes a shot at the goal during the first half of a game against the Washington Spirit on Saturday, March 28, 2026, at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver. “… I’m grateful and thankful that Denver showed up, and I’m not surprised because this is such a sports city. Although we’re competitors and we wanted three points today , we can be really proud of limiting a really good team to as little chances as they had. I’m grateful for the 63,000 that were behind us.” Denver, now 1-2-1 with five points through its first four matches, had the best chances to score on Saturday but couldn’t cash in. Summit FC and the Spirit were both limited to two shots apiece. “I really wanted us to put a performance in that shows that we have the foundation for a great team here,” Summit FC head coach Nick Cushing said. “And that if you come , and you bring energy, we’ll bring entertainment. And I’m proud that we did that today. “… We didn’t score, but we had all the best chances of the game. And we limited Washington to a few half-chances.”Like boxers in an early round of a bout, both sides spent about the first 20 minutes feeling each other out. The first bona fide scoring opportunity came in the 22nd minute, when a give-and-go from Tash Flint to Yazmeen Ryan resulted in Ryan one-on-one on the left side of the box with Washington keeper Sandy MacIver. Denver Summit FC forward Yazmeen Ryan , forward Rosemonde Kouassi of the Washington Spirit and defender Lucia di Guglielmo of the Washington Spirit battle for the ball during the second half of a 0-0 match draw on Saturday, March 28, 2026, at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver. Denver Summit FC goalie Abby Smith has been a revelation in net for Colorado’s new women’s soccer teamGolden native, Summit FC star Lindsey Heaps debuts new soccer show Wednesday Denver Summit FC earns first-ever point with solid defensive effort on the road against Orlando Pride About 10 minutes later, Ryan had another good look, again from the left side of the box. This one came after Delanie Sheehan penetrated the defense and zipped an effective pass to Ryan, who put the shot on net, but MacIver deflected it out of bounds. Sheehan and Ryan were both late additions to Denver’s roster, acquired by Summit FC via trade with Houston last week.On the other end of the pitch, Summit FC keeper Abby Smith — coming off the first clean sheet in club history in a 2-0 victory over defending champion Gotham FC on Wednesday —With the game tied 0-0 entering the second half, neither defense yielded much. In the 53rd minute, Tash Flint took advantage of a sloppy Washington turnover and blasted a shot from just beyond the box. It sailed a smidge wide, left of the net. About six minutes later, Denver had another chance, this time off a corner kick. Carson Pickett’s corner found the head of Melissa Kössler — who scored the first three goals in club history over the first three matches on the road trip — but the ball careened sideways off the German’s head from just outside the goalie box, and went out of bounds. From there, the Denver defense turned in a few highlights of its own to keep the game scoreless. Megan Reid blocked Spirit star striker Trinity Rodman’s shot in the box, and later, Smith made a diving save in the 84th minute. Goalkeeper Abby Smith of the Denver Summit FC saves a goal by the Washington Spirit during the second half of a 0-0 match draw on Saturday, March 28, 2026, at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver. and a forward for the U.S. Women’s National Team, came out in the 82nd minute. Spirit head coach Adrián González said she was pulled due to fatigue. González added he was impressed with Denver’s cohesion in just its fourth regular-season game together. “We were in front of a great team — even though Denver’s an expansion team, I have a lot of respect for them,” González said. “They’re attacking really good, they have a lot of threats, they can make runs behind you.” Still, Summit FC needs more production than it’s gotten so far, with only four goals in its first four matches. In three of those games, including Saturday, Denver generated two shots on goal or less. “We want to be a team that creates exciting chances in the final third , and it was a bit tougher today than it was on Wednesday night in Gotham,” Sonis said. “Three games in a week is tough, and you could see fatigue in both teams. For large spells, we had really good passages of play, and now it’s just about putting those pieces together in the final third.”Denver had the best and final chance to score in the 90th minute, when Ally Brazier got a semi-breakaway with the Washington defense hot on her tail. But the Colorado Springs native shot the ball from the right side of the box right at MacIver, who made the easy save. Forward Ally Brazier of the Denver Summit FC heads the ball during the second half of a 0-0 match draw against the Washington Spirit on Saturday, March 28, 2026, at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver. “To be honest on that one, I was thinking, ‘God, please not now,” MacIver said. “We had defended quite well throughout the game, and I thought the game was always probably going to come down to little breakaway moments like that.”next Saturday on the road against Seattle Reign FC, then returns to Colorado for its second home match against San Diego Wave FC on April 25 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. Sonis hopes the record-breaking Saturday will be a prelude to bigger moments to come in the NWSL, which has seen rapid growth in popularity over the past decade. “I hope the record gets broken, sooner rather than later,” Sonis said. “And I think the motto around women’s sports should be, ‘If you build it, they will come.'”Colorado doctor refused to call 911, start CPR before man’s death, indictment saysCherry Creek Schools investigation targets $3 million in contracts with education firm, international travelBroncos picked third in AFC West? The disrespect is absurd | Renck & FileDenver's 97-year-old City Park bandstand 'a total loss' after overnight fire
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