Janine Sonis had a goal and an assist in a 2-2 draw with the visiting Houston Dash at the Denver Summit on Sunday in the National Women’s Soccer League.
Sonis played a perfectly weighted corner along the ground to give forward Yazmeen Ryan the opening goal in the 12th minute. Ryan, who led the Dash in scoring last season and earned Golden Boot and Rookie of the Year honors, spun past Houston defenders and fired a near-post shot past Dash goalie Jane Campbell.
Houston (4-5-7) responded less than three minutes later, with forward Kat Rader firing a shot past Summit goaltender Abby Smith. Rader, 22, quickly carried his prolific scoring form to the professional leagues after scoring 32 goals at Duke University.
As halftime approached, rookie defender Kate Hardin mistimed a challenge on Summit forward Allie Brazier in the penalty area, resulting in a penalty. Sonis, who spent two seasons with Houston from 2016 to 2017, converted against former teammate Campbell to restore Denver’s lead (4-5-4).
Houston tied the score in the 48th minute when Linda Ullmark scored her first professional goal on a cross from midfielder Maggie Graham.
Rain defeats Thorns in a rivalry match
Ryan Braun scored his first NWSL goal and midfielder Madi Mercado added another point as the Seattle Reign defeated rival Portland 2-0 in Seattle.
Brown took the lead in the seventh minute, running onto the ball played behind the Portland defense and beating goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold. It was Brown’s first season opener since returning from last year’s ACL injury.
The energy waned heading into halftime, but midfielder Sam Meza changed the pace with consecutive tackles, won the ball back and crossed for Mercado, who headed in his second goal in the 44th minute.
The Lane (5-6-2) held the Thorns (8-4-3) scoreless for their first win in five games. Goalie Kathy Miller made a career-high nine saves in the shutout win, just eight days after the 31-year-old goaltender made her Reign debut in a 3-1 loss to North Carolina Courage.
There are few games in the league as intense as the Seattle-Portland series, and both clubs continue the Cascadia rivalry forged by the Sounders and Timbers in Major League Soccer decades before the creation of the NWSL in 2013.
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