Sunday, November 03, 2024

Houston Dynamo FC season ends in heartbreaking penalty shootout loss to Seattle Sounders FC

Photo by Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography, Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

















By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (November 3, 2024) Houston Dynamo FC’s season came to a dramatic close at Shell Energy Stadium after a tough penalty shootout loss to Seattle Sounders FC. After 120 intense minutes of regulation and extra time, the game was tied 1-1. But in the penalty shootout, Seattle edged out Houston 7-6, ending the Dynamo’s 2024 playoff run in Game 2 of the Round One Best-of-3 series of the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs.

The match was full of emotion and high-stakes moments. In the final minutes of regulation, Seattle’s Cristian Roldan put the Sounders on top, scoring in the 87th minute to break a scoreless tie. Houston responded quickly, however, forcing an own goal from Seattle in stoppage time. Defender Griffin Dorsey sent a pass into the box that ended up in the back of the net, sending the home crowd into a frenzy and keeping the Dynamo’s hopes alive.

The penalty shootout that followed was tense, with each team converting their attempts until Houston’s seventh shot. Dynamo defender Tate Schmitt stepped up, but Seattle’s goalkeeper Stefan Frei made a crucial save, diving to his right and blocking the shot with his legs. That save clinched the series for Seattle and ended the Dynamo’s hopes for a deeper playoff run.

Houston showed plenty of resilience throughout the game, even after playing with only 10 men for the final 25 minutes. For the second match in a row, a Dynamo player received a red card, forcing the team to finish shorthanded. In this game, captain Héctor Herrera was sent off after a review from the video assistant referee (VAR) found him guilty of unsporting behavior. In Game 1, it was midfielder Adalberto “Coco” Carrasquilla who received a red card, keeping him out of Game 2. Despite this challenge, the Dynamo battled hard to keep the game close.

Houston’s playoff journey this season comes as part of a strong campaign. The team earned the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference with a record of 15 wins, 10 losses, and 9 draws, setting club records for both road wins (8) and points in a season (54). This was the second year in a row that the Dynamo made it to the playoffs, a back-to-back feat they hadn’t achieved since 2013.

There were several close chances for Houston to score in regulation. In the first half, Herrera connected with defender Erik Sviatchenko, whose header was on target. Forward Ezequiel Ponce nearly scored twice, with one shot cleared off the line by Seattle’s defense and another saved by Frei. Herrera himself took a shot from outside the box in the 58th minute, which forced Frei to make another save. Forward Aliyu Ibrahim also tested the Seattle goalkeeper, adding to the pressure.

Goalkeeper Steve Clark, making his 20th postseason appearance, played a big role for the Dynamo as well. His experience kept Houston in the game, and he made several key stops to give his team a chance.

In the end, Houston’s season ends in disappointment, but fans can be proud of the team’s fight and determination. As they look to the future, the Dynamo can build on this season’s achievements and look forward to more playoff runs in the years to come.

Friday, November 01, 2024

Houston Dash fall to Bay FC in season finale

Source: Houston Dash
By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (November 2, 2024) The Houston Dash wrapped up their season with a hard-fought 3-2 loss to Bay FC at Shell Energy Stadium on Saturday night. An impressive crowd of 8,176 fans turned out for Fan Appreciation Night, making it the second-largest attendance of the season. Even though they didn’t get the win, the Dash made it a memorable night with key performances from Barbara Olivieri and rookie Avery Patterson (shown above).

The game got off to a challenging start for Houston, as Bay FC took the lead in the 10th minute with an own goal. However, local standout Barbara Olivieri quickly leveled the score just four minutes later, netting her fourth goal of the season. Olivieri has now scored in three straight games, showing her skill in front of goal.

In the 46th minute, Avery Patterson made her mark with her first professional goal, tying the game at 2-2. Unfortunately, Bay FC’s Racheal Kundananji responded just minutes later, scoring the final goal to seal the game.

Dash goalkeeper Heather Hinz, making her first NWSL start, recorded five saves, helping keep her team within reach. Houston came close to equalizing late in the game but couldn’t find the net.

The Dash closed the season with a 5-16-5 record.

Pasadena Eagles advance to UIL State Volleyball Playoffs


Story and photo by Chris Price
Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

PASADENA, TEXAS (November 1, 2024) Playing in front of load and boisterous crowd, the Pasadena Eagles volleyball team extended their season with a "play-in game" victory against the Crosby Cougars at Bob Barfield Gymnasium in Pasadena. The Lady Eagles downed the Cougars in four sets to avenge their previous meetings this season.

Having faced off three previous times this season. On August 31, Crosby came out top by the score of 2-1 (20-25, 29-27, 13-15) in the Dobie Longhorn Tournament. In district play, the two District 18-5A, foes played each out on September 24 and October 18. In the September match, Pasadena came out on top, 3-2 (24-26, 15-16, 19025, 12-25, 15-10). In their district rematch, the Eagles dropped the five-set match 2-3 (25-12, 10-25, 26-24, 24-26, 13-15).

In the Friday night match, Crosby jumped out to a 1-0 lead, by the score 28-26. The Lady Eagles rebounded from the first set loss, to win the next three (25-22, 25-22, 25-19) to advance to the UIL 5A state playoffs. Last season (2023) they advanced to the 6A playoffs as one of the representatives of District 22-6A.

In securing the fourth-place finish in District 18-5A, they will face the College Station A&M Consolidated Tigers, who is the District 17-5A champion, The Tigers post a 32-10 season record while bring and undefeated record (12-0) into the playoffs. Pasadena finished the regular season with a 21-13 record with a 6-7 record in district play. Both teams will be playing in Division 1 of the 5A playoffs.

The Eagles and Tigers will meet in the first round on Tuesday, November 5 with a 6 p.m. start in Pasadena.