Sophie Schmidt strikes again in Houston Dash win over North Carolina Courage

Photo by Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (August 8, 2025) Sophie Schmidt (shown below) delivered yet another late-game heroics for the Houston Dash, scoring in the 95th minute to lift her team to a thrilling 2-1 victory over the North Carolina Courage on Friday night at Shell Energy Stadium.

The veteran midfielder, who also netted a stoppage-time winner in the Dash’s previous match, struck again when Yazmeen Ryan beat her defender along the endline and set up Schmidt for the decisive goal, her second of the season.

North Carolina grabbed the lead in the 32nd minute after a VAR review turned a free kick into a penalty, with Riley Jackson converting from the spot. The Dash responded quickly as Kiki Van Zanten unleashed a powerful strike from distance in the 39th minute, curling it into the top right corner. The goal marked Van Zanten’s second in as many games.

Photo courtesy of Houston Dash, Used with permission

Houston created several scoring chances throughout the match. Delanie Sheehan came close in the seventh minute, Evalina Duljan hit the crossbar in the 42nd, and Danny Colaprico nearly scored in the 82nd. Ryan continued to threaten late, but it was Schmidt’s clinical finish that sealed the win.

Goalkeeper Jane Campbell kept the Dash in the game with three key saves, including stops on Maliah Bell and Manaka Matsukubo in the first half and a late block on Ashley Sanchez in the 87th minute.

With the win, the Dash remain in strong form heading into their next match on August 17 against NJ/NY Gotham FC. They return home on August 24 to host Seattle Reign FC.

Houston Dash celebrate first home win with 3-0 win over North Carolina Courage

By Robert H Kelly
Copyrights 2024 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON (May 24, 2024)  The Houston Dash wrapped up their two-game homestand with a bang, securing a 3-0 victory against the North Carolina Courage at Shell Energy Stadium. This marks Houston’s third win of the season and their first triumph on home turf.

The Dash took the lead just before halftime. Rookie Avery Patterson won the ball at the edge of the box and passed to forward Ramona Bachmann. Bachmann then found the bottom corner of the far post, scoring her first goal in the NWSL.

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In the 67th minute, Houston scored again. Michelle Alozie dribbled into the box and passed back to Barbara Olivieri. The Katy, Texas native then found the far post for her first NWSL goal.

The final goal came in the 78th minute. Alozie forced a save from the North Carolina goalkeeper, and Diana Ordóñez was in the right place to score from the loose ball. This was Ordóñez's fourth goal of the season.

Dash goalkeeper Jane Campbell earned her fourth clean sheet of the season, making three saves against the Courage. Campbell is one of six Dash players who will leave for national team duty soon. She will join the U.S. Women’s National Team for friendlies against South Korea.

Houston made an early push with Bachmann finding Olivieri at the edge of the box in the fifth minute, but Olivieri’s shot went wide. Defender Paige Nielsen, who has been key in Houston’s defense since joining in late April, also attempted a long-range shot that missed.

Alozie had two shots in the first half, forcing a save in the 23rd minute and heading off target in the 36th minute. The Dash defense, including Natalie Jacobs and Tarciane, blocked key shots from North Carolina in the 60th minute. Tarciane’s debut made her the eighth Brazilian to play for the Dash.

The Dash’s next game is on Friday, June 7, against Racing Louisville FC at Lynn Family Stadium. They will return home on June 15 to host Angel City on Pride Night, presented by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Houston Dash fall to NC Courage 5-1 to start 2024 season

Photo credit: Houston Dash, Used with permission

By Chris Price
Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

CARY, NORTH CAROLINA (March 16, 2024) The Houston Dash kicked off their 2024 National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) campaign with a challenging road fixture against the North Carolina Courage, ending in a 5-1 loss for Houston.

The Courage seized an early advantage in the 19th minute after a video assistant referee intervention led to a handball call against a Dash defender. Malia Berkley calmly converted the resulting penalty to give North Carolina the lead.

Despite the Dash's efforts to mount a comeback, North Carolina extended their lead in the 55th minute through forward Haley Hopkins, who capitalized on a defensive lapse to find the back of the net.

Houston found a glimmer of hope in the 65th minute when a cross from forward Maria Sanchez (shown above) inadvertently deflected off North Carolina's Kaleigh Kurtz and into the goal, marking the Dash's lone score of the match.

However, the Courage proved relentless, adding to their lead with goals from Bianca St-Georges and Dani Weatherholt in the 77th minute and second-half stoppage time, respectively.

Houston Dash to begin season against North Carolina Courage

By Chris Price
Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (March 16, 2024) The Houston Dash are set to kick off their 10th NWSL season with an exciting showdown against the North Carolina Courage this Saturday in Cary, North Carolina. With new faces and familiar stars, the Dash are looking to make their mark in the league once again.

Leading the charge for the Dash is head coach Fran Alonso, who brings a wealth of experience from his successful stint with Celtic Women’s FC. Alonso’s energy and passion are sure to inspire the team as they gear up for their first match under his leadership.

To bolster their attack, General Manager Alex Singer has brought in forwards Yuki Nagasato and Cece Kizer. Kizer, returning for her second stint with the club, showed her scoring prowess last season with 7 goals for the Kansas City Current. Meanwhile, Nagasato, a seasoned veteran, joins the Dash after five strong seasons with the Chicago Red Stars.

Excitingly, Mexican international María Sánchez has also re-signed with the Dash, solidifying their attacking force. Sánchez, a key player for Houston since 2022, led the team in assists last season and remains a crucial part of their strategy moving forward.

In goal, the Dash boast the reigning NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year, Jane Campbell. Campbell’s stellar performance helped Houston achieve one of the league’s lowest goals against average in 2023. Despite her recent success with the United States Women’s National Team, Campbell is ready to defend her title with the Dash.

Houston Dash down North Carolina Courage 4-3

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2022 All Rights Reserved

CARY, NORTH CAROLINA (June 19, 2022) The Houston Dash secured thee points and ascended to second place in the NWSL standings with a 4-3 win over the North Carolina Courage at WakeMed Soccer Park. With the win, Houston posts a 5-3-2 record, for 18 points behind the San Diego Wave going into the international break.

Former Houston Dash midfielder Denise O'Sulivan found the back of the goal first, in the sixth minute, to put the Courage up 1-0. The Dash responded nine minutes later when Maria Sanchez scored her first goal of season to tie the score at one in the 15th minute.

The score remained at 1-1 through the reminder of the first half, and two minutes into the second half. Then, in the 47th minute, the Dash erupted with three goals in four minutes. Elizabeth Eddy secured the brace with back-to-back goals in the 47th and 50th minute. Nichelle Prince added an additional goal one minute later (51st minute).

The Courage came back to cut the score to 3-4 when Diana Ordonoz and Débora Cristiane de Oliveira scored goals in the 57th and 59th minutes, respectively.

Houston Dash fall to North Carolina Courage 4-3; finish match with 10 players

Photo by
Darla S Tamulitis
La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly

Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved

CARY, NORTH CAROLINA (September 12, 2020) Playing without the services of Rachel Daly, the Houston Dash played the final 40 minutes of the game with ten players, and fell to the North Carolina Courage 4-3 in the first match for both squads in the Verizon NWSL Community Shield.

Houston, playing their first game since winning the NWSL Challenge Cup, were without the talent of team co-captain Rachel Daly, who currently is "on loan" to West Ham United of the Barclays FA Women's Super League in England.

In reality, the Dash held a 2-1 lead until the final seven minutes when the Courage scored their final two goals in the 83rd and 86th minute. Whether it was fatigue or playing almost the entire second half down a player, is a discussion for another time. They scored two of their three goals early in the match; both off assists by Shea Groom. Veronica Latsco tallied Houston's first goal in the 25th minute, to even the score at one. Abby Dahlkemper put North Carolina on the board in the 18th minute, with a successful penalty kick, for the first score of the game. Kristie Mewis followed Latsco's goal 12 minutes later, to give the Houstona 2-1 lead at halftime.

In the 53th minute, the Dash when a player down when Allyssa Chapman received a her second yellow card of the game; colliding with a North Carolina player along the touchline. She received her first yellow card in the 18th when she slipped into Debokhs' ankle, in an attempt to break up the play. The caution foul resulted in Dahlkemper's pentaly kick goal

The Courage evened the score at two, in the 52nd minute, with a goal by Debinha. Houston responded in the 70th minute with a go-a-head goal bu Sophie Schmidt. North Carolina close out the match with their two final goals to secure the win.

Houston head coach James Clarkson expressed his disappointment in the loss after the match.

“I’m really disappointed in the result, I thought we could have had the game won by halftime. We had a number of chances that we didn’t put away and if you leave a team like this hanging around there is always a chance they can come back and take it. Obviously, getting somebody sent off that early in the second half made it difficult. I think the players showed amazing courage and fight to get back into the game and take the lead. We just had a quick chat about it and we are really disappointed in how we handled and finished the game out, because there were three points to be won out there today.”

In addition, he also praised the play of Groom.

"She has maintained a fantastic level and the way she played today was incredible on both sides of the ball. Two really good assists, she is disappointed because she could have had a couple of goals in the first half and ultimately, when you go back and look at the game they have two World Cup winners and arguably the best player in the league on the field. They scored their chances and their finishing has been top drawer, their finishing has been great. We have been very wasteful in front of goal.”

The Dash return to play on Saturday, September 26 when they host the Orlando Pride at BBVA Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. CDT.

Solid passing, advancing the ball keys to Houston Dash downing Orlando on Sunday, May 5

Photo by
Darla S Tamulitis
La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

By Jennifer Edwards
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (May 4, 2019) The Houston Dash lost to the North Carolina Courage by the score of 4-1 this past Sunday (April 28) at BBVA Compaass Stadium. The score did noy reflect the amount of work the Dash displayed on the field and in practice. It was easy to see that the Houston did their homework ahead of the 2018 NWSL Champions coming to Houston. They did a great job defensively and had a pretty decent showing offensively. Their passing game has come a long ways in the past two seasons. They are making better connections with their passing and communicating within those passing opportunities much better than in previous seasons.

While the passing game is coming together, was a major disconnect between the Dash midfielders and the forwards. It looked as if the game plan was to keep the midfielders from crossing the midfield area and take a more defensive role and not assist the forwards in advancing toward scoring opportunities. The only problem with this idea was when of the two designated forwards advanced the ball with their speed, the offsides call was made because there were not enough players across the line when a shot was attempted. Rachel Daly (No. 3, shown above right) scored a beautiful goal that was called back for this reason. She tried to argue the call knowing it was going to a fruitless argument.

The coaches made some great strategic moves to make positive changes, but it was too little too late when the Courage scored 3 goals in the second half. While the four goals scored would clearly point to a goalkeeping issue, that is not the case in the Dash defensive line. Jane Campbell had a spectacular save in the free kick that the Courage were awarded. She also had a number of “Save of the Week” worthy saves. It can clearly be seen that the Dash’s full time goalkeeper coach is doing great work and making great strides in this area.

The Dash will take on the Orlando Pride this Sunday. Hopefully their offensive woes will not carry over on to this game and the Dash can get back to their solid passing skills and advancing the ball without so many offsides calls.

Houston Dash battle North Carolina Courage to one-all draw

Photo by Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2018, All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (June 3, 2018) Playing some of their best ball against the league leading North Carolina Courage, the Houston Dash battled to a one-all draw at BBVA Compass Stadium on Sunday evening. The draw was the best result the Dash has ever had against the Courage and extended the unbeaten streak to three.

In three previous meetings, Houston dropped a 2-0 decision earlier this season, on April 28, 2018, at BBVA Compass Stadium; along with two losses in 2017. They lost 1-0 on September 9, 2017 and 4-0 on September 27, 2017. 

Dash defender Haley Hanson battles three
North Carolina players for the ball.
Photo by Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2018, All Rights Reserved

The Dash found pay dirt in the 49th minute when forward Kealia Ohai (shown above) did what she does so well; driving down the pitch and firing a shot past the opposing goalkeeper. She received a pass from goalkeeper Jane Campbell at midfield, driving the ball down the field and into the net. The goal was the first-ever for the Dash against the Courage and pushes Ohai's total to two for the season. Campbell received the assist, her first of the season for Ohai's score. Rachel Daly leads the Dash for four goals in 2018, followed by Kristie Mewis, Veronica Lastko, and Ohai with two each. Ohai stated after the game, when questioned by the press:

Jane (Campbell) has a great service. I saw the outside back was pushed up pretty far so she served it to me and I took off. I actually toe poked it with my right foot and it went in. It’s huge for me. I’m just coming back from an injury and trying to gain that confidence is difficult. It’s more difficult than I had imagine. For me, getting goals is what I need to do. Two games in a row is huge for me.”  

North Carolina evened the score at one in the 79th minute on a goal by Frannie Course, in her first appearance for the Courage in 2018. She entered the game in the 63rd minute as a replacement for midfielder Meredith Speck.

Dash head coach Vera Pauw was asked, in the post-game press conference if North Carolina were able to score as a result of fatigue or lack of focus. She stated:

“It’s probably a surprise that we could dominate the game so much and then we forget what we’ve trained during the whole week – to switch play and that worked out in the first half very well. Then it’s about going forward and that last part which was very, very good in training, somehow we forgot to do that here. The teamwork in the last third of the attack was very difficult, so everybody needs to be completely on the same sheet and if one is jumping off that sheet, then you don’t get the desired outcome. So, that’s also the hardest to develop, the hardest part of the game is to improve and we need to make steps towards that. This team is a development team and has come really far and is very close to being a key partner in this league for the playoffs — a key (contender) for the playoffs.”

The draw brings Houston's record for the first half of the season to 3-4-5 (14 points) while the Courage continues to lead the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) with a 9-0-3 record (30 points). The Dash are currently in seventh place in the NWSL. When Houston returns to play, after a 19-day break, they will face the Portland Thorns on Friday, June 22. The Thorns are currently 4-4-3 (15 points) with one of their three draw coming against the Dash on Wednesday, May 9. 

Ohai returns to starting XI, but Houston Dash falls to North Carolina 2-0

Photo by Jennifer Edwards
Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly

Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (April 28, 2018) The 3,591 fans at BBVA Compass Stadium were witness to the return of Kealia Ohai to the starting lineup, but it was not enough, as the Houston Dash dropped a 2-0 decision to the North Carolina Courage on Saturday afternoon in Houston. Ohai, along with newcomer Kyah Simon, excited the highly partisan crowd, but the Dash could not find the back of the net for the third loss of the season. Ohai talked after the game about her return.  

“Good, as far as my knee, and physically, I feel really good. I just think that we have some areas that we need to improve on, definitely set pieces – that is one of our weaknesses and we need to be better defending those, but I think we have a lot with (forward) Kyah (Simon) and we have a lot to build on. Kyah has only got about three practices with us so, moving forward we are going to improve a lot, still, but it’s just those little things that we need to fix.”

The Courage scored in the third minute with a long throw-in from forward Jessica McDonald, which bounced inside the penalty area and found forward Crystal Dunn in the right position for her third goal of the season. They added an insurance goal lead in the 48th minute after the Dash cleared a corner kick that fell to midfielder Kristen Hamilton. Hamilton settled the bouncing ball and uncorked a shot from 25 yards out that beat Dash goalkeeper Jane Campbell low to her right post.

Dash fans were brought to their feet in the 76th minute when midfielder Linda Motlhalo went down on the pitch with an injury and had to be carried off the field by teammate Rachel Daly (shown above). The 19-year-old South African was replaced by Claire Falknor.

Next up for the Dash is a Saturday, May 5 match up against Sky Blue FC in New Jersey. They return to BBVA Compass Stadium on Wednesday, May 9 to host the defending NWSL Champions, Portland Thorns FC.

Dash playoff hopes dashed with 1-0 loss to Courage

Photo by Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2017 All Rights Reserved

By Lou Roesch
Copyright 2017 All Rights Reserved

CARY, NORTH CAROLINA (September 9, 2017) The Houston Dash despite recent moves designed to better the team have gone for naught. Saturday night on the road in North Carolina, the Dash lost yet another match. The 1-0 fixture was the team’s third consecutive loss for a side that has already endured a six game losing streak this season. The opposition clean sheet was the tenth against the Houston side in 21 games.

Kristen Hamilton’s goal in the 26th minute provided the margin of victory for the Courage as they notched win number 15, one shy of tying the league record set by Seattle in 2014.

The shutout by the Courage was their 11th of the season tying the NWSL league record set by the 2013 FC Kansas City. With two games left, NC keeper Katelyn Rowland has eight clean sheets in 2017 is just two off the mark set by Nicole Barnhart in 2013.

While the reigning NWSL champions clinched a home playoff game, the loss effectively began the wait till next year dream for the Dash (7-12-2).

Houston has three games remaining including a postponed home match due to Hurricane Harvey with the Courage and another home match with the Chicago Red Stars on September 23rd before closing out the season at Kansas City on September 29th.