Rookie Maggie Graham’s goal in the second half was all that was needed in a 1-0 win for the Houston Dash against the host Seattle Reign on Sunday.
The Dash (3-4-1, 10 points) have won two of their past three matches.
The Reign (3-3-2, 11 points), who had their three-match unbeaten run snapped, were shut out for just the second time this season.
Graham gave Houston a 1-0 lead in the 57th minute. Yazmeen Ryan stripped Seattle defender Jordyn Bugg of the ball along the left side and sent a short pass up for Ryan Gareis. She collected it to the left of the box and took it in before centering a cross for Graham, who quickly deposited it past goalkeeper Claudia Dickey.
The Reign had one of their best chances of the match and nearly equalized in the 77th minute when Emeri Adames fired a shot from the top edge of the box that bounced off the crossbar but stayed out after it dropped.
Ryan came close to doubling the Dash’s advantage in the 80th minute. Delanie Sheehan lobbed a feed up and Ryan caught up for a breakaway, but Dickey came off her line to the top of the goal area to get in front of Ryan’s shot and keep the deficit at one.
Houston goalkeeper Abby Smith delivered a match-saving stop in the 88th minute, getting her hands up to deflect Maddie Mercado’s attempt from the box over the net.
The Reign controlled possession early in the first half, but the Dash picked up the pace as it progressed to finish with the edge in touches after 45 minutes.
Seattle finished the match with 6 shot attempts, one on goal, while Houston had three attempts, two on goal.
–Field Level Media
