One does not simply walk into Spokane and beat the Seattle Reign.
In fact, opponents had yet to take a point at One Spokane Stadium before the Denver Summit battled to a 0-0 draw on Saturday night.
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Earning that road point is no small feat in the NWSL, but in a match where Denver once again looked like the brighter side there's room to be both disappointed and realistic.
"In a crazy way I quite like the fact that we let this one get away," said Summit FC head coach Nick Cushing after the final whistle. "It gives us the chance to see how we react to that. We should win the game, we know that."
"[Failing to score] is always frustrating," said Summit FC defender Megan Reid. "But when teams have good structures, you tip your hat. They made opportunities more difficult, but I don't think it should have stopped us from putting one in the back of the net."
While Denver dominated most of the second half, they failed to capitalize on the chances they created. Cushing says learning how to be more lethal in front of net is all part of the learning process for this expansion club.
"I said we'd be an attacking team and we came here and took the majority of the game to Seattle," said Cushing. "Yea we need to create bigger chances and be more ruthless, I said to the team that if we were in this place in September I think I'd be frustrated. But for us, it's about going through the process, and I think we gave them the most difficult game they've had this season."
The draw sees Denver sitting on six points through the first five matches of their inaugural season, unbeaten in their last four games and in 9th place in the NWSL table.
A week after playing in front of a league-record 63,004 fans at Empower Field the vibe at One Spokane Stadium was distinctly different.
I'm not saying you could hear a pin drop, but on the Ion broadcast you had no problem hearing Cushing's shouting tactical advice from the touch line.
The first major chances of the match came at the expense of Denver's defense - courtesy of Maddie Mercado. Seattle midfielder and English international Jess Fishlock released Mercado in the 10th minute, forcing yet another save from Summit goalkeeper Abby Smith.
"It's expected from her, [Smith is] unreal," said Summit FC defender Carson Pickett. "She's an unbelievable keeper. We know that when it comes down to a couple chances she's going to have our back. We're all one unit and we hopefully help each other."
Smith, who was named to the NWSL Best XI for the month of March, was drawn off her line about a minute later to temper yet another creative run by Mercado.
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The momentum shifted in the 18th minute as captain Janine Sonis got involved in the attack and took Denver's first shot, and a few minutes later forcing Seattle goalkeeper Claudia Dickey to make her first save of the evening.
As the Summit turned up the pressure, the Reign mounted a nearly-lethal counterattack. Emeri Adames broke free at the halfway line, but Smith once again was equal to the task.
Like prizefighters continuing to feel out their opponent, Denver jabbed back courtesy of a curling shot from Melissa Kössler that rattled off the crossbar.
Despite Denver out-shooting Seattle 8-7, along with a late flurry from the likes of Yazmeen Ryan and Tash Flint, we'd hit halftime deadlocked in a 0-0 draw.
The second half opened up with numbers committed forward by the Reign, but the Summit weathered Seattle's pressure like a mountain in a thunderstorm.
Ryan continued to provide sparks of brilliance on offense - darting runs, decisive movement, and eventually a shot on goal. But in the 60th minute Cushing went to his bench hoping to find a little more punch.
US international winger Ayo Oke and Canadian international midfielder Emma Regan took the field to replace rookies Yuna McCormack and Devin Lynch.
Oke's impact was immediate and obvious, her pace and precision led to a great chance for Carson Pickett in the middle of the 16-yard box; however, as it was for most of this match, the final product left a bit to be desired.
The Summit continued to impose their will in the 73rd minute as Ryan played a picture-perfect diagonal cross to Sonis, who made a brilliant run to Dickey's back post. Sonis connected beautifully with a header - which was not a common sight for the Summit through most of this match - but Dickey's positioning was on point, and Sonis' shot was driven harmlessly into the Seattle keeper's chest.
Denver dominated most of the second half, but they were unable to come up with that all important goal. In the end, the Summit will head into the international break on a streak of roughly 200 straight scoreless minutes.
"These are critical points, points on the road," said Cushing. "What we don't want to do is look back at these games thinking those were two points dropped that could have got us [to our goal]. We'll make sure that the team is prepared for when the [players come back from international break]."
The next time we see them in action will be at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on April 25th, when they take on the San Diego Wave.
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** game played at DICK's Sporting Goods Park
other home matches scheduled to be played at Centennial Stadium