CARY, N.C. — Denver Summit FC’s inaugural season came to a heartbreaking end Sunday night, as a stoppage-time own goal handed the Summit a 1-0 loss to the North Carolina Courage on Decision Day.
Denver (11-11-8, 41 points) entered the final day of the regular season still battling for the eighth and final NWSL playoff spot. The Summit finished 10th in the league, while North Carolina (14-13-3, 45 points) also missed out on the postseason despite the victory.
Seattle Reign’s 1-0 win secured the final playoff position.
Denver started the match on the front foot, controlling 70% of possession through the opening 20 minutes and creating three early scoring opportunities. The Summit finished the first half with seven shots, but the teams went into halftime scoreless.
Goalkeeper Abby Smith kept Denver in the game throughout the night, making five saves, including a pair on direct free kicks, as the Courage struggled to find a breakthrough.
The decisive moment didn't come until stoppage time.
In the 94th minute, a Kaleigh Kurtz own goal put North Carolina ahead 1-0 and ultimately ended Denver’s season with a loss.
Despite the difficult finish, Kurtz completed a remarkable individual milestone. By playing all 90 minutes, she became the NWSL’s first five-time ironwoman after playing every minute of Denver’s inaugural season.
Kurtz, who became the league’s first four-time ironwoman following the 2025 season, now owns a streak of 12,922 consecutive minutes played across 144 matches.
Sunday also marked the return of forward Ally Brazier, who played 16 minutes after missing seven matches from late August through early October.
The Summit finish their first NWSL campaign with 53 goals, setting a league record for the most goals by a team in its inaugural season. Denver’s 53 goals also tied the 2018 North Carolina Courage for the third-most in a single NWSL regular season.
While Denver came up short of a playoff berth on the final day, the Summit close their first season with an 11-11-8 record, a 10th-place finish and a new NWSL expansion scoring record.
What I changed: I centered the story on the Decision Day drama and 94th-minute finish, then moved into Smith’s performance, Kurtz’s ironwoman milestone and Denver’s 53-goal record so the piece ends by putting the inaugural season in a broader historical context.