Professional football ain't supposed to be easy, as Denver Summit FC head coach Nick Cushing said after his team battled to a 2-2 draw against Houston on Sunday night.
But for a club that can — at times, truly dazzle — their inability to push games across the line in their favor has left their boss grasping for answers.
"In these moments, there's just something that has to click and stitch together," Cushing said in his post-game press conference. "The best teams I've always won with have had that dynamic feel in there. That doesn't mean you have to be best friends, but as a team sport - [you need] to have that intensity - and we're building it."
- Hear more from Denver Summit FC head coach Nick Cushing, in the video player below.
The Summit were the dominant force against the Dash. They led in shots, expected goals and possession, but turning those underlying stats into victories is proving to be tricky.
"My biggest frustration tonight was we shot from 18 to 20 yards too much. That's that 'feel' piece. That's the relationships, the cohesion, and the unconscious rapport you have where you can just put the ball in an area because you know your mate will be there," Cushing said.
Not to bury the lede, but if you haven't seen Yazmeen Ryan's goal that opened the scoring for the Summit you need to stop reading this article and go find it.
Ryan has consistently been Denver's driving force on offense, and she attributes her recent success to a level of freedom on the pitch she's never felt before.
"Playing for this team has meant everything for me," Ryan said. "Coming here I immediately felt like myself. The energy with this group and Nick as a head coach giving me the green light to be myself, it's really meant a lot."
Colorado native Ally Brazier drew a penalty just before halftime, and fellow Coloradan captain Janine Sonis drilled home the ensuing penalty kick to give Denver a lead at the break. But after giving up that lead just three minutes into the second half, the Summit were unable to solve Jane Campbell in Houston's net.
Simply put, there's something missing with the Summit at the moment. A je ne sais quoi — if you will — that perhaps a recent arrival from France may help to fix.
Lindsey Heaps was once again in attendance on Sunday, and in the next match, she'll be more than just a spectator.
The hometown hero will make her Summit debut against the Portland Thorns on July 18 as Denver opens up Centennial Stadium for the first time.
