Washington Spirit Falls to Western New York Flash on Penalty Kicks in NWSL Championship

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Washington Spirit Falls to Western New York Flash on Penalty Kicks in NWSL Championship

Washington Spirit | October 9, 2016

Photo: Wilf Thorne/ISI Photos

HOUSTON, Tx (Oct 9, 2016) – The Washington Spirit fell to the Western New York Flash in a devastating and well fought 2016 NWSL Championship final that came down to penalty kicks. Crystal Dunn scored twice for the Washington Spirit, equaling the amount of goals she scored during the entire regular season. Samantha Mewis earned the first goal for the Flash, and Lynn Williams scored the late equalizer in the last few seconds of the second half of extra time, thus sending the game into penalty kicks. After a hard fought and suspenseful battle from both sides, the Flash edged the Spirit 3-2 in penalty kicks.

Dunn opened the scoring early in the 9^th minute after a beautiful long ball from Megan Oyster. Dunn bumped the ball over the head of Flash goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo before shooting past two defenders into the open net.

In the 14^th minute, Western New York tied up the score after Williams passed the ball to Mewis at the top of the box. Mewis made a quick cut back before taking a driven shot into the lower right hand side of the net.

Spirit goalkeeper Kelsey Wys kept the match tied in the 57^th minute after a corner kick from Abby Dahlkemper came dangerously close to the head of a Flash player, but Wys caught the ball with her fingertips and held on as she tumbled out of the play.

Less than two minutes into overtime, Dunn scored her second goal of the night to put the Spirit up 2-1. Captain Ali Krieger made a cross to Dunn who took a couple touches in the box before blasting the ball into the back of the net.

With overtime nearing completion, the Flash stayed alive in the finals moments of the match with a late goal. Jessica McDonald sent a ball into the box which found the head of 2016 Golden Boot winner Williams. The ball was perfectly placed and nearly impossible to stop.

The two teams, now 120+ minutes into play, had a brief break before penalty kicks. Both Wys and D’Angelo made incredible saves in net, while Nairn and Stengel scored penalty kicks for the Spirit and Williams, Hinkle, and Dahlkemper converted for the Flash.

NWSL Match Report

Match: NWSL Championship – Washington Spirit vs. Western New York Flash
Date: October 9, 2016
Venue: BBVA Compass Stadium
Kickoff: 5 p.m. ET
Attendance: 8,255
Weather: Sunny, 90

Washington Spirit Lineup: 18 Kelsey Wys; 3- Caprice Dydasco (22- Alyssa Kleiner 22′), 6 – Shelina Zadorsky, 5- Megan Oyster, 11-Ali Krieger; 23- Tori Huster, 7-Christine Nairn, 5- Whitney Church; 14- Francisca Ordega (Katie Stengel 112′), 19- Crystal Dunn, 10 – Estefania Banini (8- Diana Matheson 80′)

Subs not used: 1- Stephanie Labbé, 24- Estelle Johnson, 20- Cheyna Williams, 15 – Joanna Lohman

Head Coach: Jim Gabarra

WNY Flash Lineup: 1- Sabrina D’Angelo; 4- Elizabeth Eddy, 15- Jaelene Hinkle, 8- Alanna Kennedy, 13- Abby Dahlkemper; 6- McCall Zerboni (Kristen Hamilton 106′), Makenzy Doniak (11- Taylor Smith 80′), 6- Abby Erceg, 5- Samantha Mewis; 9- Lynn Williams, 14- Jessica McDonald

Subs not used: 2- Michaela Hahn, 28- Britt Eckerstrom, 20- Janice Cayman, 23- Courtney Niemiec, 25- Meredith Speck

Head Coach: Paul Riley

Team	1	2	Final
Washington Spirit	1	1	2 (PK 2)
WNY Flash	2	1	3 (PK 3)

**SCORING SUMMARY**
Goal	Time	Team	Goal Scorer	Assist
1	9	Washington	Crystal Dunn	Megan Oyster
2	14	WNY	Samantha Mewis	Lynn Williams
3	91	Washington	Crystal Dunn	Ali Krieger
4	124+	WNY	Lynn Williams	Jessica McDonald