Nerilia Mondesir scored her first National Women’s Soccer League goal in the 65th minute, leading the host Seattle Reign to a 2-1 victory over the Houston Dash on a rainy Friday night.
Olivia Athens also scored for the Reign (6-14-5, 23 points), who snapped a five-game losing streak and broke a tie with Houston for last place in the league. Seattle goalkeeper Claudia Dickey made three saves.
Barbara Olivieri scored on a penalty kick for the Dash (5-15-5, 20 points), with goalie Jane Campbell making three stops.
Mondesir’s winning strike came after teammate Ji So-Yun dribbled the ball into the penalty area. Ji’s shot was blocked, but the ball deflected high into the air and fell to Mondesir at the top of the 6-yard box. She spun and put a right-footed shot between the legs of the charging Campbell.
The Reign took a 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute on Athens’ 18-yard half-volley into the upper-left corner of the net following a corner kick. That snapped a five-match scoreless streak, going back to Seattle’s 3-2 victory against Angel City on Sept. 6.
The Dash tied the score just three minutes later as Olivieri put a penalty into the lower left corner of the net after she was tripped by Seattle’s Lauren Barnes just inside the top of the 18-yard box.
The teams split the season series after Houston posted a 1-0 victory at home on Sept. 21.
–Field Level Media