Centennial, Colo. – Twenty-one games into their first NWSL season, Denver Summit FC had been overdue to cut loose and rout an opponent. Last night, before their sixth sellout, they did just that.
The starters came out running on all cylinders and they, plus substitutes, did not look back until the final whistle blew.
Denver’s first goal came in the 13th minute and the last, in the 85th. With six goals in a single match in the league this season. The Summit squad also delivered five assists and saw eight goal contributors.
With the victory, they improved their overall record to 7W-6D-8L. They currently sit in 9th place in the 16-team table.
Chicago remains in last place with a record of 5W-1D-16L. The Stars played without Ryan Connaughton, Jordyn Huitema, Natalia Kuikka and most notably, Mallory Swanson. She left a recent game against Racing Louisville with a hip injury.
In the 37th minute of matchplay Sonis became the 94th player in league history to reach 10,000 regular-season minutes played.
At the start of the second half, the Summit scored three goals in just five minutes and 30 seconds of fine combination play that they have been mastering in recent weeks during their practice sessions.
Postgame, Denver’s skipper, Nick Cushing, complemented the team’s preparation for the match.
“This week’s training had been really good. We had a really honest meeting on Wednesday around where we can be better, you know? What we know is it is a 10-game season now. And, I said to the team, my opinion is it is a five game season.”
That preparation paid solid dividends for his team.
“I told them at halftime we don’t take our foot off the gas. It’s a mentality. A habit. We’re going to play with a standard. Tonight they should enjoy it and in the morning they should start preparing for Gotham.”
When asked by the Burgundy Wave to comment on Lindsey Heaps’ first half 45-minutes of play, he replied:
“After being out for so long, it’s natural to be managed in minutes,” Cushing added, “It was my first time on the bench with her, and she was 50% coach, 50% super fan. She showed me she has a real love and passion for this club.”
Denver next faces first-place Gotham FC on September 6th. They tied fourth-place Portland Thorns 1-1 yesterday, and have not lost in their last five games. Windsor Colorado native and regular starter, Jaelin Howel is expected to make the trip here.
Thank you for reading Burgundy Wave. Support us via our Patreon starting at $5/month. You can also make a one-time contribution via Tip Jar. We’re always looking for new talent. Let us know if you’re interested in covering Colorado Soccer.
Katherine Ammon 
Matt Pollard 