Heather O’Reilly takes a corner kick. (Photo Copyright Clark Linehan for The Equalizer)
The Breakers shutout the Dash 1-0 to get themselves off the bottom of the table in their final match of the regular season. The Dash now need to win at Sky Blue on Wednesday to counter and avoid finishing 9th. Kristie Mewis scored the goal in the 77th minute and Alyssa Naeher capped a season that far exceeded its statistics by earning her 2nd shutout from the last three games.
After an opening half that saw both teams earn chances without being able to score, the Breakers broke through in the final quarter hour. Julie King and Courtney Jones combined on the right side with Kristie Mewis cutting central and taking a pass from Jones. Jones sent it wide left to Heather O’Reilly.
Alyssa Naeher’s outstanding play this season has culminated in two shutouts in her final three matches. (Photo Copyright Clark Linehan for The Equalizer)
It was an active night for O’Reilly and she found herself in open space where she sent a cross that appeared to take a deflection—possibly off King—on the way to Mewis who had an easy finish for her 3rd goal of the season. (update: the initial match report has O’Reilly getting an assist.)
The Breakers (6-16-2, 20 pts) finish the season with two wins in their last three matches but without a playoff bid in their first two NWSL seasons. Their final finish will not affect their draft status as their top pick was traded to Sky Blue for Lisa De Vanna.
The Dash (5-15-3, 18 pts) lost their 5th straight and are winless in seven (0-5-2). They last won July 11 against the Breakers. The Dash visit Sky Blue Wednesday in a makeup of their postponed match from July 2. A win gets them out of the cellar while a loss or draw sets them up to pick 1st in the 2015 draft pending alterations tot the order for expansion.
