Houston Dash vs Racing Louisville FC: Highlights, stats, and quotes
(image via Ricky Vega)
The Houston Dash scored deep into stoppage time for a dramatic 4-3 victory over Racing Louisville on Friday night at Shell Energy Stadium.
MATCH SUMMARY
Houston Dash 4-3 Racing Louisville FC
Friday, April 3, 2026
Venue: Shell Energy Stadium - Houston, Texas
Referee: Alexander Billeter
Assistants: Tom Felice, Brian Marshall
Fourth Official: Marie Durr
VAR: Shawn Tehini
Attendance: 5,442
Weather: 77 degrees, cloudy
SCORING SUMMARY
LOU: Taylor Flint (penalty kick) 23’
HOU: Kat Rader (penalty kick) 39’
LOU: Sarah Weber (unassisted) 49’
HOU: Kiki Van Zanten (Danny Colaprico) 50’
HOU: Kiki Van Zanten (unassisted) 67’
LOU: Taylor Flint (penalty kick) 81’
HOU: Sarah Puntigam (penalty kick) 90+9’
DISCIPLINE SUMMARY
HOU: Paige Nielsen (caution; foul) 45+5’
LOU: Macey Hodge (caution; foul) 56’
LOU: Katie O’Kane (caution; foul) 69’
HOU: Jane Campbell (caution; foul) 79’
HOU: Avery Patterson (caution; foul) 90+12’
LINEUPS AND STATS
Houston Dash: Jane Campbell (c); Leah Klenke, Malia Berkely (Lisa Boattin 86’), Paige Nielsen, Avery Patterson; Kat Rader, Maggie Graham, Linda Ullmark, Danny Colaprico (Sarah Puntigam 71’); Messiah Bright (Clarissa Larisey 75’), Kiki Van Zanten
Unused substitutes: Hillary Beall, Caroline DeLisle, Allysha Chapman, Evelina Duljan, Cate Hardin, Sophie Schmidt
Total shots: 24
Shots on goal: 5
Fouls: 14
Offside: 1
Corner kicks: 5
Saves: 1
Racing Louisville FC: Jordyn Bloomer; Lauren Milliet (c), Ellie Jean, Courtney Petersen, Taylor Flint; Macey Hodge, Katie O’Kane, Emma Sears (Audrey McKeen 71’), Ella Hase (Rachel Hill 71’); Kayla Fischer, Sarah Weber
Unused Substitutes: Maddie Prohaska, Macy Blackburn, Erynn Floyd, Avery Ciorbu, Natalie Mitchell, Taylor White
Total shots: 8
Shots on goal: 4
Fouls: 10
Offside: 2
Corner kicks: 3
Saves: 1
HOUSTON DASH HEAD COACH FABRICE GAUTRAT
On the match:
"Overall, a very resilient win. Four penalty kicks in a game. I don't know what the record is, but, I'm sure that has to be up there. To be fair, I think all four penalty kicks were deserved, in one way or the other. I just love that the group never wavered in their belief. They kept playing, they kept going, even up 3-2, and giving it that last one the way we did, but we just kept trucking. I thought the players who came in did really, really well. Sarah (Puntigam) brought in a lot of that composure. Clarissa (Larisey), Lisa (Boattin), I thought were pivotal towards that. It was a team win. We gutted out (three points) and I think Kiki (Van Zanten) has found her new role at the nine. I could say so many things about so many players, but yeah, overall, really, really pleased.”
On the resilience of the team:
"It's been part of our DNA. If you look at last year, how many how many games (where we claimed points from a losing position). I mean, this will be another 3 points that we got from being down, right. Because we scored 12 points, 13 points last year from being down. So that's something that we don't want to be accustomed to, but we're very comfortable with that. So, it just shows the resilience of the group.”
On Kiki Van Zanten
"She's always been someone that has had a nose for goal. I think in this new role as the nine, it really suits her profile really well. Especially with how we play. She just looks like she's having fun and getting more and more comfortable. She is very unpredictable in how she moves, and she could turn you. She can also strike with both feet. Even both of her left footed shots, like the quick release, goalkeeper's not even ready for that. I can't say enough great things about her. She is also a great leader by example, especially with the younger groups.”
On the team’s aggression:
“Obviously, when you get that second goal (against) again, so early in the second half, you have to be on the front foot. For us, like, we just had that mentality. We got to go and get the second. Obviously, we got it, and then we get the third. Then that moment happens. I think part of it was also being down and then having to kind of put that front foot forward. You're seeing a team that can score in a lot of different ways, that can attack quite well in different ways.”
On reaching new milestones this year:
"We talk about making history and so we already have had quite a few historical stats that have been broken for our club this year. We've talked about, what does it look like to be a team that makes history for this club? And so that just falls in line with the overall vision of what we want to be about this year. I couldn't be happier for (Kiki Va Zanten). I think one of the hardest things to do in this league is to score goals consistently. All the top teams have people that can score goals. We're seeing one right now in Kiki (Van Zanten). There are others that can follow suit. So it's an exciting time obviously, as a coach, it's great that you can have someone that can consistently create for you going forward.”
His message to Houston fans:
"First and foremost this is a united team. I showed a clip to the group, actually today in this week in our game review, where in the 92nd minute, you had the whole team sprinting back after losing a ball in the attacking half. The entire team, 92nd minute, absolutely exhausted. You are seeing a team that's really united and one. Also, I believe our football is exciting. We're creating more chances than we ever have, at least since I've been here, you're going to be entertained. We're scoring goals every game. So I would say, come see us. We have so much talent, we have so much young talent, hungry players. You'll see a team that will bleed for the crest, that will really work hard and represent the city in the way that it should be represented."
On Sarah Puntigam:
“Sarah (Puntigam) has ice in her veins. We have our top five (penalty kick) takers, and we give the group autonomy. We ask, who wants to step up? Sarah has ice in her veins and she just picks the ball up. She takes them for her national team. So, it was just another day for her.”
On Jane Campbell:
"She even said after the game, ‘hey, that's on me, on the PK.’ But she knew that her group, the group was going to have her back and she even said it in there. Great job in just having each other's back. (Jane Campbell) has saved us. There are so many games where she's been absolutely fantastic. I'm really pleased for her to return to national team. I don't want to say long overdue, but I feel she's definitely earned it. She is playing lights out this season so far, so really excited for her for that piece. I can't say enough good things about her leadership for us.”
On the upcoming FIFA break:
"It's important to also rest, we have gone non-stop since preseason. It's been week-in and week-out. So, I think the first piece is finding those moments to rest. We have a couple two-day, three-day builds of rest to just do that. We'll have nine to 12, 13 players with us. A lot of it will be a lot of position specific work. So really getting a lot of work that maybe you don't get so much in the team setting, so they really feel like they're getting better. We'll slightly change pace a little bit, but it will be very beneficial for the group.”
HOUSTON DASH MIDFIELDER SARAH PUNTIGAM
On the match:
“It was a crazy game with four penalties. I'm happy we got the three points and the win. I'm happy that I was able to help my team with a penalty in the end.”
On the team’s early success this season:
“I'm so happy and thankful that I'm a part of this team; we're such a great group. It's fun. We're down a goal, but we never gave up. We always have that belief, and we scored goals. It's just, it's fun to be part of the team, but it's still early, and the season is long. We have to have to keep it up and keep going.”
On the team’s confidence in her to score the penalty kick:
“It helps to have the trust and the confidence of my teammates. I love this team. I'm so happy that I'm a part of this team. Like I said earlier, I'm just happy I scored and that I was able to help the team. It feels good to feel the trust of my teammates.”
On the progression of Kiki Van Zanten:
“She's (Kiki Van Zanten) working so hard, and she's doing so well in training, not only this year, but also the year before. Honestly, it's no surprise. I think it was just a matter of time for her to have such an impact. I keep telling her I'm still waiting for the hat trick. I'm happy for her. She deserves it all, and she's such a great teammate.”
On the team’s mindset over the next couple of weeks:
“The most important thing is going to be that we're not going to get complacent. That we keep it up and we give it our all, even in training. It doesn’t matter what day it is. We need to challenge and help each other out. I'm so confident in this group, so I'm not very worried about it.”
On what feels different about this season compared to previous years:
“It’s the belief we have. To go into a game knowing that we can dominate and win. I think that's the biggest difference to me, that we are just so confident in each other. As you can see, it’s paying off right now.”
HOUSTON DASH MIDFIELDER KIKI VAN ZANTEN
On the match:
“I’m so proud of the team and our belief. When calls don’t go our way, I don't think there's a minute on the field that we didn’t believe that we could win this game or come back and get defeated on our home field. It is an incredible environment to play in when you know there are 10 other people that have your back.”
On taking in the wins and achievements:
“I'm so happy and thankful that I'm a part of this team; we're such a great group. It's fun. We're down a goal, but we never gave up. We always have that belief, and we scored goals. It's just, it's fun to be part of the team, but it's still early, and the season is long. We have to have to keep it up and keep going.”
On the chemistry and cohesiveness from the team:
“During off season, we worked a lot on our interpersonal relationships on the team; learning each other’s tendencies, what players like to do when they’re on the ball, that dictates my movements. What feels different is that I have confidence. This is my third year in the league and I had the pleasure of starting quite a few games last year and you get confidence over repetition. I also believe the chemistry in this group is great. We all have each other’s backs, which is so rare.”
On the message to Houstonians who aren’t familiar with the NWSL:
“We’re an important and impressive group, our games are exciting and we work really hard. We continue to grow our fan base every year and we want to continue to grow. We love to fill the stadium and make it an even harder place to play. It’s already hard, especially with the heat and humidity, but it is something we embrace. We want to get more people in the door and more Houston Dash fans.”
On adjusting to the number 9 position:
“I played a little bit of the nine during my college days, so this isn’t my first time playing in this position. I love to be in and around the goal. It’s nothing that is too much of a shift. I really like playing there and being in front of Danny (Colaprico) and Maggie (Graham) makes it a fun position because they’re so dangerous on the ball and in the air. While I didn’t train there as much in preseason, I think that our team is so fluent on certain balls or plays; we get pulled around. I like the nine, I enjoy it up there.”
On Sarah Puntigam taking the penalty kick when she was on a hat trick:
“I think saying, “letting Sarah (Puntigam)” is funny because we practice penalty kicks all day, and her kicks are always perfect. I had no doubt in my mind that she would bury it. It wasn’t even a thought to me to take the PK (penalty kick) because I believe, 10/10 she’s scoring a PK.”
