26 games ago In March, the Houston Dash finished the first matchweek of the National Women’s Soccer League season in last place after losing 5-1 to the North Carolina Courage.

After many declines and some rises on Saturday night, Dash closed 2024 in the same position: It was at the bottom of the rankings. This was also the first time Houston had finished in last place since its inaugural season in 2014.

Despite a thoroughly disappointing year, there was plenty of pride as the curtain came down in Texas. Houston ended the year struggling with a 3-2 away loss. will go to the play-offs Mr. FC.

Interim head coach Ricky Clarke later told the media: “One of the things we asked of the players tonight was to play for the fans. And I think you saw a team that worked incredibly hard to put everything on the pitch for 90 minutes.” match.

A tightly contested affair was resolved by an outstanding performance from Bay forward Rachael Kudananji. In front of 8,176 fans, the largest home crowd of the season, Houston pushed the top-seeded team until the final moments.

Houston fan favorite Barbara Olivieri, who was born and raised in the nearby suburb of Katy, scored her fourth goal of the season to cap off the best year of her career for the 22-year-old. It was also a memorable night for rookie Avery Patterson, who scored her first goal in the NWSL.

Olivieri, who grew up going to Dash games as a young girl, empathized with the home support who continued to take to the field despite only two wins in 13 home games all season.

“We know how difficult it is to support a team that is at the bottom of the league.
“We’ve been through a lot, but they’ve been through it all, especially tonight,” he said.

After the final whistle, club captain Jane Campbell took the stadium announcer’s microphone and personally thanked the fans, promising a brighter future in 2025.

The Dash began the season with Fran Alonso as head coach and Alex Singer as general manager. Both were relieved of their duties mid-season as the club struggled to keep up with the NWSL.

Singer, who first arrived in August 2022, was fired in July 2024, with Houston president Jess O’Neill stating that the team was “not where we wanted to be on the field.”

Alonso, who coached the first 14 games of the season and collected 14 points with a 3-6-5 record, disappeared before the away game against the Kansas City Current at the end of June. Houston has gone on a winless and goalless streak for three games.

The club initially announced that he was “ill”, but later the coach’s condition was called “leave”. Two months later, in early October, Alonso and Dash agreed to part ways. Alonso’s first assistant, Gilberto “Giba” Damiano, also left the team in May without any explanation.

Chaos and organizational dysfunction engulfed the club. With the arrival of short-term assistant coaches in September following concerns the players were understaffed, it was left to Clarke to pick up the pieces.

A weak squad and injury crisis made the situation worse. In September, Houston lost 3-1 to the league-leading Orlando Pride with just 17 active players, including three goaltenders.

The 2024 season has taken its toll on the players and interim head coach Clarke. The Englishman, who joined the club as an assistant in 2023, has put on a brave face in the last 12 games and led the Dash admirably through difficult waters.

“I’ll remember this year as pure resilience. Every day people show up and lean in. A lot has happened this year and I think this year has been a year I’ll remember for resilience. People will remember it for endurance,” said Clarke. “They fought for this club, they fought for each other and that’s true no matter where we finish. “He will stay with me,” he said.

Although Clarke’s record of two wins and 10 defeats in 12 games does not represent an improvement, the Dash looked more competitive and hard-working in the final part of the season. An intensity returned.

Perhaps more importantly, Clarke’s efforts to steer the ship and restore pride were well received by the players.

“For us it says a lot about the resilience from the staff, the players and every single person in the organisation. This band has had to step up in some ways, and I think that speaks to who we are. This shows who Ricky (Clarke) is, the medical staff and the assistant coaches. It all shows how willing we are to strive to do our best every time,” Olivieri said.

Rookie goalkeeper Heather Hinz, who made her NWSL debut against Bay FC due to Campbell’s thigh injury, also praised the hard work of her supporters.

“It’s been a really crazy year but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I feel like I’ve learned a lot and the girls here are great. Ricky (Clarke) really cares about us. (The older players like goalie coach Eric (Klenofsky) and Jane (Campbell) have really helped me.” said Hinz.

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