History was made in the Mile High City on March 28, 2026, as Denver Summit FC hosted their inaugural National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) home match against the Washington Spirit at Empower Field at Mile High. The occasion wasn’t just special for the new club—it was a monumental moment for women’s sports across the country, as a record-shattering crowd of 63,004 fans packed the stadium, setting a new high-water mark for professional women’s sports attendance in the United States.
From the moment players and officials lined up on the pitch, the energy was electric. Fans decked out in team colors, waving flags, and holding up signs like “The climb has just begun,” created a vibrant, festival-like atmosphere. It was clear from the outset: Denver was ready to embrace its newest professional team, and the players were determined to put on a show worthy of the occasion.
But as the final whistle blew, the scoreboard still read 0-0. While neither Denver Summit FC nor the Washington Spirit managed to find the back of the net, the match was anything but dull. Instead, it became a showcase of gritty defense, tactical discipline, and—perhaps most importantly—a statement of intent from the league’s newest franchise.
Summit FC, under the guidance of head coach Nick Cushing, faced off against a formidable Spirit squad featuring stars like Rosemonde Kouassi, Tara Rudd, Rebeca Bernal, Sofia Cantore, Leicy Santos, Kate Wiesner, and U.S. Women’s National Team standout Trinity Rodman. Denver’s own lineup boasted the likes of captain Janine Sonis, Yazmeen Ryan, Melissa Kössler, Abby Smith, Kaleigh Kurtz, Devin Lynch, Olivia Thomas, Natasha Flint, Ally Brazier, Carson Pickett, Natalie Means, and Janine Sonis herself, a Highlands Ranch native whose leadership has already become a rallying point for the team.
“We’re here to be the first expansion team to win a championship,” Sonis declared after the match, her pride unmistakable. “So I’m proud of the way that we managed the emotion around this day. I think it could have very easily gone the other way with all the pressure. … I’m grateful and thankful that Denver showed up, and I’m not surprised because this is such a sports city. Although we’re competitors and we wanted three points today (via a win), we can be really proud of limiting a really good team to as little chances as they had. I’m grateful for the 63,000 that were behind us.” (According to The Denver Post)
The game itself unfolded like a chess match, with both sides probing for weaknesses but finding few. The first real chance came in the 22nd minute, when Natasha Flint and Yazmeen Ryan combined for a slick give-and-go, freeing Ryan on the left side of the box. Her shot, however, sailed just wide, drawing a collective groan from the Denver faithful. About ten minutes later, Ryan threatened again after a deft pass from Delanie Sheehan, but Spirit goalkeeper Sandy MacIver was equal to the task, deflecting the shot out of play.
Ryan and Sheehan, both recent acquisitions via trade with Houston, injected energy and creativity into Denver’s attack. “(Ryan and Sheehan) have both given us a huge boost on our roster,” Sonis noted, underscoring the importance of the team’s evolving chemistry.
On the defensive end, Denver’s Abby Smith was once again a pillar between the posts. Fresh off her first clean sheet in a 2-0 win over reigning champions Gotham FC earlier in the week, Smith continued her stellar form. She aggressively punched away a dangerous shot in the 36th minute and later made a diving save in the 84th to preserve the deadlock. Megan Reid also stepped up, blocking a close-range effort from Trinity Rodman, who was eventually subbed off in the 82nd minute due to fatigue.
Washington Spirit head coach Adrián González was quick to acknowledge the quality of the opposition: “We were in front of a great team—even though Denver’s an expansion team, I have a lot of respect for them. They’re attacking really good, they have a lot of threats, they can make runs behind you.”
Despite the lack of goals, Denver had the best opportunities throughout the match. In the 53rd minute, Natasha Flint pounced on a Spirit turnover and fired a shot just wide. Six minutes later, Carson Pickett’s corner kick found the head of Melissa Kössler—already the scorer of Denver’s first three goals in club history—but Kössler’s header veered off target. The final chance fell to Ally Brazier in the 90th minute, but her shot from the right side of the box went straight to MacIver, who handled it with ease.
“To be honest on that one, I was thinking, ‘God, please not now,’” MacIver admitted postgame. “We had defended quite well throughout the game, and I thought the game was always probably going to come down to little breakaway moments like that.” (The Denver Post)
Statistically, the match was defined by defensive prowess: both sides managed just two shots apiece, a testament to the organization and discipline on display. For Denver, the result moved their early-season record to 1-2-1, with five points from their first four matches—a solid foundation for a team still finding its feet.
Coach Nick Cushing was upbeat about the performance: “I really wanted us to put a performance in that shows that we have the foundation for a great team here. And that if you come (as a fan), and you bring energy, we’ll bring entertainment. And I’m proud that we did that today. … We didn’t score, but we had all the best chances of the game. And we limited Washington to a few half-chances.”
Even as the players signed autographs and mingled with fans after the final whistle, the sense of occasion was unmistakable. The LED boards flashed the record attendance message, and the crowd’s roar seemed to linger in the cool Denver air. Janine Sonis summed up the mood best: “I hope the record gets broken, sooner rather than later. And I think the motto around women’s sports should be, ‘If you build it, they will come.’”
Looking ahead, Denver Summit FC will travel to face Seattle Reign FC next Saturday before returning home for a showdown with San Diego Wave FC on April 25 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. With a passionate fan base behind them and a roster full of promise, Summit FC has already proven that they’re not just here to make up the numbers—they’re here to compete, inspire, and, perhaps, make history all over again.