CHICAGO – The Red Stars earned their first home victory of 2018 in a 3-0 shutout against Houston Dash at Toyota Park. Sofia Huerta scored her first goal of the season, while Lauren Kaskie scored her first career goal. Danielle Colaprico added her second assist of the year.

Jumping off to an early start, the Red Stars found themselves up 2-0 in the first 11 minutes.

With the possession going back and forth, Chicago gained momentum as Lauren Kaskie found Sarah Gorden racing up the field. With a cross across the goal line, the Dash’s Kristie Mewis slid into the sliding ball and notched an own goal to put the Red Stars on the board. Just four minutes later, Kaskie earned her first goal of her career after Sofia Huerta’s shot on frame was deflected off the goalkeeper’s foot for Kaskie to grab the rebound.

Houston continued to push down the field, putting a shot on frame just before the end of the first half. The final effort of the Dash was no contest for Alyssa Naeher, as she easily pushed it out of harm’s way to keep the 2-0 lead heading into halftime.

Midway through the second half, the Red Stars widened the scoreline yet again. Danielle Colaprico collected the ball outside the box and sent it in for Huerta to head the ball over a reaching Campbell, creating a 3-0 lead into the final 15 minutes of the match. That would be enough to give Chicago the shoutout win.

The Red Stars will turn right around and host Carli Lloyd and Sky Blue FC on Saturday, April 21, at Toyota Park. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. CT and will be broadcast live on the NWSL app and the go90 app. Tickets are available here.

MAJOR SHOTS
CHI – Own Goal (7’) – The Red Stars capitalized early with the help of a Houston own goal. Dribbling up the field, Lauren Kaskie sent the ball forward  where a speedy Sarah Gorden collected the ball behind the Houston backline inside the 18-yard box. Gorden crossed the ball across the goal line, and trying to deflect it out, Houston’s Kristie Mewis slid and put the ball into the back of the net.

CHI – Lauren Kaskie (11’) – Chicago struck again just minutes later. Sofia Huerta was able to find her way inside the box, getting a shot on frame. Houston goalkeeper Jane Campbell dove and was able to toe-poke the ball out. Lauren Kaskie quickly cleaned up the deflection to put in her first goal of her career.

CHI – Sofia Huerta (75’) – The Red Stars stretched its lead to 3-0 with 15 minutes remaining. Danielle Colaprico collected the ball well outside the 18-yard box and lobbed it in toward the goal. Sofia Huerta snuck behind the Houston backline to head it past a diving Jane Campbell.

MAJOR SAVES
CHI – Alyssa Naeher (44’) – In the final minutes of the first half, Kristie Mewis dribbled down the side line. Testing the Red Stars goalkeeper, Mewis decided to strike from just outside the box, but Alyssa Naeher was ready and easily jumped to push the ball away.

– CHICAGO RED STARS MATCH REPORT –

MATCH: Chicago Red Stars vs. Houston Dash
DATE: April 18, 2018
VENUE: Toyota Park; Bridgeview, Illinois
KICKOFF: 6:30 p.m. CT
ATTENDANCE: 2,327
WEATHER: 34 degrees, cloudy

Scoring Summary:      1          2          F
CHI                               2          1          3
HOU                            0          0          0

CHI – Kristie Mewis (own goal)                      7’
CHI – Lauren Kaskie                                         11’
CHI – Sofia Huerta (Danielle Colaprico)          75’

Chicago Red Stars Lineup: 1-Alyssa Naeher (capt.); 16-Samantha Johnson, 5-Katie Naughton, 14-Sarah Gorden, 7-Taylor Comeau; 2-Nikki Stanton, 13-Lauren Kaskie (4-Alyssa Mautz, 58), 24-Danielle Colaprico, 3-Arin Gilliland (9-Stephanie McCaffrey, 81); 19-Summer Green (12-Yuki Nagasato, 73), 11-Sofia Huerta
Substitutes: 15-Michele Vasconcelos, 21-Emily Boyd, 25-Erin Yenney
Head Coach: Rory Dames

Houston Dash Lineup: 1-Jane Campbell; 3-Rachel Daly, 22-Amber Brooks (capt.), 5-Janine Van Wyk, 19-Kristie Mewis; 18-Kimberly Keever (20-Lindsey Agnew, 46), 6-Meleana Shim (12-Veronica Latsko, 78), 9-Haley Hanson; 10-Linda Motlhalo, 11-Thembi Kgatlana (14-Nichelle Prince, 66), 13-Savannah Jordan
Substitutes: 4-Allison Wetherington, 8-Claire Falknor, 21-Allie Murphy, 30-Bianca Henninger
Head Coach: Vera Pauw

Stats Summary: CHI / HOU
Shots: 9/10
Shots on Goal: 5/0
Saves: 0/2
Corner Kicks: 4/3
Fouls: 10/9
Offside: 2/4

Misconduct Summary:
CHI – Arin Gilliland (caution)                                      9’
HOU – Kimberly Keever (caution)                               45’
HOU – Amber Brooks (caution)                                  82’
CHI – Sam Johnson (caution)                                      90+2’

Officials:
Referee: Ekaterina Koroleva
Asst. Referee: Jennifer Garner, Diego Blas
4th Official: Lukasz Szpala