Kali: Hi everyone and welcome to Summit Up, your one-stop shop for All Things Denver Summit FC, with plenty of side hikes into the greater interview cell landscape, women's sports in Denver, and everything you should know about the culture and community of soccer at 5280. We are your hosts, Kayleigh and Matt, and we have so much goodness to discuss. So let's dive in. Matt, take us peek to peek.
Matt: I mean, first thing peak to peak is team of the week, which seems like every peak we're on the team of the week, as it were these days. putting the four and fourteeners, your Denver summit, climb the W Galazzo team of the week. Not one, not two, not three, but four times for week 22, Kaylee. Making this roster, yeah, four. Put them up. Four and four. We just have so much thematic callback here. And four.
Kali: And four
Matt: All so making the roster this week, we had Janine Sanas for her goal and assist, Delaney Sheehan for her goal, which she meant, guys. Remember, she did check the goalie. You heard it here. Tosh Flint for her goal. And then Nick Cushing gets to coach the whole shebang for his role in turning the drawstring into a six point win over Seattle. I'm gonna run through some some quick W Galazzo team of the week, women's Galazzo team of the week stats for you, Kaylee. Is that okay?
Kali: Love it. Absolutely.
Matt: All right, so we've got 22 weeks now in the books with these Team of the Weeks announced, and Denver Summit have had 24 appearances on them. I'm just gonna go alphabetically. Abby Smith has had four appearances in weeks two, four, eight, and sixteen. Io Ucka has had one in week 17. Delaney Sheehan has appeared once in week 22. Janine Sanas, a whopping seven times. In weeks three, four, seven, eight, thirteen, sixteen, and twenty two. I feel like I just read off the lost numbers. If you know you know. Kaylee Kurtz has appeared one time in week 10. Lindsay Heaps, one time in week 21. Melissa Costler, two times in weeks five and nineteen. Nick Cushing, the coach, in weeks 19, 20, and 22 for three times. Tosh Flint has been on two times in weeks 19 and And twenty two, Yasmin Ryan once in week seven, and Yuzuki Yamamoto once in week twenty. Hell of a run for our first seas season. What do you think?
Kali: I mean, if I didn't see the numbers, the goals, the stats of these individual players to back up the reason for why they are on these rosters week after week, I would think someone is a summit fan at Galazzo and that that wouldn't be the worst thing either.
Matt: Yeah, I mean you gotta think Jen, Jen on the marketing side are just aesthetic because you don't get better exposure in your first season than just, you know, being on the the top eleven week, week in, week out.
Kali: Absolutely.
Matt: All right, for additional recognition, it's international call-up time. For the upcoming international friendlies window, we've had made official that Yuzuki Yamamoto, forward for Team Japan, has been called up, as well as midfielder Emma Regan and defender, not striker as it would seem, Janine Sanis, have both been called up to Team Canada. For Japan, the friendlies take place Friday, October 9th against Haiti in France. It's pretty fun. And Tuesday, October thirteenth, against Germany in Germany. I doubt she misses either of the October 4th or 17th summit matches. And that's gonna kind of be a trend that carries through for all of these call ups. For Canada, Emma and Janine, their friendlies are going to be against Denmark on October 9th in Montreal, and then once more against Denmark on October twelfth in Toronto. Same deal. I don't think they're gonna miss anything. Stay tuned as rosters are announced for the U.S. women's national team and the Germany women's national team. For the US, those friendlies are on the 10th and 13th versus Spain in DC and Philadelphia, respectively. Sorry, Chester, outside of Philadelphia. I know there's some there's some Pennsylvanians in here that are like shouting through their airpods right now. And then for Germany, the matches are versus Australia. on October ninth and Japan October thirty or October thirteenth, both in Germany. You ready for some international windows?
Kali: I'm excited, absolutely.
Matt: I think we we gotta start like stacking up our our national team jerseys for our players. We gotta get Canada's jersey, US's jersey, Japan's, Germany's. I mean, what with preparing for Brazil next summer?
Kali: May as well, absolutely.
Matt: We're we'll we'll have to do the thing. You know, when like they peel off one jersey and it's another team below that, and we can just have probably five. 'Cause we
Kali: At least.
Matt: yeah, with Naomi and Cameroon being the fifth right now, I think we've got a lot of potential for the women's world cup in twenty twenty seven.
Kali: For sure.
Matt: All right, speaking of goats, goat-recognized goat Lindsay Heaps got to rub shoulders with her Argentinian male counterpart, Lino Messi, this weekend as Lindsay delivered the coin flip for the Inter Miami versus San Diego MLS match. a lot's been made about how this was kind of a bucket list for her, getting to be arm in arm with Messi, pictures of her room, all of the Messi Barcelona gear from her childhood. Can't imagine what this was like for her. Still, though, I had a chuckle because skill withstanding, standing not withstanding. Look at the pictures of Messi beside Lindsay Heaps. It's it's a little stark.
Kali: I mean she is the goat.
Matt: Speaking of comparing things, shout out to Rate My Biscuits on Instagram. For those of you that don't know, Rate My Biscuits is an account set up by your summit coaches who have a bit of camaraderie, a bit of culinary critique in a weekly biscuit rating session. they biscuits for those of you that don't know are cookies across the pond. I think this is led by the English coaches. And they basically just break bread or break cookies together, look at the crumble, comment on the flavor. And it's been awesome to watch. They've done a few things on Instagram and we are excited to do a future collaboration with them. So if you got biscuit recommendations, holler at your boy and girl, slide in our DMs so we can come in strong to this matchup first, or probably not a matchup, but at least bring some good biscuits to the table.
Kali: I mean, we're competitive nonetheless. Like, I want the biscuit that we bring to be rated to be the best biscuit. So if anyone has a yeah, like you said, a strong competitor, I do want to ask, like, is this a DIY biscuit? Like, can I bring a biscuit that I baked to be rated or is that a no-go?
Matt: Are you gonna I mean that could be that could be kind of fun. You could go full Kentucky and bring like an actual biscuit,
Kali: Yeah.
Matt: like bring some gravy. We could make hot browns, like we could go weird with it.
Kali: No, no, no, no, no. I'm I'll go I'll go traditional English cookie biscuit situation. But I don't know if you guys are Ted Lasso fans at all. I am now officially fully caught up, but I am a big fan of the show, big fan of everything they do. They can do no wrong in my eyes. but I have perfected my biscuits with the boss recipe. And it does take four hours to make, so we'll see if that is able to be done in the timeline of our collaboration. But my biscuits with the boss have technically won an award already. So we I wouldn't be upset if I got to give those to the team.
Matt: What what a wart?
Kali: Okay, well, it was a Christmas party award, but there was like thirty other cookies in the running. It was now
Matt: Damn.
Kali: now we have digressed. This is niche into my husband's training for his job. They did a whole group cookie contest with all the residents and all of their significant others. Anybody could submit a cookie. So I submitted a cookie and I think there were like 30 plus and I won first place. So
Matt: Hell yeah.
Kali: I mean, I do think my branding a win's a win. I do think like
Matt: Hey, a a win's a win. Yeah.
Kali: I put them in the cute little pink box. I branded them with like biscuits of the boss. But hey, the whole start to finish package won.
Matt: So you came at that biscuit competition for for Ryan's Christmas party like you were summit facing Chicago stars, is what you're saying.
Kali: Exactly. I absolutely buried the competition. There was no contenders.
Matt: Well, for I mean, for a callback to a past episode, I think we for Rate My Biscuits, we submit your biscuit with the boss, but we we ice it or brand it, sum it up like the the women's game podcast branded their cookies. And then we're just
Kali: Okay.
Matt: out of the park.
Kali: Okay. I can work on that. Absolutely. But
Matt: Are you you hear that coaches? You hear that rate my biscuits? We're we're already planning. I don't think you meant for this to be a competition, but
Kali: it's hard not to compete.
Matt: Have you met us yet?
Kali: If you haven't, this is a pretty good preview.
Matt: Well, speaking of not competing, do you want to talk about Seattle?
Kali: my gosh, do I want to talk about Seattle? Okay, after spending two straight episodes talking about Denver giving away leads, your Denver Summit FC finally closed one out in front of a sold out crowd of 12,272 fans. Now, that is not our 63,04, but hey, sold out, sold out, baby. That is a packed stadium, which is as it should be. And shout out to all those fans who stuck around after the hour rain delay. I unfortunately could not be at the game. I was at our cousin's wedding. Shout out Shelby and Jacob. You guys, wonderful weekend. but that rain delay looked intense. Classic Colorado rain and lightning, but hey, didn't really matter because Denver beat Seattle two to one at Centennial Stadium, extending their unbeaten streak to Five matches, the longest of the season so far. It was quite
Matt: Hold on, I I wanna I would I want to stop you there because I do want to talk about this rain delay. We got there and
Kali: All right, all right, tell us.
Matt: we were we were all joking this is Rebecca Yaris's fault because it turned from like bluebird sky to black death in a matter of moments. You could just see it coming west to east and and taking over the sky above the stadium. Birds were leaving. in in flocks, we were joking, these were the dragons taking off.
Kali: Ha ha ha.
Matt: and then the rain started, and one of the Seattle coaches came in and was like, We have rain. We don't have rain like that. That is going horizontal.
Kali: Ha ha ha.
Matt: So not only
Kali: That's some dragon rain.
Matt: did we bring bring this thematic fourth wing rain, we brought rain so aggressive that the team from the city known for it w was a little worried.
Kali: Okay, Matt, since you brought it up, I have to ask, have you read Fourth Wing?
Matt: I have not read Fourth Wing. I would have.
Kali: My gosh.
Matt: We did reach out to Ali Brazier. We were gonna do a fourth wing book club leading up to this match. She didn't get back to us, so I didn't have to read Fourth Wing. I mean, I didn't,
Kali: Okay, well
Matt: I didn't take the opportunity to to read Fourth Wing. Let me fix that.
Kali: Yeah, yeah, you should correct yourself on that because it is an opportunity and I cannot wait for the latest release. I am right alongside Ali Brazier, big fan, love the books, and I love that you guys got an absolutely cinematic weather storm in the midst of this themed night because you don't write that stuff any better than it gets.
Matt: We were we were holed up in the the press room downstairs, not the the press box upstairs. And on the the television in the press room, they just had the live feed of the match, which was for the duration of the the weather delay, affixed at the scoreboard showing like the weather delay warning. And so we're watching on on the TV as it goes from like black death to I think some of the summit staffers when it turned red. We're like, we're officially in the apocalypse now, like we're all gonna die.
Kali: Well, I'm glad none of you did die because it for all of the d theatrics and the drama that you had leading up to the game, it seemed like it was a quiet start to the actual match. Neither team had even a shot throughout the opening first fifteen minutes, and Denver ultimately h held Seattle to just one shot the entire first half, which after such a lead up, my goodness. But right before halftime, number twenty-four, midfielder Delaney Sheehan broke it open. In the forty-fifth minute, Sheehan sent a shot over the defense into the back of the net, making it one zero Denver. Matt, you were there in person. What was that shot like in person?
Matt: I mean, it was awesome. It was almost a signature summit shot at this point, which they've moved the ball around the midfield to the point where they've confused the defense and they've pulled out the goalkeeper either physically and she she's come up off her her goal line or just attention wise and then it gets lofted in past. We've seen Janine do this. We've seen Delaney do this. We've seen Natalie Means do this. It it just seems like when we get down to that third, we're putting them all in a tizzy and then we're just lobbing one in knowing it's probably gonna work. Delaney talked about it, it did work, but I think the the most important part of this was the message it sends to both teams going into the locker room, having this happen in the 44th minute.
Kali: Absolutely. It was her second goal of the season, first goal since May 9th in Houston, and Lindsay Heaps picks up the assist as her third goal contribution in three straight matches. So they like you said, Matt, going into halftime, this was a tone setter. Shout out to Laney, way to go. Then Denver came out at halftime doing what has become one of my favorite trends to see, which is scoring immediately immediately. In the 50th minute, Janine Saunas found Tosh Flint. My girl just inside the box and Tosh drilled it home to make it 2-0. That's Tosh Flint's sixth goal of the season, tied for her second most on the team, and Janine's fifth assist tying her single season career best. Now, if you guys remember from my last, I don't know, probably three score predictions, I have been saying it is coming for Tosh Flint, and I was thrilled to see that she finally got that goal. But Here's a wild stat for you guys. Denver has now scored 13 goals in the opening 15 minutes of the second half. That is the most in the N-B cell. But unfortunately, four minutes later, Brittany Ratcliffe, who had entered the game quite literally one minute earlier, scored for Seattle, making it 2-1. Now, I know watching through the screen, my first thought was Crap. Not again. Matt, is that kind of the sentiment that people were feeling or what was a momentum shift like in that moment?
Matt: Yeah, this was this was an no kind of thing. We we got bailed out a little bit by not having Maddie Mercado start the match. If you remember in the preview, she was the one I was really worried about. She's been
Kali: Mm.
Matt: Reigns primary offensive generator, I think with eight goals on the season. So not having her as a threat for the first 50 or so minutes worked out in our favor. But as soon as she came on, both her and Britney Ratcliffe. kind of leading the line in attack really caught summon off guard and this goal did seem like the start of what we'd seen weeks past.
Kali: Yeah, because after Angel City and Bay, we'd seen how this can go for Summit. We've heard Nick and Janine talk about how in the last two matches the team really needed to focus on keeping the leads that they earn. And luckily, not necessarily by luck. This is what they've been working on. And this time Denver shut that door. Abby Smith came up with three saves. Denver protected the leave lead in for the first time in three matches. We are not sitting here. Talking about points that slipped away. Instead, we are talking about three points earned. Denver is now 9-8-8 with 35 points, riding a season best five-match unbeaten streak and sitting just two points from the final playoff spot. They've also scored multiple goals in five straight matches with 16 total goals during that stretch. Centennial continues to be an absolute fortress. No dragons needed. Denver has scored 25 goals at home, third most in the league, and their nine multi-goal home performances are tied for the most in the NW Cell. We literally just talked about Denver needing to learn how to close games out, Matt. And they go up 2-0 again. Seattle immediately takes it to one, but this time Denver holds on. What were you seeing differently from them down this stretch against Seattle Rain?
Matt: This one, I felt it was really palpable. The step up in grit that the team had taken. Because not not to slight the defense here, not to slight the summit defense, but Seattle kept pressing. The rain had chances. This very easily could have ended up being two two, if not two, three the Seattle way. But what we saw was a team that just Said no. They weathered the storm, they suffered through the rains, advances, and they made sure that they took the three points home. This is not the team we saw the past two weeks that try as they may couldn't hold the lead. And while two one doesn't feel like keeping your foot on their neck, like we talked about last episode, I that was the sentiment I got out of this. I felt confident after watching this two one. measure of perseverance at the summit showed that I'm stoked for the next five games.
Kali: Well said. And in case you guys missed it, here is what Nick, Tosh, and Delaney had to say about finally closing this one out. Other things to take note of. instead of calling it the golden boot watch, we're just calling it the Janine watch. She's at 11 goals and five assists. This puts her fourth in the golden boot race after this match. You guys, in case you haven't heard us say it a thousand times already, she's a defender in the golden boot race. And that is incredible. Janine, I hope you absolutely sweep and take it all. Tosh.
Matt: I think for for the wait wait for the rest of the season, like screw defender, screw left back, screw wing back, forward. We're just listing her position as MVP. Because my God, if that's not what an MVP looks like, plays like, produces like, then I don't know what one on the field looks like.
Kali: I think we should get the whole summit team, all the players together, similar to how Tosh put together that that beautiful video about Carson Pickett needing to win her award that she was up for. We need all the summit players to talk about why Janine deserves MVP because it's not just stats, it's not just goals, it is her leadership creating this team culture from the beginning, her collaboration with Lindsay. I mean, Janine, my gosh, what can't you do?
Matt: Nothing. There's nothing she can't do. Stop scoring.
Kali: And she's super nice, guys. Like, I don't know if you know this. It's not just that she's Canadian. She's a wonderful person. She's so nice to talk to and very kind.
Matt: All right, I do have to clear. So a few episodes back, Janet Sunnis is bored in Colorado, in Highlands Ranch. She's American with Canadian eligibility and plays for the Canadian national team. So I'm correcting myself from an earlier episode. She could run for president. So the Madam President could be here in the States. The Canadian influence
Kali: I support it.
Matt: is probably the politeness and the the deference when she she says things like, I'd rather just have one more win. than the MVP title.
Kali: Well, you know, her presidential campaign, that can be a different podcast, probably on a different channel altogether, but I support it. My goodness do I support Janine for president.
Matt: Just w when we get around to our October, November voting campaigns for both MVP and in your local, state and national elections,
Kali: Ha ha ha.
Matt: like we'll start the Janine for president campaign.
Kali: I'll slot her in for sure on that ballad. Moving on. Other things to note: Tosh keeps producing. Shout out, Tosh. We love to see it. Six goals on the season, now tied for second most of the team. Denver hasn't lost a home game since August 5th against North Carolina, which was my birthday. Sad day for me on that note. but you know, it it seemed that we were only up from there, so I'll take it. And now we are
Matt: I guess we don't we don't have to lose again until your birthday next year. Deal.
Kali: Exactly, exactly. we don't yeah, that's how we're gonna play it. No losses again until next year and maybe not also that.
Matt: Jess on Kate.
Kali: win for my birthday. Who doesn't love a win on your birthday?
Matt: If if wait, wait, wait. So like theoretically, if
Kali: Mm-hmm.
Matt: if Summit were guaranteed to lose on your birthday every year, but win every other match, you'd take it, right? Okay. Okay. Just checking, just checking.
Kali: A hundred percent. Who are you? What what is even that question? I will selflessly do that for the team, okay? and the final note that I have for you guys is we are two points from the playoff line with five games to go. Matt is going to talk to us all about what those numbers look like. Buckle up and let's climb to the playoffs summit.
Matt: Yeah, definitely. I I think buckle up because there's good news, bad news.
Kali: Mm.
Matt: to start off for our weekly playoff standing segment, here's the current NWSL table as it stands going into our matchups this week. Gotham remains in first. They have officially clinched a playoff spot in the 2026 NWSL playoffs. They have 51 points. Washington Spirit are in second with 46 points. San Diego Wave are in third with 45 points. Portland fourth with 42. Utah fifth with 42. Angel City in 6th with 39 points. North Carolina Courage in 7th with 39 points. Casey Current in 8th with 38 points. Seattle Rain in 9th with 37. Your Denver Summit in 10th with 35. Orlando Pride in 11th place with 30. And beyond that, I don't know that we really need to go through them. But it's Dash. Bay, Boston Legacy Baby, Emma Sears' former team racing Louisville, and the Chicago Stars.
Kali: You cannot say MSir's former team, she still is playing for racing.
Matt: You're gonna look back at this recording next year and have to be like, yeah, he he was right though. I'd rather be early on it than late.
Kali: Okay Right, but currently currently you're inaccurate. She currently still plays her racing.
Matt: Yeah, but someone someone's gonna be listening to this episode in the future and I wanna be right.
Kali: You know, I like that you're on this embassy or kick because Loupal is very near and dear to my heart. And so just getting to talk about Kentucky is a fun aside for me. But Matt, you gotta she still plays for them. It's not her former team.
Matt: Hey, at least I didn't say anything about Sophia Smith or Mallory Swanson. Okay? I gave them
Kali: Okay, and
Matt: the week off.
Kali: and on that note, keep moving on.
Matt: All right. Speaking of moving on, last week we told you we needed 13 points for the projective playoff line of 45 points. That's eighth place, y'all. That's where the math was leaning. Well, bad news is the Angel City's surging double win week versus Seattle and Utah, combined with the courage's loss to the wave, have bumped that math up slightly to a playoff projected line of 46 points. Again, this is arbitrary. I'm going to tell you in a second why. It is so arbitrary, but nonetheless, this means we're looking at 11 points needed instead of 10 out of the next five matches. That schedules out to three wins, two draws, and no losses, or four wins and a draw or a loss. That gets us in. However, this is where the math gets kind of fun or kind of mathy, depending on how you like numbers. Because we play the three teams. Directly above us in contention for those last playoff spots. Each successive win over those teams lowers our projected playoff line around a point. So a win versus the current drops our needed points to about 45. Against Angel City as well, we dropped down to 44, adding in a win against Courage to boot, and we slide all the way down to a 43-point playoff line. If we run the table on these three teams, we mathematically guarantee ourselves a playoff spot. So these are truly six-point games. Cannot stress that enough. Needless to say, the easiest route to the playoffs is to win all five matches. So I don't know about you, Kayleigh, but I'm I'm cool if we just do that.
Kali: Yeah, I totally. If we just like put the ball in the back of the net, like just like win, like I'm
Matt: Yeah,
Kali: so good with it.
Matt: just put it put it in the back. Just simple.
Kali: Yeah. And then like keep it out of hours, you know?
Matt: Yeah, I mean the the script writers couldn't have done better with basically having Denver draw away its advantage heading into the postseason and let them control their own destiny in these next five games by having three of them be against the teams they can steal a spot from. So if you wanted popcorn, if you wanted drama, suspense, like it's here, folks. It's It's definitely here.
Kali: It's definitely here. And what does that look like going into the game against Casey Current?
Matt: So going into the game against Casey Current, like I said, I'll reiterate it a million times, six-point game. Just remember this is a six-point game. If you're the coaches, if you're the players, if you're the fans, if you're someone's mom and dad, six-point game. So send all of your energy into beating Kansas City Current this weekend. This weekend, when we play them, you gotta get up early though. Three points for breakfast as we play them, 10 30 a.m. Mountain time. Folks will remember, or perhaps not want to remember, the 0-3 thrashing that the current put on us back July 3rd at the Dick. Honestly, it should have been 0-4, but Captain Loilo Labonta mercifully missed her penalty kick. in that match, Casey just decided to jump over both their and Denver's midfields totally. And play route one, either run and gun or over-the-top soccer, which really works when you have people like Michelle Cooper and Temwa Chewinga. those are going to be the threats that we're really facing again. in that last matchup that we played against KC Current. you'll remember that while none of our center backs or anyone that occupied our defensive third really acquitted themselves well in this match, Ava Gaetino particularly struggled in this game against those two. Temwa and Michelle. I'm not saying this to to rag on Ava. What I'm I the reason I'm saying this is because I think Ava is going to be incredibly hyped up for this match. We've seen Ava Gaetino get frustrated and then Ava Gaetino come back like a force to be reckoned with. And this Saturday, I think we get forced to be reckoned with Gaetino in this matchup. The other player to watch and The headlines went to Michelle and Temwa for being the streakers, the defense stretchers, kind of the sparks on that matchup and generally for Casey Current. But it's it's Koribathune that I thought just carved us apart. She looked like the game was moving at a different speed for her when the ball was at her feet. The passing vision and the releasing of the ball into open spaces for Temwa and Michelle to run on. We need to lock down the midfield as well. So with Lindsay in this matchup, I think this is going to be a a huge net positive for us in limiting Kroibathun. I don't know that you shut down Kroibathune altogether, but I do think it helps that combination we've seen recently of of Lindsay, Delaney, and Emma in the midfield, I think should be a lot more stout against the the attack of Kansas City this time. That might put more Stress on our forwards to play in isolation to create for themselves. So just something to look at. The good news, and there is good news. The good news is that coming into this match, Denver is on a five-game unbeaten streak, while Kansas City are coming off a 2-2 draw to Lowly Orlando Pride and a 2-0 loss to San Diego Wave. Additional good news is that Laney Rouse. FAFO this last match got two yellow cards, which equal a red. So she got kicked out of that game and suspended for this one. So their starting right back is going to be nowhere to be seen in this matchup. So look for Janine and Yaz on our left side to really get to take advantage of that offensively. And then maybe whoa, whoa, what?
Kali: Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. I've never heard someone s y say the acronym FAFO out loud. So in case our listeners, in case that took you a second to also pick up on, I was like, what did he just say? What did he say some soccer term that I don't know? Did he say did he have a
Matt: No, it's a lifetime.
Kali: did he have did he have a a moment Terry health issue? Like what just happened when Matt said that? Matt said FAFO, meaning F around and find out. And that is what he's referring to, who who Laney picked up a double yellow turning into a red. She F'd around and f found out. So we will keep it PG for the sake of the podcast. But in case anybody else got lost there for just a second, based off Matt saying the acronym sounding it out with Fafo, that's what he was referring to.
Matt: Well heavens to Betsy there, Kayleigh. I was just trying to save us a dollar in the swear jar.
Kali: I'm sorry if my southern accent's coming out now. All right.
Matt: I thought you were actually gonna like drop the F bomb too and be like, Ooh, now I look good this episode. Usually I'm the one that curses.
Kali: No, no, no, no, no. I just found out that my six year old niece listens to this sometimes when she misses me. So I will not be doing that for her ears. No, it's true. My sister said
Matt: Yeah. We
Kali: that she came into her room the other day and she that sum it up was playing and she had put it on the radio and I thought that was the pre the most precious thing ever. So shout out my girl Ella.
Matt: that's amazing. Well, I mean, that you really faffo in that territory because
Kali: Mm.
Matt: our nieces and nephews, these youngsters, are sponges. Whatever they say, they parent. I've seen it with my nephew. So we'll we'll
Kali: Yeah. Mm-hmm.
Matt: keep it we'll keep it clean for the nieces and nephews of of the sum it up show.
Kali: Absolutely.
Matt: Yeah. man, you yeah, no, no, that was that was a great interruption.
Kali: Sorry to interrupt. Keep going.
Matt: the the last bit of good news, it would be a surprise, but it's not out of the realm possibility. Is that this week we find out that Nao Mieto has gotten an expedited visa process, is stateside and available for this weekend's match. Because if you listened to our past episodes, if you watched WAFCON, you know that. Naomi and the Cameroon side are a bit of Temwa Chewinga killers. And I think beating Malawi and Temwa's side in the championship would allow for some really good banter on the field should they be opposite from each other and maybe kind of get in the head and the mojo of of Chewinga and just slow her down for for a few beats. But I'd be all for it.
Kali: That's incredible news because last time we talked to Nick, he said three weeks and that was like probably what, a week ago? So I am thrilled at Yeah.
Matt: That was like a week and a half ago. Week and a half, maybe two.
Kali: Maybe. I mean I think it's right under two, but that's great to have this expedited.
Matt: We no no I I'm not saying it is. I'm saying it could happen. I have no inside information here. No, no, I'm saying I'm saying this could no no no. Just don't don't don't get me in trouble. I have
Kali: I completely misheard you.
Matt: I have no connections at the Cameroonian embassy in Canada with regard to Naomi
Kali: Mm. Boo.
Matt: getting her her P1 visa to be here. No, sorry if it sounded like that.
Kali: Dang. It did. It sounded like you knew that she was arri had arrived and is available and I was thrilled. So I guess we'll Yeah. I assumed as much.
Matt: When I know, you'll know. Unless, of course, well at least you will know, Kaylee. And then if we're allowed to say, then the listeners will know.
Kali: I don't know, Matt. Every now and then you love to throw a surprise at me. So I I don't know if I believe you
Matt: I mean,
Kali: on that one.
Matt: look, if even if we can't say, I'll leave clues. I'll come on the next episode with the giant pit vipers on and like just if you guys saw the photo of her holding up the WAFCON trophy, like that's how you'll know, guys.
Kali: Okay. All right. Good to know. Good to know.
Matt: But do you have any pit vipers I could borrow?
Kali: I lost my only pair that I had, actually, and I
Matt: Damn.
Kali: don't know where they went. They used to be what I ran and then here we are. Allie's gotta have some pit vipers, no?
Matt: Nah, she runs like Ray Band. She's super cool and classy. Like all of her her running
Kali: She is so cool.
Matt: fits are like so dialed. Yeah.
Kali: She yeah, I I saw her in a race. She looked awesome. Which speaking of Allie and our SOs, if Matt and I were joking about it before we started this episode, if anybody wants our significant others to take a spin at this and replace of us, let us know in our DMs because we think that would be kind of funny. I think they would not be thrilled. But we're willing to throw them on the mic. Let's see what happens.
Matt: Week by week, I am surprised at how much ball knowledge Allie projects back at me. Like to the point where
Kali: Mm.
Matt: I think she's getting it from sources that aren't just sum it up. So, you know, like why not?
Kali: Mm-hmm. Ryan's ready. He he big sports guy, big Summit fan. He is making it after night shifts. He is making it in between shifts. He is at those games cheering on. So I think he could be on the Hod, no problem.
Matt: Like how week by week we're just slowly putting ourselves out of a job. Like
Kali: Hey, we're only two people.
Matt: Yeah, right. Yeah. Well, let's predict. What do you got? You go first.
Kali: Okay, after all that, Matt, I will say I'm feeling better than I thought I would. I am still really nervous, but I think this is going to be a two-two draw. I don't know if we can muster what it is gonna take to get it over the line for this one. But I think we are ready to fight. I think we're ready to go head to head, and I think like you said. Ava is gonna come out with fire in her belly. I love seeing her mad and ready and determined. She is definitely a force to be reckoned with. I think Lindsay is going to set a completely different tone to this matchup against Casey Current. So I think we're looking at a goal from Lindsay, and I think we're gonna see a penalty from Janine. I think those are where our goals are gonna come from. And I think we'll see. two from Temwa Chiwega. I I I don't know if there's anything around that, honestly. And that's what my score prediction is. I hope I'm wrong. I hope it it's two zero and we clinch and keep that two lead. But I am trying to put my realistic analysis side of me forward.
Matt: Realism's done. Dumb. Three three one to to the summit. Let's do
Kali: Okay. Okay.
Matt: this. I think the one goal is Croy Bethune. I think we overcorrect on on Temwa and Michelle. and Bethune gets a lot of looks, but I think Abby's up to the up to the charge of only letting one in. sorry Abby for not giving you the clean sheet. I think our three goals are gonna be Janine, Yaz, I think each of them are getting one on that left side. I think that's going to be completely up for grabs, especially if we get one early and and current has to chase the game more than they normally just send their numbers up for. I think
Kali: I would love an early goal.
Matt: that'd be amazing. I think third goal goes to to Lindsay. I think she she spent a game without being on the goal sheet, and that probably didn't taste good to her. So I think she gets back on it.
Kali: I hope you're right. I hope you're a hundred percent right and I can't wait to be wrong. And that is not a sentence I say often.
Matt: I think I think the I think the mojo's been off for KC too. Cause you saw once Vladko Andonovsky left the team, like they've got a draw to a bad team and a loss to to a good team. Like I I'm risking us like jinxing it, but I don't think they're the same without without his machismo at the top.
Kali: And I'm ready for us to absolutely punish them for that. Sorry,
Matt: Yeah.
Kali: no mercy.
Matt: No mercy. Step on their necks.
Kali: And that's the message from Summit Up.
Matt: Any final thoughts, Kaylee?
Kali: I'm excited. As you know, I'm nervous, but I'm excited. Just the jitters of it all and the anticipation of it all. But this they the team knows how to come out and give us a good show, play good soccer, and I can't wait to see what they do against a good competition team. I think it was maybe last it was the last draw that we had, so against Bay, where one of our our fellow reporters asked a great question about Do we play to the level of the team that we're facing? And I love the discourse that they had with Nick about it because Nick, of course, said, no, and I don't I think we play our game and you know, X, Y, Z. But it's kind of been a thought and a trend that we've seen is against great teams, we rise to the occasion and we play great soccer. And against, you know, lower of the table teams, we had gotten a little discompopulated at times. And so I am excited to see what A, Casey Current comes out looking like. And B, what Summit decides this match is going to look like. Because at this point in the season, that has been kind of a a big factor for if they decide we're going to show up and play, my God, is it a great game? If we are all over the place, well, it's an all over the place game. So I think I'm excited to see what they decide. what the game looks like and for some great football to be played.
Matt: I think I will say that was John Babiock with Burgundy Wave that had that question on the the plane up or down. Shout out to John Babiock. If you guys have not had the pleasure of meeting that wonderful human being, make time for it. John just sub celebrated on Saturday night at the game the one year anniversary of his heart transplant. And so
Kali: Woohoo.
Matt: I I can't think of things that that make you feel better than than seeing the smile on that guy's face. He does so much for everyone around him. And any chance to shout out John, I'm gonna jump on and I do think his point was right and what you said was right. Let's call the zero three an aberration in the summit season. I I don't think that looked like any loss we've seen this season that the team has given up. so I think we like the mountain to the summit rise to the occasion.
Kali: And on that note, till next time, sum it up.
Matt: Summ it
Matt: I mean, first thing peak to peak is team of the week, which seems like every peak we're on the team of the week, as it were these days. putting the four and fourteeners, your Denver summit, climb the W Galazzo team of the week. Not one, not two, not three, but four times for week 22, Kaylee. Making this roster, yeah, four. Put them up. Four and four. We just have so much thematic callback here. And four.
Kali: And four
Matt: All so making the roster this week, we had Janine Sanas for her goal and assist, Delaney Sheehan for her goal, which she meant, guys. Remember, she did check the goalie. You heard it here. Tosh Flint for her goal. And then Nick Cushing gets to coach the whole shebang for his role in turning the drawstring into a six point win over Seattle. I'm gonna run through some some quick W Galazzo team of the week, women's Galazzo team of the week stats for you, Kaylee. Is that okay?
Kali: Love it. Absolutely.
Matt: All right, so we've got 22 weeks now in the books with these Team of the Weeks announced, and Denver Summit have had 24 appearances on them. I'm just gonna go alphabetically. Abby Smith has had four appearances in weeks two, four, eight, and sixteen. Io Ucka has had one in week 17. Delaney Sheehan has appeared once in week 22. Janine Sanas, a whopping seven times. In weeks three, four, seven, eight, thirteen, sixteen, and twenty two. I feel like I just read off the lost numbers. If you know you know. Kaylee Kurtz has appeared one time in week 10. Lindsay Heaps, one time in week 21. Melissa Costler, two times in weeks five and nineteen. Nick Cushing, the coach, in weeks 19, 20, and 22 for three times. Tosh Flint has been on two times in weeks 19 and And twenty two, Yasmin Ryan once in week seven, and Yuzuki Yamamoto once in week twenty. Hell of a run for our first seas season. What do you think?
Kali: I mean, if I didn't see the numbers, the goals, the stats of these individual players to back up the reason for why they are on these rosters week after week, I would think someone is a summit fan at Galazzo and that that wouldn't be the worst thing either.
Matt: Yeah, I mean you gotta think Jen, Jen on the marketing side are just aesthetic because you don't get better exposure in your first season than just, you know, being on the the top eleven week, week in, week out.
Kali: Absolutely.
Matt: All right, for additional recognition, it's international call-up time. For the upcoming international friendlies window, we've had made official that Yuzuki Yamamoto, forward for Team Japan, has been called up, as well as midfielder Emma Regan and defender, not striker as it would seem, Janine Sanis, have both been called up to Team Canada. For Japan, the friendlies take place Friday, October 9th against Haiti in France. It's pretty fun. And Tuesday, October thirteenth, against Germany in Germany. I doubt she misses either of the October 4th or 17th summit matches. And that's gonna kind of be a trend that carries through for all of these call ups. For Canada, Emma and Janine, their friendlies are going to be against Denmark on October 9th in Montreal, and then once more against Denmark on October twelfth in Toronto. Same deal. I don't think they're gonna miss anything. Stay tuned as rosters are announced for the U.S. women's national team and the Germany women's national team. For the US, those friendlies are on the 10th and 13th versus Spain in DC and Philadelphia, respectively. Sorry, Chester, outside of Philadelphia. I know there's some there's some Pennsylvanians in here that are like shouting through their airpods right now. And then for Germany, the matches are versus Australia. on October ninth and Japan October thirty or October thirteenth, both in Germany. You ready for some international windows?
Kali: I'm excited, absolutely.
Matt: I think we we gotta start like stacking up our our national team jerseys for our players. We gotta get Canada's jersey, US's jersey, Japan's, Germany's. I mean, what with preparing for Brazil next summer?
Kali: May as well, absolutely.
Matt: We're we'll we'll have to do the thing. You know, when like they peel off one jersey and it's another team below that, and we can just have probably five. 'Cause we
Kali: At least.
Matt: yeah, with Naomi and Cameroon being the fifth right now, I think we've got a lot of potential for the women's world cup in twenty twenty seven.
Kali: For sure.
Matt: All right, speaking of goats, goat-recognized goat Lindsay Heaps got to rub shoulders with her Argentinian male counterpart, Lino Messi, this weekend as Lindsay delivered the coin flip for the Inter Miami versus San Diego MLS match. a lot's been made about how this was kind of a bucket list for her, getting to be arm in arm with Messi, pictures of her room, all of the Messi Barcelona gear from her childhood. Can't imagine what this was like for her. Still, though, I had a chuckle because skill withstanding, standing not withstanding. Look at the pictures of Messi beside Lindsay Heaps. It's it's a little stark.
Kali: I mean she is the goat.
Matt: Speaking of comparing things, shout out to Rate My Biscuits on Instagram. For those of you that don't know, Rate My Biscuits is an account set up by your summit coaches who have a bit of camaraderie, a bit of culinary critique in a weekly biscuit rating session. they biscuits for those of you that don't know are cookies across the pond. I think this is led by the English coaches. And they basically just break bread or break cookies together, look at the crumble, comment on the flavor. And it's been awesome to watch. They've done a few things on Instagram and we are excited to do a future collaboration with them. So if you got biscuit recommendations, holler at your boy and girl, slide in our DMs so we can come in strong to this matchup first, or probably not a matchup, but at least bring some good biscuits to the table.
Kali: I mean, we're competitive nonetheless. Like, I want the biscuit that we bring to be rated to be the best biscuit. So if anyone has a yeah, like you said, a strong competitor, I do want to ask, like, is this a DIY biscuit? Like, can I bring a biscuit that I baked to be rated or is that a no-go?
Matt: Are you gonna I mean that could be that could be kind of fun. You could go full Kentucky and bring like an actual biscuit,
Kali: Yeah.
Matt: like bring some gravy. We could make hot browns, like we could go weird with it.
Kali: No, no, no, no, no. I'm I'll go I'll go traditional English cookie biscuit situation. But I don't know if you guys are Ted Lasso fans at all. I am now officially fully caught up, but I am a big fan of the show, big fan of everything they do. They can do no wrong in my eyes. but I have perfected my biscuits with the boss recipe. And it does take four hours to make, so we'll see if that is able to be done in the timeline of our collaboration. But my biscuits with the boss have technically won an award already. So we I wouldn't be upset if I got to give those to the team.
Matt: What what a wart?
Kali: Okay, well, it was a Christmas party award, but there was like thirty other cookies in the running. It was now
Matt: Damn.
Kali: now we have digressed. This is niche into my husband's training for his job. They did a whole group cookie contest with all the residents and all of their significant others. Anybody could submit a cookie. So I submitted a cookie and I think there were like 30 plus and I won first place. So
Matt: Hell yeah.
Kali: I mean, I do think my branding a win's a win. I do think like
Matt: Hey, a a win's a win. Yeah.
Kali: I put them in the cute little pink box. I branded them with like biscuits of the boss. But hey, the whole start to finish package won.
Matt: So you came at that biscuit competition for for Ryan's Christmas party like you were summit facing Chicago stars, is what you're saying.
Kali: Exactly. I absolutely buried the competition. There was no contenders.
Matt: Well, for I mean, for a callback to a past episode, I think we for Rate My Biscuits, we submit your biscuit with the boss, but we we ice it or brand it, sum it up like the the women's game podcast branded their cookies. And then we're just
Kali: Okay.
Matt: out of the park.
Kali: Okay. I can work on that. Absolutely. But
Matt: Are you you hear that coaches? You hear that rate my biscuits? We're we're already planning. I don't think you meant for this to be a competition, but
Kali: it's hard not to compete.
Matt: Have you met us yet?
Kali: If you haven't, this is a pretty good preview.
Matt: Well, speaking of not competing, do you want to talk about Seattle?
Kali: my gosh, do I want to talk about Seattle? Okay, after spending two straight episodes talking about Denver giving away leads, your Denver Summit FC finally closed one out in front of a sold out crowd of 12,272 fans. Now, that is not our 63,04, but hey, sold out, sold out, baby. That is a packed stadium, which is as it should be. And shout out to all those fans who stuck around after the hour rain delay. I unfortunately could not be at the game. I was at our cousin's wedding. Shout out Shelby and Jacob. You guys, wonderful weekend. but that rain delay looked intense. Classic Colorado rain and lightning, but hey, didn't really matter because Denver beat Seattle two to one at Centennial Stadium, extending their unbeaten streak to Five matches, the longest of the season so far. It was quite
Matt: Hold on, I I wanna I would I want to stop you there because I do want to talk about this rain delay. We got there and
Kali: All right, all right, tell us.
Matt: we were we were all joking this is Rebecca Yaris's fault because it turned from like bluebird sky to black death in a matter of moments. You could just see it coming west to east and and taking over the sky above the stadium. Birds were leaving. in in flocks, we were joking, these were the dragons taking off.
Kali: Ha ha ha.
Matt: and then the rain started, and one of the Seattle coaches came in and was like, We have rain. We don't have rain like that. That is going horizontal.
Kali: Ha ha ha.
Matt: So not only
Kali: That's some dragon rain.
Matt: did we bring bring this thematic fourth wing rain, we brought rain so aggressive that the team from the city known for it w was a little worried.
Kali: Okay, Matt, since you brought it up, I have to ask, have you read Fourth Wing?
Matt: I have not read Fourth Wing. I would have.
Kali: My gosh.
Matt: We did reach out to Ali Brazier. We were gonna do a fourth wing book club leading up to this match. She didn't get back to us, so I didn't have to read Fourth Wing. I mean, I didn't,
Kali: Okay, well
Matt: I didn't take the opportunity to to read Fourth Wing. Let me fix that.
Kali: Yeah, yeah, you should correct yourself on that because it is an opportunity and I cannot wait for the latest release. I am right alongside Ali Brazier, big fan, love the books, and I love that you guys got an absolutely cinematic weather storm in the midst of this themed night because you don't write that stuff any better than it gets.
Matt: We were we were holed up in the the press room downstairs, not the the press box upstairs. And on the the television in the press room, they just had the live feed of the match, which was for the duration of the the weather delay, affixed at the scoreboard showing like the weather delay warning. And so we're watching on on the TV as it goes from like black death to I think some of the summit staffers when it turned red. We're like, we're officially in the apocalypse now, like we're all gonna die.
Kali: Well, I'm glad none of you did die because it for all of the d theatrics and the drama that you had leading up to the game, it seemed like it was a quiet start to the actual match. Neither team had even a shot throughout the opening first fifteen minutes, and Denver ultimately h held Seattle to just one shot the entire first half, which after such a lead up, my goodness. But right before halftime, number twenty-four, midfielder Delaney Sheehan broke it open. In the forty-fifth minute, Sheehan sent a shot over the defense into the back of the net, making it one zero Denver. Matt, you were there in person. What was that shot like in person?
Matt: I mean, it was awesome. It was almost a signature summit shot at this point, which they've moved the ball around the midfield to the point where they've confused the defense and they've pulled out the goalkeeper either physically and she she's come up off her her goal line or just attention wise and then it gets lofted in past. We've seen Janine do this. We've seen Delaney do this. We've seen Natalie Means do this. It it just seems like when we get down to that third, we're putting them all in a tizzy and then we're just lobbing one in knowing it's probably gonna work. Delaney talked about it, it did work, but I think the the most important part of this was the message it sends to both teams going into the locker room, having this happen in the 44th minute.
Kali: Absolutely. It was her second goal of the season, first goal since May 9th in Houston, and Lindsay Heaps picks up the assist as her third goal contribution in three straight matches. So they like you said, Matt, going into halftime, this was a tone setter. Shout out to Laney, way to go. Then Denver came out at halftime doing what has become one of my favorite trends to see, which is scoring immediately immediately. In the 50th minute, Janine Saunas found Tosh Flint. My girl just inside the box and Tosh drilled it home to make it 2-0. That's Tosh Flint's sixth goal of the season, tied for her second most on the team, and Janine's fifth assist tying her single season career best. Now, if you guys remember from my last, I don't know, probably three score predictions, I have been saying it is coming for Tosh Flint, and I was thrilled to see that she finally got that goal. But Here's a wild stat for you guys. Denver has now scored 13 goals in the opening 15 minutes of the second half. That is the most in the N-B cell. But unfortunately, four minutes later, Brittany Ratcliffe, who had entered the game quite literally one minute earlier, scored for Seattle, making it 2-1. Now, I know watching through the screen, my first thought was Crap. Not again. Matt, is that kind of the sentiment that people were feeling or what was a momentum shift like in that moment?
Matt: Yeah, this was this was an no kind of thing. We we got bailed out a little bit by not having Maddie Mercado start the match. If you remember in the preview, she was the one I was really worried about. She's been
Kali: Mm.
Matt: Reigns primary offensive generator, I think with eight goals on the season. So not having her as a threat for the first 50 or so minutes worked out in our favor. But as soon as she came on, both her and Britney Ratcliffe. kind of leading the line in attack really caught summon off guard and this goal did seem like the start of what we'd seen weeks past.
Kali: Yeah, because after Angel City and Bay, we'd seen how this can go for Summit. We've heard Nick and Janine talk about how in the last two matches the team really needed to focus on keeping the leads that they earn. And luckily, not necessarily by luck. This is what they've been working on. And this time Denver shut that door. Abby Smith came up with three saves. Denver protected the leave lead in for the first time in three matches. We are not sitting here. Talking about points that slipped away. Instead, we are talking about three points earned. Denver is now 9-8-8 with 35 points, riding a season best five-match unbeaten streak and sitting just two points from the final playoff spot. They've also scored multiple goals in five straight matches with 16 total goals during that stretch. Centennial continues to be an absolute fortress. No dragons needed. Denver has scored 25 goals at home, third most in the league, and their nine multi-goal home performances are tied for the most in the NW Cell. We literally just talked about Denver needing to learn how to close games out, Matt. And they go up 2-0 again. Seattle immediately takes it to one, but this time Denver holds on. What were you seeing differently from them down this stretch against Seattle Rain?
Matt: This one, I felt it was really palpable. The step up in grit that the team had taken. Because not not to slight the defense here, not to slight the summit defense, but Seattle kept pressing. The rain had chances. This very easily could have ended up being two two, if not two, three the Seattle way. But what we saw was a team that just Said no. They weathered the storm, they suffered through the rains, advances, and they made sure that they took the three points home. This is not the team we saw the past two weeks that try as they may couldn't hold the lead. And while two one doesn't feel like keeping your foot on their neck, like we talked about last episode, I that was the sentiment I got out of this. I felt confident after watching this two one. measure of perseverance at the summit showed that I'm stoked for the next five games.
Kali: Well said. And in case you guys missed it, here is what Nick, Tosh, and Delaney had to say about finally closing this one out. Other things to take note of. instead of calling it the golden boot watch, we're just calling it the Janine watch. She's at 11 goals and five assists. This puts her fourth in the golden boot race after this match. You guys, in case you haven't heard us say it a thousand times already, she's a defender in the golden boot race. And that is incredible. Janine, I hope you absolutely sweep and take it all. Tosh.
Matt: I think for for the wait wait for the rest of the season, like screw defender, screw left back, screw wing back, forward. We're just listing her position as MVP. Because my God, if that's not what an MVP looks like, plays like, produces like, then I don't know what one on the field looks like.
Kali: I think we should get the whole summit team, all the players together, similar to how Tosh put together that that beautiful video about Carson Pickett needing to win her award that she was up for. We need all the summit players to talk about why Janine deserves MVP because it's not just stats, it's not just goals, it is her leadership creating this team culture from the beginning, her collaboration with Lindsay. I mean, Janine, my gosh, what can't you do?
Matt: Nothing. There's nothing she can't do. Stop scoring.
Kali: And she's super nice, guys. Like, I don't know if you know this. It's not just that she's Canadian. She's a wonderful person. She's so nice to talk to and very kind.
Matt: All right, I do have to clear. So a few episodes back, Janet Sunnis is bored in Colorado, in Highlands Ranch. She's American with Canadian eligibility and plays for the Canadian national team. So I'm correcting myself from an earlier episode. She could run for president. So the Madam President could be here in the States. The Canadian influence
Kali: I support it.
Matt: is probably the politeness and the the deference when she she says things like, I'd rather just have one more win. than the MVP title.
Kali: Well, you know, her presidential campaign, that can be a different podcast, probably on a different channel altogether, but I support it. My goodness do I support Janine for president.
Matt: Just w when we get around to our October, November voting campaigns for both MVP and in your local, state and national elections,
Kali: Ha ha ha.
Matt: like we'll start the Janine for president campaign.
Kali: I'll slot her in for sure on that ballad. Moving on. Other things to note: Tosh keeps producing. Shout out, Tosh. We love to see it. Six goals on the season, now tied for second most of the team. Denver hasn't lost a home game since August 5th against North Carolina, which was my birthday. Sad day for me on that note. but you know, it it seemed that we were only up from there, so I'll take it. And now we are
Matt: I guess we don't we don't have to lose again until your birthday next year. Deal.
Kali: Exactly, exactly. we don't yeah, that's how we're gonna play it. No losses again until next year and maybe not also that.
Matt: Jess on Kate.
Kali: win for my birthday. Who doesn't love a win on your birthday?
Matt: If if wait, wait, wait. So like theoretically, if
Kali: Mm-hmm.
Matt: if Summit were guaranteed to lose on your birthday every year, but win every other match, you'd take it, right? Okay. Okay. Just checking, just checking.
Kali: A hundred percent. Who are you? What what is even that question? I will selflessly do that for the team, okay? and the final note that I have for you guys is we are two points from the playoff line with five games to go. Matt is going to talk to us all about what those numbers look like. Buckle up and let's climb to the playoffs summit.
Matt: Yeah, definitely. I I think buckle up because there's good news, bad news.
Kali: Mm.
Matt: to start off for our weekly playoff standing segment, here's the current NWSL table as it stands going into our matchups this week. Gotham remains in first. They have officially clinched a playoff spot in the 2026 NWSL playoffs. They have 51 points. Washington Spirit are in second with 46 points. San Diego Wave are in third with 45 points. Portland fourth with 42. Utah fifth with 42. Angel City in 6th with 39 points. North Carolina Courage in 7th with 39 points. Casey Current in 8th with 38 points. Seattle Rain in 9th with 37. Your Denver Summit in 10th with 35. Orlando Pride in 11th place with 30. And beyond that, I don't know that we really need to go through them. But it's Dash. Bay, Boston Legacy Baby, Emma Sears' former team racing Louisville, and the Chicago Stars.
Kali: You cannot say MSir's former team, she still is playing for racing.
Matt: You're gonna look back at this recording next year and have to be like, yeah, he he was right though. I'd rather be early on it than late.
Kali: Okay Right, but currently currently you're inaccurate. She currently still plays her racing.
Matt: Yeah, but someone someone's gonna be listening to this episode in the future and I wanna be right.
Kali: You know, I like that you're on this embassy or kick because Loupal is very near and dear to my heart. And so just getting to talk about Kentucky is a fun aside for me. But Matt, you gotta she still plays for them. It's not her former team.
Matt: Hey, at least I didn't say anything about Sophia Smith or Mallory Swanson. Okay? I gave them
Kali: Okay, and
Matt: the week off.
Kali: and on that note, keep moving on.
Matt: All right. Speaking of moving on, last week we told you we needed 13 points for the projective playoff line of 45 points. That's eighth place, y'all. That's where the math was leaning. Well, bad news is the Angel City's surging double win week versus Seattle and Utah, combined with the courage's loss to the wave, have bumped that math up slightly to a playoff projected line of 46 points. Again, this is arbitrary. I'm going to tell you in a second why. It is so arbitrary, but nonetheless, this means we're looking at 11 points needed instead of 10 out of the next five matches. That schedules out to three wins, two draws, and no losses, or four wins and a draw or a loss. That gets us in. However, this is where the math gets kind of fun or kind of mathy, depending on how you like numbers. Because we play the three teams. Directly above us in contention for those last playoff spots. Each successive win over those teams lowers our projected playoff line around a point. So a win versus the current drops our needed points to about 45. Against Angel City as well, we dropped down to 44, adding in a win against Courage to boot, and we slide all the way down to a 43-point playoff line. If we run the table on these three teams, we mathematically guarantee ourselves a playoff spot. So these are truly six-point games. Cannot stress that enough. Needless to say, the easiest route to the playoffs is to win all five matches. So I don't know about you, Kayleigh, but I'm I'm cool if we just do that.
Kali: Yeah, I totally. If we just like put the ball in the back of the net, like just like win, like I'm
Matt: Yeah,
Kali: so good with it.
Matt: just put it put it in the back. Just simple.
Kali: Yeah. And then like keep it out of hours, you know?
Matt: Yeah, I mean the the script writers couldn't have done better with basically having Denver draw away its advantage heading into the postseason and let them control their own destiny in these next five games by having three of them be against the teams they can steal a spot from. So if you wanted popcorn, if you wanted drama, suspense, like it's here, folks. It's It's definitely here.
Kali: It's definitely here. And what does that look like going into the game against Casey Current?
Matt: So going into the game against Casey Current, like I said, I'll reiterate it a million times, six-point game. Just remember this is a six-point game. If you're the coaches, if you're the players, if you're the fans, if you're someone's mom and dad, six-point game. So send all of your energy into beating Kansas City Current this weekend. This weekend, when we play them, you gotta get up early though. Three points for breakfast as we play them, 10 30 a.m. Mountain time. Folks will remember, or perhaps not want to remember, the 0-3 thrashing that the current put on us back July 3rd at the Dick. Honestly, it should have been 0-4, but Captain Loilo Labonta mercifully missed her penalty kick. in that match, Casey just decided to jump over both their and Denver's midfields totally. And play route one, either run and gun or over-the-top soccer, which really works when you have people like Michelle Cooper and Temwa Chewinga. those are going to be the threats that we're really facing again. in that last matchup that we played against KC Current. you'll remember that while none of our center backs or anyone that occupied our defensive third really acquitted themselves well in this match, Ava Gaetino particularly struggled in this game against those two. Temwa and Michelle. I'm not saying this to to rag on Ava. What I'm I the reason I'm saying this is because I think Ava is going to be incredibly hyped up for this match. We've seen Ava Gaetino get frustrated and then Ava Gaetino come back like a force to be reckoned with. And this Saturday, I think we get forced to be reckoned with Gaetino in this matchup. The other player to watch and The headlines went to Michelle and Temwa for being the streakers, the defense stretchers, kind of the sparks on that matchup and generally for Casey Current. But it's it's Koribathune that I thought just carved us apart. She looked like the game was moving at a different speed for her when the ball was at her feet. The passing vision and the releasing of the ball into open spaces for Temwa and Michelle to run on. We need to lock down the midfield as well. So with Lindsay in this matchup, I think this is going to be a a huge net positive for us in limiting Kroibathun. I don't know that you shut down Kroibathune altogether, but I do think it helps that combination we've seen recently of of Lindsay, Delaney, and Emma in the midfield, I think should be a lot more stout against the the attack of Kansas City this time. That might put more Stress on our forwards to play in isolation to create for themselves. So just something to look at. The good news, and there is good news. The good news is that coming into this match, Denver is on a five-game unbeaten streak, while Kansas City are coming off a 2-2 draw to Lowly Orlando Pride and a 2-0 loss to San Diego Wave. Additional good news is that Laney Rouse. FAFO this last match got two yellow cards, which equal a red. So she got kicked out of that game and suspended for this one. So their starting right back is going to be nowhere to be seen in this matchup. So look for Janine and Yaz on our left side to really get to take advantage of that offensively. And then maybe whoa, whoa, what?
Kali: Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. I've never heard someone s y say the acronym FAFO out loud. So in case our listeners, in case that took you a second to also pick up on, I was like, what did he just say? What did he say some soccer term that I don't know? Did he say did he have a
Matt: No, it's a lifetime.
Kali: did he have did he have a a moment Terry health issue? Like what just happened when Matt said that? Matt said FAFO, meaning F around and find out. And that is what he's referring to, who who Laney picked up a double yellow turning into a red. She F'd around and f found out. So we will keep it PG for the sake of the podcast. But in case anybody else got lost there for just a second, based off Matt saying the acronym sounding it out with Fafo, that's what he was referring to.
Matt: Well heavens to Betsy there, Kayleigh. I was just trying to save us a dollar in the swear jar.
Kali: I'm sorry if my southern accent's coming out now. All right.
Matt: I thought you were actually gonna like drop the F bomb too and be like, Ooh, now I look good this episode. Usually I'm the one that curses.
Kali: No, no, no, no, no. I just found out that my six year old niece listens to this sometimes when she misses me. So I will not be doing that for her ears. No, it's true. My sister said
Matt: Yeah. We
Kali: that she came into her room the other day and she that sum it up was playing and she had put it on the radio and I thought that was the pre the most precious thing ever. So shout out my girl Ella.
Matt: that's amazing. Well, I mean, that you really faffo in that territory because
Kali: Mm.
Matt: our nieces and nephews, these youngsters, are sponges. Whatever they say, they parent. I've seen it with my nephew. So we'll we'll
Kali: Yeah. Mm-hmm.
Matt: keep it we'll keep it clean for the nieces and nephews of of the sum it up show.
Kali: Absolutely.
Matt: Yeah. man, you yeah, no, no, that was that was a great interruption.
Kali: Sorry to interrupt. Keep going.
Matt: the the last bit of good news, it would be a surprise, but it's not out of the realm possibility. Is that this week we find out that Nao Mieto has gotten an expedited visa process, is stateside and available for this weekend's match. Because if you listened to our past episodes, if you watched WAFCON, you know that. Naomi and the Cameroon side are a bit of Temwa Chewinga killers. And I think beating Malawi and Temwa's side in the championship would allow for some really good banter on the field should they be opposite from each other and maybe kind of get in the head and the mojo of of Chewinga and just slow her down for for a few beats. But I'd be all for it.
Kali: That's incredible news because last time we talked to Nick, he said three weeks and that was like probably what, a week ago? So I am thrilled at Yeah.
Matt: That was like a week and a half ago. Week and a half, maybe two.
Kali: Maybe. I mean I think it's right under two, but that's great to have this expedited.
Matt: We no no I I'm not saying it is. I'm saying it could happen. I have no inside information here. No, no, I'm saying I'm saying this could no no no. Just don't don't don't get me in trouble. I have
Kali: I completely misheard you.
Matt: I have no connections at the Cameroonian embassy in Canada with regard to Naomi
Kali: Mm. Boo.
Matt: getting her her P1 visa to be here. No, sorry if it sounded like that.
Kali: Dang. It did. It sounded like you knew that she was arri had arrived and is available and I was thrilled. So I guess we'll Yeah. I assumed as much.
Matt: When I know, you'll know. Unless, of course, well at least you will know, Kaylee. And then if we're allowed to say, then the listeners will know.
Kali: I don't know, Matt. Every now and then you love to throw a surprise at me. So I I don't know if I believe you
Matt: I mean,
Kali: on that one.
Matt: look, if even if we can't say, I'll leave clues. I'll come on the next episode with the giant pit vipers on and like just if you guys saw the photo of her holding up the WAFCON trophy, like that's how you'll know, guys.
Kali: Okay. All right. Good to know. Good to know.
Matt: But do you have any pit vipers I could borrow?
Kali: I lost my only pair that I had, actually, and I
Matt: Damn.
Kali: don't know where they went. They used to be what I ran and then here we are. Allie's gotta have some pit vipers, no?
Matt: Nah, she runs like Ray Band. She's super cool and classy. Like all of her her running
Kali: She is so cool.
Matt: fits are like so dialed. Yeah.
Kali: She yeah, I I saw her in a race. She looked awesome. Which speaking of Allie and our SOs, if Matt and I were joking about it before we started this episode, if anybody wants our significant others to take a spin at this and replace of us, let us know in our DMs because we think that would be kind of funny. I think they would not be thrilled. But we're willing to throw them on the mic. Let's see what happens.
Matt: Week by week, I am surprised at how much ball knowledge Allie projects back at me. Like to the point where
Kali: Mm.
Matt: I think she's getting it from sources that aren't just sum it up. So, you know, like why not?
Kali: Mm-hmm. Ryan's ready. He he big sports guy, big Summit fan. He is making it after night shifts. He is making it in between shifts. He is at those games cheering on. So I think he could be on the Hod, no problem.
Matt: Like how week by week we're just slowly putting ourselves out of a job. Like
Kali: Hey, we're only two people.
Matt: Yeah, right. Yeah. Well, let's predict. What do you got? You go first.
Kali: Okay, after all that, Matt, I will say I'm feeling better than I thought I would. I am still really nervous, but I think this is going to be a two-two draw. I don't know if we can muster what it is gonna take to get it over the line for this one. But I think we are ready to fight. I think we're ready to go head to head, and I think like you said. Ava is gonna come out with fire in her belly. I love seeing her mad and ready and determined. She is definitely a force to be reckoned with. I think Lindsay is going to set a completely different tone to this matchup against Casey Current. So I think we're looking at a goal from Lindsay, and I think we're gonna see a penalty from Janine. I think those are where our goals are gonna come from. And I think we'll see. two from Temwa Chiwega. I I I don't know if there's anything around that, honestly. And that's what my score prediction is. I hope I'm wrong. I hope it it's two zero and we clinch and keep that two lead. But I am trying to put my realistic analysis side of me forward.
Matt: Realism's done. Dumb. Three three one to to the summit. Let's do
Kali: Okay. Okay.
Matt: this. I think the one goal is Croy Bethune. I think we overcorrect on on Temwa and Michelle. and Bethune gets a lot of looks, but I think Abby's up to the up to the charge of only letting one in. sorry Abby for not giving you the clean sheet. I think our three goals are gonna be Janine, Yaz, I think each of them are getting one on that left side. I think that's going to be completely up for grabs, especially if we get one early and and current has to chase the game more than they normally just send their numbers up for. I think
Kali: I would love an early goal.
Matt: that'd be amazing. I think third goal goes to to Lindsay. I think she she spent a game without being on the goal sheet, and that probably didn't taste good to her. So I think she gets back on it.
Kali: I hope you're right. I hope you're a hundred percent right and I can't wait to be wrong. And that is not a sentence I say often.
Matt: I think I think the I think the mojo's been off for KC too. Cause you saw once Vladko Andonovsky left the team, like they've got a draw to a bad team and a loss to to a good team. Like I I'm risking us like jinxing it, but I don't think they're the same without without his machismo at the top.
Kali: And I'm ready for us to absolutely punish them for that. Sorry,
Matt: Yeah.
Kali: no mercy.
Matt: No mercy. Step on their necks.
Kali: And that's the message from Summit Up.
Matt: Any final thoughts, Kaylee?
Kali: I'm excited. As you know, I'm nervous, but I'm excited. Just the jitters of it all and the anticipation of it all. But this they the team knows how to come out and give us a good show, play good soccer, and I can't wait to see what they do against a good competition team. I think it was maybe last it was the last draw that we had, so against Bay, where one of our our fellow reporters asked a great question about Do we play to the level of the team that we're facing? And I love the discourse that they had with Nick about it because Nick, of course, said, no, and I don't I think we play our game and you know, X, Y, Z. But it's kind of been a thought and a trend that we've seen is against great teams, we rise to the occasion and we play great soccer. And against, you know, lower of the table teams, we had gotten a little discompopulated at times. And so I am excited to see what A, Casey Current comes out looking like. And B, what Summit decides this match is going to look like. Because at this point in the season, that has been kind of a a big factor for if they decide we're going to show up and play, my God, is it a great game? If we are all over the place, well, it's an all over the place game. So I think I'm excited to see what they decide. what the game looks like and for some great football to be played.
Matt: I think I will say that was John Babiock with Burgundy Wave that had that question on the the plane up or down. Shout out to John Babiock. If you guys have not had the pleasure of meeting that wonderful human being, make time for it. John just sub celebrated on Saturday night at the game the one year anniversary of his heart transplant. And so
Kali: Woohoo.
Matt: I I can't think of things that that make you feel better than than seeing the smile on that guy's face. He does so much for everyone around him. And any chance to shout out John, I'm gonna jump on and I do think his point was right and what you said was right. Let's call the zero three an aberration in the summit season. I I don't think that looked like any loss we've seen this season that the team has given up. so I think we like the mountain to the summit rise to the occasion.
Kali: And on that note, till next time, sum it up.
Matt: Summ it
