Own goal in 94th minute ends Denver Summit FC's first season

A 94th-minute own goal decided the final match of Denver Summit FC's first season. The ball went into the Denver net to give the North Carolina Courage a 1-0 victory in Cary, North Carolina. The loss ended Denver's run at the top of the table.

The Summit entered the game with a chance to secure the eighth and final playoff spot. The team finished the regular season with 11 wins, 11 losses, and 8 draws. They accumulated 41 points and placed 10th in the league. North Carolina finished with 45 points and also missed the postseason despite their win on Sunday.

Seattle Reign claimed the final playoff position after winning their own match 1-0. Denver controlled the early stages of the game against the Courage. The Summit held the ball for 70% of the first 20 minutes. They created three scoring chances in that window. The teams entered halftime without a goal.

Goalkeeper Abby Smith made five saves during the match. She denied the Courage on two direct free kicks. Smith's performance kept the score level until the final minutes. Kaleigh Kurtz scored the decisive goal for North Carolina with her own goal in the 94th minute.

Kurtz achieved a league first by playing every minute of Denver's inaugural season. She became the NWSL's first five-time ironwoman. Her streak now totals 12,922 consecutive minutes across 144 matches. Kurtz had previously become the league's first four-time ironwoman after the 2025 season.

Forward Ally Brazier returned to the lineup for the final game. She played 16 minutes after missing seven matches from late August through early October. Denver scored 53 goals during the regular season. This total sets a league record for the most goals by a team in its first year.

The 53-goal mark also ties the 2018 North Carolina Courage for the third-most goals in a single NWSL regular season. The Summit close their first campaign with a 10th-place finish. They hold the expansion scoring record as the regular season ends.