Dash face Sky Blue FC in final home match of the season

After Wednesday's ugly loss to the Seattle Reign the Dash are hoping to end the season at home on a high note. Sky Blue FC travels to Houston to take on the Dash on Saturday evening.

Both teams have won just five match this season, but Sky Blue managed to tie seven of their games while the Dash ended up with just three ties the rest of their games ending in losses. The two teams did have their second meeting of the season postponed due to weather, but the game has never been rescheduled. While the Dash are out of playoff contention Sky Blue still has several scenarios that could put them into the playoffs. If they lose or draw against the Dash Sky Blue will be eliminated. If Washington wins or ties against Seattle and Portland wins their game they would also be eliminated regardless of the Dash result.

It's typically not a good sign when one of your defender has the most goals of anyone on a team. but defender Kelly O'Hara leads Sky Blue FC with six goals this season with Midfielder Katy Freels one goal behind her with five. Most of Freels goals came early on this season four of them happening before the first game against the Dash. Sky Blue have a tendency to push up the field at times which will allow the Dash defense to get behind them to score.

In the one game that the two played this season the Dash won 3-0 giving them their second win of the season. In the first match-up between the two teams Tiffany McCarty kicked off a scoring run that has since cooled. The Dash's scoring abilities have stayed fairly cool all season. While they have the ability to possess the ball finishing has haunted the team all season. Kealia Ohai has turned into a player to watch as the rookie has grown leaps and bounds since the start of the season and continues to grow with each game. She is finally melding her own speed with her finishing technique.

Defensive lapses have played a big part in the Dash's record this season. On more than one occasion they were burned at the end of games losing or tying in the last seconds in several of their matches. With as tight as the race is for the playoffs had a few of those results not swung the way they did the Dash was still be in the thick of the playoff race. The Dash spent a good chunk of the season with out their two USWNT players both of whom play on defense. That combined with injuries saw several players playing on the backline who might not have otherwise been there. While they all grew as the season went on they still haven't completely gotten past the tendencies for too many mental lapses in a game.

It also looked like head coach Randy Waldrum was assessing what he has in his players last game. The Dash spent a lot of the season racked with injures which leaves few players left unseen on the roster. But with players like back-up goalkeeper Bianca Henninger and Kika Toulouse starting against the Reign chances are Waldrum has started thinking about the offseason.  While Henninger in let in four goals against the Regin we may still see her again this week to see how she does against Sky Blue at home.

As the Dash are now out of the playoffs all they have left to play for is pride and with the performance these ladies have put in all season you can believe they will give it there all in their last home game. The Dash will take on Sky Blue FC at BBVA Compass Stadium on Saturday, August 9 at 8pm CT on Armed Forces Appreciation Night. The game will be available to watch via ESPN3.