Houston Dash midfielder Teresa Noyola was voted the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) Player of the Week by the media for Week 2 of the 2014 NWSL season.
Noyola, 24, scored two goals to provide the club with its historic first win, a 3-2 road victory over the Boston Breakers on Sunday evening at Harvard Stadium in Boston, Mass.
The Palo Alto, Calif. native came into the game as a second half substitute in the 76th minute as one of two attacking Dash substitutions along with forward Rafaelle Souza. Together their fresh legs and creative spark resulted in the tying and winning goals in the last 10 minutes.
Noyola scored the Dash’s second goal of the match in the 81st minute – clipping a shot from the top of the penalty area into the far upper corner beating Breakers goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher. Souza provided the assist to pull Houston even for the second time on the night.
Three minutes later, Souza again created a goal, earning a penalty as she was tripped by the Breakers’ Courtney Jones while dribbling through the box. A Mexico international, Noyola stepped up to take the spot kick and confidently placed it into the lower right corner, just past the outstretched arm of Naeher.
Noyola earned the award for the first time in her NWSL career and is also the first Dash player to be honored as the NWSL Player of the Week.
The Houston Dash will return to action Sunday, April 27 at 6 p.m. CT against the Seattle Reign FC at Moda Health Pitch at Memorial Stadium in Seattle, Wash.
The NWSL Player of the Week is selected each week of the regular season by a selection of journalists that cover the league on a consistent basis.
