With a positive spin, the Western New York Flash were able to push their unbeaten streak to eight games with Sunday’s 3-3 tie against the New England Mutiny. Negatively, the usually sturdy WNY defense allowed three first half goals, off-setting another strong offensive output for Aaran Lines’ club.

“We were sloppy,” said Lines in a Flash press release. “I was very disappointed in the way we defended in the first half. It was like we came out and expected to beat them and let it take care of itself. That’s not the way it happens when you’re away from home and you’re against a team that is going to hurt you at some point.”

The Flash out-shot New England 12 to six and earned nine corner kicks to only one for the Mutiny. Leading scorer Adriana added two more to her season total (10), while Meghan Klingenberg struck for a goal and an assist. Trailing 3-2 at the break, the Flash equalized in the 77th on Adriana’s penalty kick—earned by a Mutiny hand-ball inside the 18-yard box. 

New England forward Katie Howarth, who scored against WNY at home June 9, tallied twice in the first half (4’, 45’). She’s now found the back of the net six times in her last five contests for the Mutiny, who are now making a case to join Boston, Chicago, New York and Western New York in the top tier teams in WPSL Elite.

The Flash’s rather complacent attitude doesn’t come as a major surprise after Friday’s dominant 2-0 win over the Philadelphia Fever. U.S. internationals Lori Lindsey and Meghan Klingenberg were in the fold for the final weekend before they left for Olympic training—and eventually London—and the offense clicked on all cylinders. Still, the defense wasn’t tested at all Friday, leading to a rude welcome Sunday.

Through 10 matches, Western New York stands at 6-1-3 and has 21 points. First-place Chicago (24 points) and Boston (21) both have a game-in-hand on the Flash.

Western New York plays next on July 8 at Sahlen’s Stadium against the ASA Chesapeake Charge.

(Header photo courtesy of Mark Novak from Friday’s match against Philadelphia—see more of his photos here).