America provided the birthday, and we hoped the Denver Summit would bring the fireworks.Instead, Kansas City proved more lethal with their scoring opportunities, beating the Summit 3-0 in their first match back from break.To say the Current out-classed Denver would be misguided; in fact, the Summit excelled in many of the fundamental aspects of the game for most of this match, including possession.But in the final third, and certainly in front of goal, the Summit seemed bereft of answers.Michelle Cooper's goal in the 35th minute proved to be the game-winner, but the negative result shouldn't overshadow the monumental nature of this night.If air can crackle, the atmosphere was absolutely sizzling with anticipation around DICK'S Sporting Goods Park hours before kickoff. A lot of that can be attributed to excitement for the Summit's return to action, but as a black-clad figure roamed the pitch there was also an unavoidable hint of hope.Like the Summit's climb was truly just beginning.Lindsey Heaps smiled and waved from the field as she checked in with the NWSL broadcast before being ferried away the whirlwind exhaustion surely created by her last few days of travel and introductions making no headway against the unadulterated joy of being home.Finally, home.Heaps, of course, didn't feature in the Summit's match against Kansas City. She's expected to join their next training session at the CommonSpirit Performance Center and from there, her debut in game action is still TBD.But merely having Heaps in the building signaled something big for this franchise. The opening of their full-time, purpose-built training center in the shadow of their soon-to-be temporary home stadium  paired with the arrival of their prodigal daughter made the Denver Summit Football Club feel, for the first time,whole.Complete.Head coach Nick Cushing said leading up to their match with the Current to expect changes to his starting XI, and he wasn't lying.In addition to starting Colorado native Ally Brazier for the first time this season, Cushing also elected to re-insert Carson Pickett and Emma Regan into the group at the expense of Delanie Sheehan and Yuzuki Yamamoto. Part of the shake up was due to Tash Flint missing her second straight match due to a torso injury.The result was Brazier and Sonis flanking Melissa Kssler on Denver's front line, Yazmeen Ryan playing as a sort of roaming attacking midfielder similar to Flint, Regan and Devin Lynch holding down the midfield, and Pickett returning to her natural home of left fullback.A quarter of an hour of gametime passed in the blink of an eye, both squads feeling each other out like boxers attempting to size up their opponents. An errant back-pass nearly doomed Denver, while on the other end Sonis linked up with Kssler for an attempt on frame that was saved by Current keeper Marisa Jordan.In the 28th minute, the Summit confronted Temwa Chawinga for the first time, and the reigning NWSL golden boot winner nearly got the better of them. If not for tremendous positioning and bravery by Abby Smith, followed up by veteran savvy by Kaleigh Kurtz, Chawinga would have given the Current a 1-0 lead. Instead, the score remained deadlocked at zeroes.And we'd head to a Hydration Break. No word of a lie. Seems like everybody has World Cup fever these days.Clearly KC re-fueled with some of Michael's Secret Stuff, because Michelle Cooper found herself in on goal shortly after play resumed and she struck home for the first goal of the match.Mere moments later, Eva Gaetino pulled down Temwa Chawinga on a run in Denver's box, earning a yellow card and setting Kansas City up with a penalty kick. Things were going bad to worse, but Lo'eau LaBonta drove her spot kick up and over the frame of Smith's net, eliciting, at that point, the loudest cheer from the crowd at DSGP we'd heard all night.Cushing went to his bench to start the second half, bringing on Sheehan and Yamamoto in place of Regan and Pickett, allowing the captain Sonis to move back to her more natural defensive position.As it so often does at DSGP, the weather became a factor in the second half. The heavens opened up in the 56th minute and rain began to pummel a pitch that already looked patchier than Carl's Enchanted Anarchist's Battle Rattle vest.The deluge was short-lived, but the Summit found no purchase in the freshly watered lawn.Denver will have another extended break before their next match, when they host the Houston Dash at DICK'S Sporting Goods Park on July 12. Heaps is expected to train with the club but will not play until she's eligible, after the NWSL transfer window opens on July 14. ...read more read less