20 August 2014: Crystal Dunn (USA) (19) and Vanessa Burki (SUI) (18). The United States Women's National Team played the Switzerland Women's National Team at WakeMed Stadium in Cary, North Carolina in an women's international friendly soccer game. The United States won the match 4-1.

Crystal Dunn tallied her sixth goal of the season for North Carolina. (Andy Mead/YCJ Photo

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Crystal Dunn scored the game-winning goal to boost the North Carolina Courage to a 2-1 win over Sky Blue FC Saturday afternoon.

Dunn, a Rockville Centre N.Y. native, tallied in the 57th minute with an assist by Kristen Hamilton as North Carolina won its 10th game of the National Women’s Soccer League season at Yurcak Field.

It was Dunn’s sixth goal of the season.

In what was a wacky first half of soccer, the ball found the back of the net in the opening minute after Merritt Mathias sent in a cross that deflected off of a Sky Blue defender. The ball hit the defender and spun into the net over goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan.

In the 12th minute, Abby Dahlkemper was called for a foul while attempting to shield the ball in the box. Sky Blue FC was awarded a penalty kick that was put away by Carli Lloyd.

After two nontraditional goals in the first minutes of the game, neither team was able to score again before halftime.

A few minutes after the start of the second half, Hamilton made things happen for the Courage. After taking two shots that nearly went in, Hamilton pressured Sky Blue FC’s defense and slotted a ball to Dunn, who sent the ball into the corner of the net.

The assist was Hamilton’s fourth in what has been a standout season for the forward. The goal by Dunn was her sixth of the season.

Lynn Williams and Jessica McDonald saw chances in the last minutes.

The Courage will travel to the Portland Thorns for a match between the top two NWSL teams Wednesday at 10:30 p.m.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.