Soccer Tejas
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HOUSTON (March 21, 2026) – The Houston Dash earned its second consecutive victory to start the season with a 3-0 triumph over Boston Legacy FC at Shell Energy Stadium this afternoon. This is the first time the team has won two matches to start the year. The Dash welcomed 10,259 fans for today’s match, the largest crowd for a home opener and the second largest regular season crowd in team history. The team also tallied its second consecutive shutout and captain Jane Campbell earned her 44th clean sheet in league play.
The Dash opened the scoring in the 43rd minute through a well-worked passing sequence at the edge of the box, as forward Kat Rader found midfielder Linda Ullmark to set up midfielder Kiki Van Zanten for the first of two goals this afternoon. The goal marked Van Zanten’s first of the 2026 season and the second consecutive match in which Houston scored the opening goal. Ullmark tallied the assist on the play, and she is the first rookie to tally an assist this season.
Van Zanten scored her second goal of the match in the 58th minute, finishing from the six-yard box with a right-footed strike off a well-placed assist from forward Kat Rader. Van Zanten is the first player to score multiple goals in a single game for the Dash since Diana Ordonez during the 2024 season.
Rader scored the third and final goal of the match in the 65th minute after she won the ball near the east sideline. The Duke University playmaker found a teammate and recovered a clearance inside the box to score her first goal as a professional. The 21-year-old is the first rookie to score a goal in the NWSL this season.
Houston was awarded a penalty kick in the eighth minute after forward Makenzey Robbe was fouled inside the box. Defender Malia Berkely stepped up to take the penalty kick, but her shot toward the bottom right corner was saved by goalkeeper Casey Murphy.
Campbell was called into action in the 17th minute, denying Alba Caño’s right-footed effort from outside the box. The Dash captain finished the match with two saves.
Houston earned another free kick in the 37th minute, and Rader found the back of the net with a right-footed strike from outside the box, but the goal was disallowed following a collision involving midfielder Maggie Graham and Murphy.
Ullmark had a dangerous chance in the eighth minute of first-half stoppage time (45+8’), but her long-range effort went just wide of the post.
Boston nearly leveled the match after being awarded a free kick in the 56th minute following a foul by midfielder Danny Colaprico, but the ensuing free kick sailed over the crossbar.
Houston nearly added a fourth goal in the 75th minute after a through ball from the left flank created space outside of the box, but Ullmark’s effort went over the crossbar.
Houston threatened again in the 80th minute as forward Messiah Bright dribbled down the right flank and found forward Clarissa Larisey in the box, but the duo was unable to break through the Boston backline.
