HOUSTON (Aug. 22, 2026) -The Houston Dash travels to San Jose, California this weekend to close a three-match week against Bay FC at 5 p.m. CT on Sunday, Aug. 23. Houston enters this match with back-to-back victories following a late rally against the North Carolina Courage on Sunday, Aug. 16 and a dominant 5-0 triumph over Chicago Stars FC on Wednesday evening. Fans can follow the action live on Sunday on CBS Sports Network or visit local Pub Partners to watch the match with fellow Dash fans. A full list of Pub Partners is available HERE.
Dash forward Kat Rader scored the earliest goal of the season (fifth minute) on Wednesday and the first of two tallies in the 5-0 victory over Chicago. Rader has now scored nine goals this season, two shy of matching the NWSL rookie record of 11 set by Diana Ordóñez in 2022. Rader leads all rookies in goals scored, shots and shots on target. She is also the sixth player in league history to score nine goals at 22-years-old or younger and she is the second American player (Sophia Wilson in 2022 and 2023) to do so.
Rader was one of three Dash rookies to find the back of the net Wednesday, joining Linda Ullmark and Kate Faasse. Ullmark, the July NWSL Rookie of the Month, scored her third goal of the season and this was her final home match prior to joining the U.S. U-20 Women’s National Team to compete at the U-20 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Poland. Ullmark will be eligible for selection on Sunday, and she will depart for camp following the match in San Jose. Faasse tallied her fourth goal of the season, and the University of North Carolina alum is tied for the second most goals scored on the team.
Defender Lisa Boattin scored her first NWSL goal on Wednesday and the Italian international has now contributed to goals in back-to-back games. Boattin had the game-winning assist on Sunday when she found forward Clarissa Lariseyinside the box late in the second half. Serbian international Miljana Ivanović tallied two assists on Wednesday, the first of her NWSL career. Forward Kiki Van Zanten, defender Avery Patterson and Larisey also tallied assists on Wednesday.
Houston’s young players have been at the center of the club’s offensive production throughout the season. Dash rookies have combined for 16 of the team’s 28 goals, the highest rookie goal total in the league. Players aged 24 or younger have accounted for 23 of Houston’s 28 goals this season, while the club’s 28 goals are already the second-most in a single season in team history. Houston needs seven more goals to match the club record of 35.
Bay FC return to PayPal Park on Sunday after a two-game road trip to Utah and Chicago. Bay FC snapped a three-game losing streak against Chicago with a scoreless draw, and they look to bounce back after a 3-2 loss to Utah Royals FC on Friday, Aug. 14. Karlie Lema scored early for Bay FC last week, her fifth goal of the season, but a late penalty kick secured three points for Utah. Lema currently leads the team in goals with five, and Alex Pfeiffer has been a key player for the club with three assists.
Sunday’s match could mark the return of Bay FC forward Racheal Kundananji, who missed the first meeting of the year between both sides due to the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. She tallied an assist for Zambia in their 6-0 victory over Egypt, but the Copper Queens were eliminated following the group stage due to the third tiebreaker following a six-point finish in group play. Head-to-head goals scored left Zambia out of the knockout rounds as Nigeria and Malawi advanced.
Houston earned three points in the first match of the year between both sides following a late second-half goal from Ullmark to secure a 1-0 victory. The Dash and Bay FC have played five times since the California club joined the NWSL, with every meeting either ending in a draw or being decided by one goal. Houston has also found late drama in the series, scoring an equalizer or go-ahead goal in the 88th minute or later in four of the five regular-season meetings.
The Dash return to Shell Energy Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 12 to host Noche Latina as they welcome Utah Royals FC. Tickets for the match are available HERE.
