HOUSTON (Oct. 2, 2026) - The Houston Dash return to Shell Energy Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 4 to host the Washington Spirit. Dash fans are invited to bring their furry friends to the stadium on Sunday as part of Pups at the Pitch, presented by College Ave. Tickets for the match and additional information about the festivities can be found HERE.
The Dash return to Houston following a 10-day road trip that produced four points, highlighted by a 2-1 victory over Boston Legacy FC on Sept. 20 and a 1-1 draw against Portland Thorns FC on Sept. 26. Forward Kat Rader scored Houston’s lone goal in the draw at Portland, marking her 10th goal of the season. The rookie leads all first-year players in scoring and is one goal away from matching the NWSL record for goals by a rookie in a single season (11). Rader is also one goal shy of matching the club record for most goals in a single season, set by Kealia Watt (Ohai) with 11 goals in 2016.
Midfielder Linda Ullmark made her first appearance since returning from international duty with the U.S. U-20 Women’s National Team at the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland. Ullmark entered the match in the 56th minute and finished with one shot on target and six passes in the final third. The team was without Danielle Colaprico, who missed the last match due to a leg injury. This was the first match she missed since joining the club prior to the 2025 season, a run of 51 consecutive matches. The team did add reinforcement to the midfield by signing Peyton Parsons to a short-term contract through the end of the season. Her initial short-term agreement ended on Sept. 30.
Defensively, team captain Jane Campbell leads the league with 109 saves this season. Campbell set the league record for saves in a single season in 2023, recording 114 saves across 22 matches. First-year defender Leah Klenke also made a significant impact against Portland, leading the team with 11 clearances. Klenke currently ranks fourth in the league with 145 clearances, two behind Tara Rudd of the Washington Spirit, who ranks third.
With four matches remaining in the regular season, the Dash enter Sunday’s matchup with the Washington Spirit needing three points to keep their postseason hopes alive. Houston will play three of its final four matches at home as the team continues its pursuit of a postseason berth for the first time since the 2022 season.
Sunday’s match will also mark the second meeting between the two clubs this season, with the Dash looking to even the regular-season series. The Spirit claimed a 2-1 victory on July 3 after forward Kate Faasse scored the equalizer in the 89th minute, her second goal of the season, before Trinity Rodman scored the game-winning goal in stoppage time.
The Spirit enter Sunday’s match in third place in the league standings following a 1-0 home loss to Angel City FC. Washington has dropped consecutive matches at Audi Field but has found success on the road this season. The Spirit enter Sunday with an 8-5-1 record away from home, two more wins than their 6-6-1 record at home.
Five Houston Dash players will depart for national team duty following Sunday's game. Rader and Klenke will join the U-23 U.S. Women's National Team and defender Avery Patterson will join the U.S. Women's National Team for a pair of friendlies against Spain. Midfielder Sarah Puntigam (Austria) and defender Lisa Boattin (Italy) will join their respective national team for World Cup qualifiers. The team will return to regular season play on Sunday, Oct. 18 when they host the Orlando Pride at Shell Energy Stadium. Tickets for the match are available HERE.
