Dallas Trinity stayed top of the table with a 1-0 win over Sporting JAX in their first-ever trip to Hodges Stadium, secured by a late strike from academy product Rhea Moore. Trinity remains undefeated, starting off the new season 3-0-0.
“It was a tough match,” said Trinity Coach/GM Chris Petrucell. “I thought both teams played pretty well. We were able to get one there at the end, which was a really nice goal from Rhea. I thought our mentality was good, and anytime you get a shutout, you’re happy.”
Dallas returned to their familiar 4-2-3-1. Chioma Ubogagu was unavailable, replaced in the starting lineup by Camryn Lancaster. Hannah Davison also returned to the XI, with Kiley Dulaney moving to the bench.
The first-ever matchup between Trinity and the Gainbridge Super League’s newest club opened with both sides pressing aggressively and limiting each other’s time on the ball. Sporting generated chances in open play, while Dallas looked dangerous from set pieces. Captain Amber Wisner tested the defense with a long-range effort that resulted in a Sporting handball, setting up one of Dallas’ best opportunities of the first half.
Still, the game reached halftime scoreless.
The second half followed a similar pattern, with Sporting’s Ashlyn Puerta frequently involved in the attack but unable to find a breakthrough.
The match turned in the 82nd minute, when Moore — The ECNL Northern Cal Conference U-16 Player of the Year — scored her first professional goal. Having entered her first professional match only eight minutes earlier for Tamara Bolt, Moore struck from outside the 18-yard box with a driven effort that beat the keeper cleanly and found the back of the net.
“It caught me by surprise,” Moore said of her goal. “This is just a dream come true. I’m super happy. My team was just supporting and cheering for me. We have momentum now with three wins in a row.”
With the goal, Moore became the youngest goalscorer in any women’s professional match in the US when she scored at just 15 years and 332 days old. #DTFC
Sporting pressed forward in the closing minutes, but Trinity’s back line and goalkeeper Rylee Foster held firm to record their second clean sheet of the season.
Foster says the team is starting to get comfortable with each other. “I feel like now the team is starting to get into a rhythm. We’re all getting familiar with each other. I didn’t have to face many shots, and if I’m not facing many shots, that means the backline’s doing their job, the midfield’s doing their job, and the frontline’s doing their job. It was a collective effort to get this result, and I’m just here when they need me.”
Dallas outshot Jacksonville 23 to 11 for the game.
Petrucelli’s side now travels south to face Ft. Lauderdale United, who entered the weekend on a run of three straight draws. The match will be available on Peacock, kicking off at 6:30 CT.