TAMPA, FL — The postseason picture became a little clearer for Dallas Trinity FC on Saturday night.
Behind an early breakthrough from defender Samar Guidry and another strong performance from goalkeeper Tyler McCamey, Dallas earned a key victory over Tampa Bay, tightening its grip on a top-four spot in the Gainbridge Super League standings with the regular season winding down.
Dallas improved to 10-10-7 on the year with 37 points, maintaining fourth place — the final playoff position — while creating breathing room over both DC Power FC and Spokane Zephyr FC, who remain four points back entering the final stretch of the season.
The tone was set almost immediately as Guidry, a McKinney native, found the back of the net in the second minute for her first goal of the season and the first of her professional career. The early strike energized Dallas and helped establish the aggressive pace head coach Nathan Thackeray wanted from his squad.
Dallas doubled its advantage in the 27th minute when midfielder Camryn Lancaster finished off a scoring opportunity created by academy forward Sealey Strawn. Lancaster, a Mansfield native and former TCU standout, now has four goals this season after scoring twice during the previous campaign. Strawn recorded her first assist of the year on the play.
Tampa Bay applied pressure throughout the second half, but McCamey helped preserve the clean sheet with five saves. The shutout marked her second of the season, and she now has 48 saves across 14 appearances.
Dallas controlled much of the match statistically, holding a 56.3 percent advantage in possession while outshooting Tampa Bay 11-10. Seven of Dallas’ attempts were on target, compared to five for Tampa Bay.
Following the match, Thackeray praised his club’s balance between aggression and composure.
“We want to play with an intensity teams struggle to handle,” Thackeray said. “At the same time, we knew there would be moments where we needed to stay calm and manage the game. I thought the group handled that well, especially in the second half when they started pushing numbers forward.”
Guidry called the milestone goal a rewarding moment after patiently waiting for her opportunity.
“It was exciting,” Guidry said. “I feel like I’ve been waiting for one, and everything just opened up perfectly.”
Lancaster said the team’s recent form reflects the work being put in behind the scenes as the playoff race tightens.
“Every week we’re learning and growing from the results,” Lancaster said. “The focus and mentality at training have been really strong heading into each match.”
Dallas Trinity FC returns home next Saturday to close out the regular season at the Cotton Bowl against Fort Lauderdale United FC.
