ECNL TX U16: Kates' brace leads Albion's comeback over the Texans

After a long break during the winter and the high school soccer season, the ECNL Girls League recently returned to action, starting its final stretch before the playoffs and the Finals.   PrepSoccer Texas continues to offer unparalleled coverage of the teams from the Lone Star State that compete in the league, bringing weekly content that includes match and player reports, photo galleries and social media posts.   On Sunday, April 16, we were at Beacon Park, in Melissa, where the [program_tooltip program_id='283311' first='Dallas' last='Texans'] hosted the [program_tooltip program_id='283243' first='Albion' last='Hurricanes FC'] for a duel in the U16 age group. The home team scored first, but Albion responded with an outstanding second-half performance to win 4-1 on the road.   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>[program_tooltip program_id='283311' first='Dallas' last='Texans'] G10 vs. [program_tooltip program_id='283243' first='Albion' last='Hurricanes FC'] G10 - <a href="https://prepsoccer.com/2026/04/ecnl-tx-u16-dallas-texans-vs-albion-hurricanes-photos/">Photos</a></li> </ul>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.instagram.com/p/DXuXmQNDpcx/?img_index=1 </div></figure>   The Texans opened their account in the 11th minute of the second half, when forward Paisley Fuller received the ball on the edge of the penalty box and fired a perfect shot that went into the upper corner.   Albion's comeback started in the fourth minute of the second half, when midfielder [player_tooltip player_id='214145' first='Ashley' last='Baxter'] took a corner kick and found defender [player_tooltip player_id='351089' first='Kendra' last='Kates'] on the back post to score. Six minutes later, Kates scored again, getting on the end of a long free kick and heading the ball over the Texans' goalkeeper. The Houston team got its third goal in the 26th minute, when forward Ella Dietz fired a shot inside the box and Baxter followed up on the goalkeeper's rebound. The two combined again to score Albion's fourth and last goal in the match, with Baxter bringing the ball inside from the left and Dietz hitting a cross shot.   Following Sunday's victory, Albion are in fifth place in the Texas Conference with 30 points (nine wins, two losses, three ties). The Texans are 12th with nine points (two wins, eight losses, three ties).   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Players of the Match</h2>    Kates initiated Albion's comeback with two early goals in the second half, in plays in which she demonstrated great positioning in the attacking penalty box and impressive awareness to send the ball into the right spots with headers. The center back was also very good in her primary responsibilities, leading her team's defensive system from the center of their back three. Kates stood out with her positioning, being the first to get to long passes almost every time, and also did well when she had to move from her spot to cover teammates on the sides. The center back played good passes out of the back and was very precise with long free kicks, getting the ball into dangerous spots in the penalty box.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2026/04/2J4A0186_2471b3.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-359332" /></figure>    Baxter switched gears in the halftime break and turned a somewhat fruitless first-half performance into solid production, with a goal and two assists in the final 40 minutes. The dynamic midfielder presented a very high work rate to move the ball upfield with direct runs and excellent vision to attempt passes behind the backline. Baxter did very well in following up Dietz's shot to pick up the rebound and score the team's third goal by tapping the ball into an open net. She was very good in set pieces, registering an assist off a corner kick, and made a smart run to initiate the play of the team's fourth and last goal.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2026/04/2J4A0127_8e9db0.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-359293" /></figure>    Dietz was Albion's most dangerous forward in the match. She moved a lot in the final third and was relentless in her work to create chances. Dietz attempted some runs behind the Texans' backline and also made good plays when drifting wide, beating opponents 1v1 and delivering accurate crosses into the box. The forward was directly involved in the team's last two goals, firing the shot that generated a rebound for Baxter's goal and scoring her own goal with a well-placed, low-driven cross shot.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2026/04/2J4A0135.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-359294" /></figure>    Meehan was a point of stability for Albion in the center of the field with her intelligent game. The midfielder efficiently scanned the field before getting the ball and knew exactly what to do when in possession, managing to quickly get things moving and the game flowing with her passing. Meehan was also very creative and resourceful in escaping from pressure, creating solutions with creative dribbling. She also offered solid defensive contributions, showing good energy to fight for the ball in the center of the field.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2026/04/2J4A0101.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-359279" /></figure>    Woodford was the third wheel in Albion's midfield trio that was instrumental in the team's comeback. The most defensive-minded of them, she was very active at shielding the team's backline and helped dominate the center of the field. Woodford used her height to deflect long passes and was very successful with her tackles, too. She also performed well in possession, moving the ball quickly and showing good vision to find wide players in good spots and to attempt long passes.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2026/04/2J4A0163_e14911.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-359310" /></figure>    Fuller scored the Texans' lone goal in the match and was their most dangerous attacking player. Her shot that went into the upper corner was excellent, and she had another good chance after a combination play in the second half, but she was blocked before she could finish it. Fuller showed an interesting, well-rounded offensive game, which allowed her to perform different roles up top. She thrived when deployed more centrally, using her body to shield the ball and engaging in quick combination plays, but also did well on the wing, showing good pace and the ability to dribble in space.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2026/04/2J4A0180_631c85.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-359327" /></figure>    Slattery was a bright spot in the Texans' backline, standing out despite the four goals conceded by the team. She wasn't at fault in any of them and had a solid performance for the most part in central defense. Slattery was matched up with Albion's star forward [player_tooltip player_id='214146' first='Bridget' last='Asekomhe'] for most of the time and was very good at keeping her quiet. Slattery was very effective at preventing her from getting service and held her own in 1v1 duels, managing to keep her opponent away from the penalty box.    <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2026/04/2J4A0098_c60d87.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-359277" /></figure>

After a long break during the winter and the high school soccer season, the ECNL Girls League recently returned to action, starting its final stretch before the playoffs and the Finals.