When it comes to Abby Dahlkemper’s career, there’s not much that has come easy. But as a defender for Bay F.C. in the NWSL, finishing on set pieces has become something that she’s known for.
A longtime pro and former NCAA national champion with the UCLA Bruins, Dahlkemper has played in the NWSL since 2015, and has won three league championships. Her career across the world has included stops in North Carolina, Manchester City, Houston, San Diego and now the Bay Area, while also being named Defender of the Year in the NWSL in 2017.
As part of the "Glow for Glory" competition, INDIVISA is taking a look at a “Move of the Week’ and a player that made it famous. This week, we’re looking at a skill Dahlkemper has perfected: finishing on set pieces.
Dahlkemper isn’t a prolific goalscorer. Most centerbacks aren’t. But she’s got a knack for being in the right place at the right time, resulting in a pair of goals in her Bay FC career, one of which came on a set piece.
Set pieces are common, but being able to execute doesn’t come easy. And the importance is clear: 30 percent of goals in major tournaments are scored off of set pieces. And in the 2017 and 2022 Women’s Euros, 33 percent of goals came from set pieces. The USWNT has long been known for its ability to score off set pieces.
Once asked who would score first for the USWNT between Dahlkemper and Becky Sauerbrunn, Dahlkemper noted in a video for U.S. Soccer that “it depends who’s up on a corner kick.” Her advice to Sauerbrunn regarding set pieces was that she needed “to get your head on it.”
Set pieces can come several areas on the pitch, as they’re designed to restart play after a stoppage. Balls in can come from corner kicks, free kicks, penalty kicks and more.
They’re often viewed as a prime opportunity to score, as teams can organize players to capitalize on the ball’s positioning. While defenders such as Dahlkemper are often tasked with defending set pieces, they also can score on them, too.
Dahlkemper’s career hasn’t been easy. After starting as one of the league’s best defenders and winning a World Cup in 2019, Dahlkemper sustained a serious back injury in 2022 that required surgery to alleviate nerve pressure. She was sidelined for roughly a year before returning to play in 2023.
Shortly after, she scored her first NWSL goal since 2016 for the San Diego Wave - of course, it was a follow-up off of a set piece.
In 2024, she joined Bay FC midway through the season - playing for her hometown team - in hopes of helping the expansion franchise to the playoffs. They, in fact, finished sixth in the NWSL and earned a spot in the postseason.
INDIVISA
Part of earning that spot included Dahlkemper’s finish off of the set piece from Rachael Kundananji.
“It was incredible. I couldn’t believe it happened, but at the same time I just thought maybe this was all meant to be,” Dahlkemper told Sports Illustrated. “Anytime I can help the team win is my ultimate goal, but to be able to score an important goal is just something I’ll remember for a really, really long time.”
But getting to play at home, in front of her hometown crowd, and for a familiar coach in Albertin Montoya, has meant everything. She told INDIVISA that it was important to her to be "able to play where they grew up, where they grew up loving the game, where they fell in love with the game, where, you know, you dreamed big. And I grew up in the Bay.”
It also meant stepping up as a leader, as she noted that “as a centerback, you have to be vocal. You can see the whole field. So naturally, you're gonna demand things of teammates in front of you and help them out. And I think the better your teammates are around you, the better you're going to be, and the better it pushes you.”
But she also places emphasis on just being herself, and taking in this moment.
“I’m so excited to partner with e.l.f. because they’re all about confidence - in the wins and in the tough moments. That really speaks to me,” she said. “Some of the biggest lessons in my career have come through setbacks, and e.l.f. shows up for women wherever they are on that journey.
“I am so passionate about soccer in the Bay Area, inspiring the next generation because I was inspired in the Bay - and that's what it's all about.”
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Do you want to #GlowForGlory and be part of the next generations of changemakers? Submit video of YOUR signature move.
The deadline to submit is Oct. 12, with 11 semifinalists announced by Oct. 19.