after one season in kif örebro's damallsvenskan team, 18-year-old dahlkvist signed for national champions umeå ik in december 2005. she found the adjustment to a higher standard of football difficult and was close to quitting umeå on several occasions during the first two seasons. after settling into the team dahlkvist developed into one of sweden's best central midfielders, winning three damallsvenskan titles with the club.