Updated: Carolina Ascent Advance to Super League Playoff Final
#3 Carolina Ascent defeated #2 Sporting JAX 0-1 in Florida this evening, punching their ticket to the club's first-ever playoff final. The Ascent will face Lexington SC at 7:00 PM on May 30.
This story was last updated at 10:00 PM ET with post-match responses from Ascent head coach Philip Poole to questions from Soccer Sheet.
The Carolina Ascent are going to their first-ever USL Super League Finals.
Just now, #3 Carolina Ascent FC (15-7-6, 51 pts) upset #2 Sporting Club Jacksonville (16-7-5, 53 pts) 0-1 to secure their spot in the final in Lexington.
“We’ve had ups and downs, we’ve found different ways to win and grinded through a lot of really really tough games, and this was one of them,” Ascent captain Jill Aguilera said in a post-match interview. “One more win to go.”
Ascent head coach Philip Poole had nothing but respect for his vanquished opponent, referencing a controversial call that helped Lexington SC overtake Jacksonville on the final day of the regular season.
“The last 2 weekends we played against Jacksonville and [they are a] great team, well coached, great organization, and we managed to come out on top,” said Poole in response to questions from Soccer Sheet. “I feel for Jacksonville. [With] the penalty that was awarded to Lexington last week, Jacksonville should be the Players’ Shield champions and should have some silverware. So I feel for them and I feel for the organization.”
The Ascent went into the match in front of 3,854 fans at Hodges Stadium knowing the winner would travel to face #1 Lexington SC in the final on Saturday, May 30. Lexington defeated #4 Dallas Trinity FC 2-0 in the first semifinal match on May 23.
Poole is ready for the challenge.
“You know, there’s a narrative of Worst to First,” said Poole. “It’s a completely different team. I think Lexington built a really great team this year, so it’s not the same team as last year, we all know that. Good club, well-coached, great coach, great players. It’s going to be another tough test.”
As the only squad to make the Super League playoffs in both years, and as last year’s Players’ Shield winner (for the best record in the league), the Ascent have solidified their standing as the cornerstone of the Super League, despite losing to Fort Lauderdale United FC at home in last year’s semifinals.
But first, the Ascent had to conquer Jacksonville.
Last week, Carolina dashed Sporting JAX’s regular season championship hopes at American Legion Memorial Stadium. Despite Jacksonville’s Abby Boyan scoring early, the Ascent prevailed with a 3-1 win that took them into the playoffs on an 11-match unbeaten streak (10 wins, 1 draw), ensuring they would face #2 Jacksonville in the playoff semifinal.
Sporting JAX 0, Carolina Ascent 1
Despite missing their top scorer - the injured Rylee Baisden - the Ascent prevailed in a hard-fought match against the team that led the league for most of the season.
The attack started in the second minute with a Mia Corbin corner kick and a dangerous attack in the box that forced an save from Jacksonville goalkeeper Kaitlyn Parks.
The Ascent wouldn’t have to wait long for another chance, and broke through with some great teamwork to overwhelm Jacksonville’s defense.
Mackenzie George, who had three goals for Carolina during the regular season, made a run towards the box on the right side, with lots of space and Jacksonville center back Georgie Brown defending. George made a give-and-go pass to Riley Parker, who passed it back quickly, and took her shot from 6 yards out. The ball made it through traffic to find the net, and Carolina went ahead early just as Jacksonville had the week before.
“I had [Riley Parker] on the side, so I was like, ‘Go!’ And she was going, and she’s fast as heck, man,” said George during a halftime interview. “So I was like, ‘Oh, it’s us against the world.’ And then she did exactly what we planned, and the rest was a goal.”
Jacksonville responded with pressure. Minutes later, 19-year-old Jacksonville star Ashlyn Puerta forced the first save of the match from Carolina goalkeeper Sydney Martinez. Over the course of the half, Jacksonville would take 8 shots (4 on target) to 4 total shots (1 on target) for Carolina.
Between the 24th and 26th minute, Carolina kept up the pressure with a pair of corner kicks from Corbin, forcing another save from Jacksonville’s Parks.
In the 45th minute, Corbin picked up the first yellow card of the game when she committed a professional foul at midfield to keep Puerta from advancing in the final seconds of the half.
George made it clear at the half how much the game meant to her side.
“We want it,” said George. “We want it a lot, we have a lot of grit, and we didn't get the chance to fight for the Shield. So we want this bad and we want it more than anyone.”
Their opponents, however, still wanted it as well.
In the second half, Jacksonville came out hot, with three shots in the first three minutes.
In the 48th minute, forward Baylee DeSmit had a point-blank opportunity. DeSmit took a late tackle but was able to get off the shot, sending the ball over the goal.
After 62 minutes, Poole made his first substitutes, with Audrey Coleman replacing Riley Parker and Taylor Porter replacing Mia Corbin, shifting Carolina into a more defensive stance.
“It’s a hot day. It’s a stuffy, humid climate,” Poole told Soccer Sheet when asked about the substitutes. “Corbin on a yellow card, and I trust her, but we don’t want to let the referee dictate the game. We want to make sure that we look after that yellow card.”
The tempo of the match went back and forth during the second half, with Jacksonville creating multiple opportunities between the 70th and 80th minutes. In one sequence, Jacksonville’s Grace Phillpotts found her captain, Sophie Jones, with a lot of room on the left side, creating a dangerous situation and forcing the Ascent’s Jenna Butler to concede a corner.
In the 88th minute, Coleman launched a wide open shot into Parks’ goal in an attempt to double Carolina’s lead and add some insurance, but Parks
As the game approached stoppage time, Martinez was forced to punch another shot out of the box, but despite 17 shots with 7 on target - including 13 shots inside the box - Jacksonville were unable to break through.
George’s goal was all the Ascent needed.
“It was great to see a really quick attacking transition, and a great cross and a great goal for Mackenzie,” said Poole. “But I thought, you know, we hit the bar twice in the first half; [goalkeeper Kaitlyn] Parks for Jacksonville made a great save from a set piece, and we went back and forth. We had a lot of great chances.”
The Ascent will travel to Kentucky to face Lexington SC in the final at 7:00 PM on Saturday May 30. The game will be streamed live on Peacock.