Carolina Ascent FC is Poised to Win the USL Super League's Inaugural Season
With four matches left, Carolina Ascent FC is poised to clinch a playoff berth - and possibly the USL Super League's first-ever regular season title.
LONDON - It’s so cliche it could be a line from Shakespeare: whenever a coach is asked about the playoffs, or the team’s standing on the table, the response is inevitable.
“We’re only focused on the game ahead of us.”
Carolina Ascent FC head coach Philip Poole is no different, despite his team leading the USL Super League with just four matches to go until the league’s playoffs begin.
He should be forgiven, however, if the playoffs are on his mind, cliches not withstanding. When Poole spoke to Soccer Sheet at length for an exclusive interview, his squad had just won a 5-0 victory over Brooklyn FC, and many of his players had taken out a boat to enjoy some rest and relaxation on nearby Lake Norman.
In search of a better answer about the playoffs from Poole - or Pooley, as his players call him - Soccer Sheet phrased the question differently, asking, “What is more important? The regular season title, or the playoffs?”
“I think my answer would probably be similar to a lot of folks from around the world that have been fortunate and privileged enough to come this country,” said Poole.
While he expressed his admiration for the “romantic” notion of American playoffs and the idea of a bottom seed winning it all, Poole was unambiguous: “We’re set in our ways and it's all about winning the league … I do believe there should be a notable prize for winning the league.”
The team would go on to host the Spokane Zephyr on Saturday, April 19, winning 3-0 and extending their first place lead to six points. It would be his squad’s fifth win in a row, an unmatched run of form in the league.
The Carolina Ascent (12-5-7, 43 Points) are now 6 points ahead of second-place Dallas Trinity FC, and 9 points above the current playoff cutoff. If the Ascent win their Saturday, April 26 match in Fort Lauderdale - and Brooklyn FC and Spokane Zephyr both lose or draw - the Ascent will become the first team in the Super League to clinch a playoff spot.
“I think the form that we’re currently in, to an extent, has always been there,” said Poole. “I think now we’re just starting to find that final pass … I think now, just through the players’ hard work and them staying together, they’ve just started hitting the back of the net more and converting more.”
Ascent fans might not have agreed with that assessment when the team took its winter break. Despite an undefeated streak to open the season and months atop the table, the Ascent fumbled as the first 14 games of the USL Super League’s inaugural season came to a close. The club only recorded 1 point of a possible 12 in its final four matches.
Even when they were ahead, there were cracks in the armor. The Ascent were strong defensively, racking up the most clean sheets in the league before the break (6) thanks to goalkeeper Meagan McClelland and a strong back line, but lacked an offensive spark. The team recorded an average of one goal per match in the Fall, and injuries plagued the front line and the midfield.
When the club came back from the break, they opened the Spring season with a win - and have only conceded points in three matches since. Poole attributed the surprising reversal to many factors, including the players coming back from injury and “the ebb and flow of football.”
A couple consistent contributors on the squad have shone brightly through the ups and downs. Forward Mia Corbin has been versatile at striker and as a center attacking midfielder, leading the Super League in goals and leading the Ascent in overall goal contributions.
“Mia’s a good player,” said Poole. “She’s actually much more than a goal scorer … she’s the type of player who makes all of the players around her better. You know when Mia is confident and feeling herself, she shines.”
Though Corbin is tied for the inaugural USL Super League Golden Boot as of this writing, Poole emphasized how many different players have made contributions to the team’s success. Starting with co-captain Vicky Bruce in the Ascent’s inaugural match, the Ascent lead the league with 15 different players having scored goals this season, while 11 players have assists. It’s a testament to how both Poole and the players have adapted to multiple injuries.
Poole believes one outfield player who hasn’t found the back of the net deserves more attention as well: co-captain Taylor Porter, who currently has 4 assists for the club and leads the Ascent in minutes played, interceptions and tackles won.
“[Porter] has played every minute of every game of the season,” said Poole. “Taylor’s been big for us. Very unsung, very under-the-radar, but she puts a shift in and puts the work in [that] sometimes, you don’t even see.”
Porter’s consistency has been a bedrock for the team, and she’s currently tied for most minutes played in the league with 2,160 - though not every team has played as many matches as Charlotte.
A Mid-Season Switch
Along with Porter, goalkeeper Meagan McClelland had played every minute of every match going into the Spring season. The goalkeeper was a major factor in the team’s early success.
“I think we're really fortunate,” said Poole. “I think Meghan McClelland is a top, top goalkeeper; really experienced, and was a top performer for us in the Fall part of this season for sure, leading the league in many categories.”
Her 6 shutouts came in the team’s first 11 matches, and despite the addition of former North Carolina Courage goalkeeper Samantha Leshnak Murphy, McClelland seemed likely to stay between the posts.
Poole told Soccer Sheet he brought Leshnak Murphy in due to her experience.
“We needed to make sure that Meagan had a true competitor and challenge,” said Poole. “Sam coming along was something we discussed with Meagan before we even identified [Leshnak Murphy], but at some point we would look to sign someone that’s gonna push [McClelland] and compete on a daily basis, and that’s what Sam did.”
After McClelland went six matches without a clean sheet, Leshnak Murphy started on March 8 in Spokane, helping the team earn a 1-2 away win in her first appearance.
Though she has played every minute since, Leshnak Murphy would stumble in her second week, conceding a goal early against the Tampa Bay Sun in a 1-0 loss. The goalkeeper failed to stop a pass from a teammate effectively, giving the Sun an easy goal.
However, in her next outing - a dominant 0-4 Ascent win in Lexington - Leshnak Murphy would solidify her place as the starting goalkeeper.
Poole made it clear to Soccer Sheet that instead of McClelland losing her place in the starting lineup, Leshnak Murphy earned it.
“Sam’s debut was really good, and we thought, ‘well, let’s give her a couple of games and assess after that,’” said Poole. “Sam’s really hit her stride, so really not even a reflection on Meagan, more a reflection on Sam. She’s done well, but I’m very happy that we’ve got some real competition for minutes in goal.”
Hutchinson and Parker Add Firepower to the Offense
In addition to Leshnak Murphy, Carolina Ascent FC also added forward Riley Parker during the winter transfer window - and along with Corbin and Israeli international Eli Hutchinson, she’s helped ignite Carolina’s offense in the second half of the season.
“Riley's been a great addition,” said Poole. “You know that we got great [attacking] options and we just thought Riley was a different type of player. I've said this in a few interviews, I knew Riley is good, but I actually didn't give her enough credit for how good in possession she can be and how good on the ball she can be.
Parker joined the Ascent from the Tampa Bay Sun, where she played 10 matches during the Fall season.
“She's really comfortable on the ball. Great movement, good defender,” said Poole. “So it's kind of the same thing as the goalkeeper situation in that Riley was brought in to give some diversity to what we have.”
Hutchinson was unable to make an impact in the first half of Carolina’s season due to injuries, but perhaps more than any other player she’s brought new energy to the team this spring.
“Eli got off to a slow start with us. Had a tricky time with a couple of little injuries,” said Poole. “Nothing too serious, but just one after the other.”
After getting married to former Trinidad and Tobago player Lauryn Hutchinson over the winter break, Hutchinson returned to fitness, scoring one goal for her national team and four goals for the Ascent as of this writing, including a brace in her most recent match.
“I think she’s got more to give,” said Poole. “I think Eli’s got even more in her and I hope that we see even more from [Hutchinson] in the coming weeks.”
Charlotte’s First Top-Tier Pro Championship?
Should the Ascent maintain their current form, they will make the USL Super League playoffs: a three-match, single-elimination tournament where the highest seed hosts.
If Carolina wins the regular season, they’ll host a semifinal against the fourth seed on June 7 at American Legion Memorial Stadium, and if they advance, they’ll host the final on June 14.
Given the short path to the USL Super League final, we asked Poole - a longtime Charlotte resident - what it would mean to bring the first top-tier professional championship to the Queen City.
You already know the answer we got.
“We said from day one that we wanna make sure that we represent our community and our city well,” said Poole. “In terms of a championship, again same answer, boring answer for you: It's not something we're talking about. It's not something that we are even looking at, but we are excited about what we're currently doing.”
The Ascent travel to Florida to take on Fort Lauderdale United FC on Saturday, April 26 at 7:30 PM. After that, the team takes a three week break before returning home to host the Tampa Bay Sun on May 17 - a game that could kick off a five week sprint to the final.