Tampa Bay Sun Advance to USL Super League Final; Carolina Hosts Fort Lauderdale Tonight
A costly mistake from Ashley Orkus is redeemed by Tampa Bay’s Offense — Sun will play the winner of tonight’s Carolina Ascent/Fort Lauderdale United match
The Carolina Ascent host Fort Lauderdale United FC tonight at 7:00 PM at American Legion Memorial Stadium in Charlotte. You can purchase tickets to tonight’s match - and a possible Championship final - here.
The hottest team in the USL Super League — along with their Heat Wave supporters’ section — overcame an early defensive mistake to win the first leg of the playoff semifinals. Tampa Bay Sun FC found both an equalizer and a winner after an early Dallas Trinity FC goal threatened to end their season.
Tampa Bay became the first-ever women’s professional team to make a playoff match - much less win one.
As the #2 seed in the playoff bracket, the Sun will play in the inaugural USL Super League championship match this Saturday, but they won’t know where they’re playing until Carolina Ascent FC faces Fort Lauderdale United FC tonight. Tampa Bay will either host Fort Lauderdale, or travel to Charlotte to play the #1 seed Ascent.
Tampa Bay was the only team without a loss to the Ascent all season.
Tampa Bay 2, Dallas 1
The first surprise of the evening was Tampa Bay’s change in goal. Like the Carolina Ascent, the Sun went on a spring season rally after switching their goalkeeper. Sydney Schneider took over in goal over fall season goalkeeper Ashley Orkus, helping Tampa Bay earn the best home record in the league with 8 wins.
However, Orkus had to come off the bench in Tampa Bay’s final match of the year when Schneider injured her finger.
The first 15 minutes of the match were squarely in Tampa Bay’s favor, with the home team earning 3 shots (1 on target) to none for the visitors. Then, after the Sun conceded a corner, Dallas Trinity’s Julia Dorsey crossed to Hannah Davidson from the left flag. Davidson’s head found the ball and Orkus misplayed it, with the ball bouncing off her gloves and going into the net.
The goal was against the run of play, and Tampa Bad never let up.
In the 35th minute, Tampa Bay’s persistent attack paid off. The Sun’s Sydny Nasello dribbled down the right side of the field and entered the box as she approached the goal line. The Trinity’s Cyera Hintzen tripped Nasello, and while the foul was not enough for a yellow card, it sent the ball to the penalty spot.
Tash Flint took the kick from the spot and sent it to the bottom left corner. Dallas goalkeeper Madison White guessed correctly, but the ball was too far to her right to save, earning Flint her tenth goal of the season.
The match was level going into the second half, as Dallas edged closer to parity in shots and chances. Trinity’s Chioma Ubogagu, tied for second in regular season assists after the Ascent’s Jill Aguilera, continued to be a threat, and forced a save from Orkus early in the second half.
Ubogagu beat two Sun defenders, running offsides as she nutmegged a defender, to catch up with her ball and pass it to her teammate Tamara in a crowded goal box. Tamara took a shot, it rebounded to Ubogagu on the left side, and Orkus somehow came up with Ubogagu’s point blank shot.
However, just minutes later, the Sun found a 59th minute winner.
Flint, coming off her penalty goal, found Carlee Giammona on the run for a goalazo from the top of the penalty box. The parabolic chip landed right on the goal line behind White, and bounced into the right corner for her eighth — and most important — goal of the season.
Dallas was not discouraged and continued to attack, earning a total of 6 shots with 3 on target. However, it wasn’t enough to stop the Sun, leaving Dallas Trinity and Golden Boot-winner Allie Thornton out in the cold.
Tonight: Win-or-Go-Home for Carolina, Fort Lauderdale
The Carolina Ascent host Fort Lauderdale United FC tonight at 7:00 PM at American Legion Memorial Stadium in Charlotte. You can purchase tickets to tonight’s match - and a possible Championship final - here.
If the Ascent lose, their season is over - though they’ll always have the inaugural USL Super League Players’ Shield in their trophy case. If they win, they’ll host Tampa Bay on Saturday, June 14.
Check out more of our Carolina Ascent coverage below, and we’ll see you at the match!
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