TAMPA, FL (March 15, 2025) – Tampa Bay Sun FC forward #9 Natasha Flint’s fifth goal of the season in the 13th minute proved to be the difference as Tampa Bay Sun FC defeated Carolina Ascent FC 0-1 Saturday night at Riverfront Stadium.
A highly-fought battle ended up coming down to an error from Carolina Ascent that Tampa Bay converted. In minute 13, Carolina Ascent goalkeeper #42 Samantha Leshnak Murphy lost possession on the edge of her penalty area and the ball fell to Flint, who cooly chipped it over Leshnak Murphy’s head and into the back of the net for her fifth goal of the season.
Carolina Ascent fought hard to find the equalizer in the second half and Head Coach Philip Poole made adjustments to his lineup, bringing on attacking threats #5 Jaydah Bedoya and #15 Kathrynn Gonzalez. Leshnak Murphy kept it a one-goal game early in the second half, making a 1v1 kick save on Tampa Bay forward #13 Cecilie Fløe. Tampa Bay was extraordinary defensively throughout the game, making 42 clearances in the contest and making things difficult in front of goalkeeper #28 Ashley Orkus. Carolina Ascent had their opportunities, primarily from their 15 corner kicks of the night. Two of them were just glanced wide by center back #20 Jenna Butler.
While Flint’s goal changes the result, the game was fought very closely statistically and could have easily gone either way. Carolina Ascent edged out Tampa Bay in the shot department, 9-8, and marginally topped them in the shots on target category, 4-3.
The loss keeps Carolina Ascent in third place in the standings, sitting three points back of both Fort Lauderdale United FC and Brooklyn FC. They finish off their three-game road stretch on Sunday, March 23 against Lexington SC.
QUOTES:
Coach Philip Poole on his team’s performance:
“We kind of saw a game of two halves tonight from ourselves. I feel like we did not execute the game plan in the first half, made some adjustments and then obviously second half pretty dominant in chances and corners and all those important things. We were much closer to the game plan in the second half and I think the two halves were dramatically different.”
Poole on creating 15 corners but no end-product:
“It’s good to get 15 corners, which is a lot for any team in any game. We need that final touch, that final piece, we were so close on several occasions. We want to create certain matchups in there and we created them, we just didn’t get that one that we were able to put in the back of the net. I just think that final piece, sometimes they go in, sometimes they don’t.”
Ashlynn Serepca on the evenly-matched battle:
“It was a hard fought battle tonight on the road. We weren’t quite able to execute the game plan we wanted, but I think we responded well in the second half creating some really dangerous chances we just weren’t able to quite put them away.”
Jill Aguilera on the continued process of finding wins on the road:
“Everyone knows it’s hard to win on the road but I think we need to continue to trust the game plan and each other’s abilities. I think we need to take the positives out of this game and apply it to how we are going to beat Lexington next weekend.”
