CHARLOTTE, NC (September 24, 2025) – Carolina Ascent lost their first match of the 2025/26 season on Wednesday night, falling to Spokane Zephyr FC 1-0.
Despite winning the shot and possession categories, Zephyr struck against the run of play through #19 Tori Waldeck Zierenberg in the first half. That goal as the game-winner as the Ascent couldn’t get one by #0 Hope Hisey.
The Ascent emerged as the better team in the first 15 minutes and manufactured the game’s first chance in the 14th minute. #31 Mackenzie George neatly turned her defender from a throw-in and from a sharp angle, sent it just wide of Hisey’s post.
Carolina Ascent earned a penalty kick in the 21st minute. It started with beautiful play out of the back. It soon found #9 Mia Corbin in space and she lifted one to a flying #7 Jill Aguilera down the wing. Last season’s Golden Playmaker cut inside and was taken down in the box.
Leading goal scorer #4 Maddie Mercado stepped up looking for another, but hit the outside of the post.
Even though the Ascent had the better of play in the half hour, it was Spokane that struck first in the 35th minute. #9 Cam Tucker played a lovely through ball and #19 Tori Waldeck Zierenberg toed it by #1 Meagan McClelland to give the visitors the lead.
Spokane took their one-goal advantage to the break.
It was another strong start in the second half from the Ascent and Mercado again narrowly missed in the 50th minute. Corbin slipped through #2 Brianna Martinez. The outside back’s centering ball to the six found Mercado, but she couldn’t keep it under the bar.
The Ascent continued searching for the equalizer. Martinez nearly scored a worldie in the 62nd minute. #14 Taylor Porter’s corner was headed away, but Martinez let fly a left-footed volley that struck the woodwork.
Again on the second ball off a Carolina corner in the 77th minute, Aguilera curled in a beauty to the back post that #5 Jenna Butler met. However, her side-foot effort went straight to Hisey.
Desperate for a goal, Carolina Ascent pushed bodies forward. After turning it over, Spokane headed the other way and got in behind. Butler tugged down Tucker from behind and was shown a straight red card.
The result stood and the Ascent dropped their first match of the campaign.
Carolina Ascent plays their second match of the week on Sunday, playing host to Sporting Jax on Sunday afternoon.
QUOTES:
Head Coach Philip Poole assessing his team’s performance:
“We missed two key chances in the first half, especially the penalty. We missed an open goal in the second half. You can’t miss those chances and I think tonight, you look at Spokane’s chances. One clear look, one goal. Sometimes that’s just football.”
Poole on how the team will regroup without Jenna Butler on the weekend:
“We’ve got a great squad. Obviously, we saw a different role from Sydney Studer tonight. We’ve got tons of options. There’s people all over the place that can fill those roles. We’ve recruited for that reason and we can fill any hole on the pitch.”
Meaghan Nally on the ball not finding the back of the net:
“I think we put in a lot of hard work over preseason and these past few weeks. We trust it’s going to come. We trust in the process, and you know, on another day, we finish those chances we had tonight. I think the intensity and the effort was there, when we were in the spots. Eventually, the luck will drop with the work we’re putting in.”
Jill Aguilera on the momentum after the missed penalty:
“We’re never gonna be on top for 90 minutes, so we anticipate ebbs and flows, but I think we still felt it was coming. We felt the momentum was still with us. I think we were on top of them, even after the PK. I felt our entries in the box were dangerous and they were affecting them deeply.”
