CHARLOTTE, NC (September 19, 2026) – Shea Groom’s header in the 63rd minute was the difference as the Ascent rode a dominant defensive performance to a 1-0 home win over Brooklyn FC.
It took awhile to find the breakthrough, but Mia Corbin’s corner kick was thumped home by a Groom header as Carolina took home all three points to remain atop the Gainbridge Super League table. A dominant all-around performance saw the Ascent hold Brooklyn to no shots on target while outpacing them 25-1 in shot attempts.
The Ascent mustered the first chance of the match seven minutes in after Mackenzie George was fouled to earn a free kick in the right half space. Jill Aguilera nailed the near post with her shot from the set piece before Audrey Coleman put the rebound attempt just wide.
The hosts came inches away from the opener again 13 minutes later when a ball found Rylee Baisden on the right side of the box. Baisden cut in and sent a low-driven shot towards the far post that rolled just wide.
In the 34th minute, Addisyn Merrick almost found her first of the season on the counter when Groom played her into space on the right side. Merrick charged into the box and fired it on frame but her attempt was pushed over by Bre Norris’ fingertips.
Shortly after, Reese Tappan played a long ball to Merrick on the right side who squared it for Coleman, but her shot blazed above the crossbar.The Ascent kept up the pressure as Groom played Baisden in behind on the right side, but her chip attempt was placed high.
Carolina nearly scored a minute after the halftime restart when a beautiful one-two between Groom and Coleman allowed Groom to play Merrick in behind the Brooklyn backline but an onrushing Norris was able to deflect Merrick’s shot out wide.
Coleman hopped on a loose ball on the left flank in the 55th minute and sent a cross-cum-shot that was tipped above the crossbar by the hand of Norris. The ensuing corner led to a mad scramble along the six-yard box, but the ball eventually caromed out wide where Brooklyn cleared.
Carolina finally scored the breakthrough in the 63rd minute off of a corner from the left side. Corbin sent an in-swinger that Groom was able to head through a sea of bodies and into the net for a 1-0 lead.
Carolina continued to dominant possession and keep Brooklyn from creating really any danger as the clock ticked down. In the 90th minute, the Ascent nearly found an insurance goal through the freshly subbed on Ava Cook. Cook won a loose ball in the right corner and squared it to Groom on the edge of the box. Groom cut inside and blasted a rocket with her left foot towards the upper left corner that Norris was able to shuffle over and catch.
With the win, the Ascent improve to 5-1-0 on the season and remain atop the Gainbridge Super League table just before the halfway point of the season. They return home next Saturday, September 26, when second-place Sporting JAX comes to American Legion Memorial Stadium. You can buy your tickets here.
POST-GAME QUOTES
Head Coach Philip Poole on the performance:
”I thought the quality on the ball was very good. I thought the opportunities to penetrate them centrally, wide and in behind were there plentifully.
I just think we’ve got to make it less interesting. We’ve got to take some chances. We’ve got to hit the back of the net. I think we had a ton of chances. I’d like to see them again and look at it, but having just stepped off, I feel it was a very good performance.”
Poole on Shea Groom’s impact:
“She’s so good with the group. Massive experience. I think a lot of what you don’t see is what she does off the ball — the defending, the little angles she gives, the little moments she wins. I thought she was great today.”
Shea Groom on her goal and her performance:
“Something for me, whether it’s assisting or scoring goals, is that I want to be contributing to this team. Probably tonight more than a lot of the games this season, I felt like I was getting on the ball a lot, getting into dangerous positions or putting people in dangerous positions.”
Addisyn Merrick on the team’s form and where it can be:
“We’ve been showing moments of what we can do and moments of quality. I think tonight was one of our more complete performances, and that shows we’re moving in the right direction. From our team in training and what we’ve seen in games, I think our ceiling is so high.”
