After four months and 64 matches, we’ve reached the halfway point of the 2025/26 Gainbridge Super League season. Here are our three takeaways from the Fall Schedule.
Sporting JAX is the real deal
Who would have predicted the lone expansion club would be sitting atop the league table come the Winter Break? Sporting JAX leads all teams with seven wins, is tied with Lexington for most goals with 28, and ranks second in goal differential. The team is unbeaten in its last five matches – winning four in that span – and shows no signs of slowing down.
At the core of Sporting JAX’s success is 18-year-old Ashlyn Puerta, who is on pace to crush the single-season scoring record. But Paige Kenton is just as dangerous, whether she is setting up her teammates or taking the shot herself. The duo sits one-two in goal contributions – Puerta has 13 and Kenton 11 – followed not too far behind by Meg Hughes.
Sporting JAX has players who can shoot from distance, those who are threatening off the bench and features a composed backline led by a confident goalkeeper in Kaitlyn Parks. From front to back, the entire team is impressive and will be one of the toughest teams to beat in the spring.
Wins vs. draws makes a big difference
Last May, the final day of the regular season was a chaotic nailbiter waiting to see which teams would make the playoffs. This season, where third place through eighth place is currently separated by just five points, it might be even closer of a race. Which is why it is critical for teams to walk away with all three points instead of just one.
Lexington SC is the only undefeated team left in the league, yet it was just dethroned from the top spot by Jacksonville. The biggest difference between the two is Sporting JAX has won four times and drawn once in its last five; Lexington has won once and drawn its last four.
Even for the teams at the bottom of the table, it’s still early enough where those results make a difference. Had Tampa Bay not conceded late equalizers against JAX and Fort Lauderdale, the team would feel a lot better heading into the break. Had DC Power not given up two leads to Lexington and put away its chances against Carolina in its last two matches, it could be above the playoff line. With the standings so close, every point matters.
New stars are emerging, returning players are evolving
With a brand-new team and nearly 100 new players entering the league during the offseason, there were bound to be new stars that would emerge this year.
Catherine Barry and Sarah Griffith have been shined for this revamped Lexington side, while Kat Asman has given Hope Hisey a run for her money in the goalkeeping department. Rebecca Cooke and Catherine Zimmerman are always fun to watch when Brooklyn takes the field. Alexis Theoret has been the perfect addition to DC Power’s midfield.
But this season has also allowed us to see more out of returning players. Tati Fung transferred from Fort Lauderdale and earned a starting role with Lexington, becoming one of the team’s top playmakers. Leah Scarpelli has two goals and two assists this season for Brooklyn while still making an impact on the defensive end. All-League First Team players like Susanna Fitch and Sydney Studer look even better than they did last season. It’ll be exciting to see which players continue to make a name for themselves in the spring.