Carolina’s full backs show strength in transition moments, Sporting JAX’s Baylee DeSmit continues scoring spree
Carolina Ascent FC reached a notable landmark and was matched by Sporting Club Jacksonville in picking up two wins from two outings to start the 2026 Gainbridge Super League Fall Season over the past weekend, with DC Power FC also earning its first three points of the campaign.
Here are four things we took away from Week 2’s action.
1. Carolina Ascent’s Transition Moments Proved Decisive
There’s a reason why Carolina Ascent has been the most consistent side in the Gainbridge Super League’s history to date, with Saturday’s 3-1 win against Dallas Trinity FC marking its 30th regular season victory – the first club to reach that landmark – as it executed impeccably in the final third to earn the result at the Cotton Bowl.
At the heart of the performance were full backs Jill Aguilera and Addisyn Merrick, whose reading of the game and progression into attacking spaces helped deliver goals in either half for the visitors. Both were involved in Ascent’s opener, with Merrick initiating the play with her break down the right side to latch onto Shea Groom’s angled pass. Without a good option to cross to, she circled possession back to center back Reese Tappan, at which point it became Aguilera’s moment to activate.
The Puerto Rico international’s darting run into the left side of the penalty area was picked out superbly by Tappan, allowing Aguilera to deliver a first-time pass across the six-yard area where Rylee Baisden was on hand to tap home.
Merrick produced a similar moment that ended up providing insurance in the second half, with her overlapping run being found by Baisden after good work by B Hylton to get Ascent on the front foot, and while Merrick’s cut-back cross was diverted home by Dallas defender Sydney Cheesman as Hylton threatened at the near post, it highlighted again the ability of both full backs to join Carolina’s attack to positive effect.
“We knew that we would have to soak up some pressure, as they’re a very possession-oriented team with some really technical players, and we did,” said Ascent Head Coach Philip Poole. “We hit twice in transition in the first half. That’s what it was about for us — understanding that we would have some transitional moments, and the players took them very well.”
2. Sporting JAX’s Baylee DeSmit Picks Up Where She Left Off
As eye-catching as 2025/26 Gainbridge Super League Player of the Year Ashlyn Puerta and fellow All-League First Team selection Paige Kenton were in Sporting Club Jacksonville’s inaugural season, the emergence of Baylee DeSmit over the second half of the season helped power the side in the attacking third.
In her first two games of the new campaign, DeSmit has carried on that production, with her two-goal performance on Saturday night in Jacksonville’s 3-2 comeback win against Sunshine State foe showing the forward at her opportunistic best. After Puerta’s rocket to start the second half, the 23-year-old put Jacksonville on top with a powerful finish that proved too hot to handle for Tampa Bay’s Liz Beardsley and then put home a sharp finish after staying alert as possession was recycled by the hosts to add what proved a necessary insurance goal.
DeSmit has now bagged three goals in two games to start the campaign, and has scored 13 goals since the start of 2026, the most in the Super League, at a strike rate of a goal every 102.5 minutes. As Jacksonville looks for its first silverware this season, DeSmit looks poised to be a central figure.
3. Fast Start Propels DC Power FC to First Victory
The attacking intent was clear for DC Power in its opening game of the season at home to Carolina Ascent FC, even if it was stymied by Ascent goalkeeper Sydney Martinez in a narrow loss for the hosts at Audi Field.
On Friday night, however, the Power’s fast start proved irresistible against Brooklyn FC as goals by Emma Jaskaniec and Loza Abera inside the opening 10 minutes set the visitors on their way to a 4-1 win at Maimonides Park that accentuated the potential DC has this season. The Power pinned Brooklyn in with its attacking verve and pressure, resulting in 56.6% of the action taking place in BKFC’s defensive third over the opening 15 minutes, with Kayla Colbert setting up Jaskaniec’s opening goal with a strong run and cross from the right before Abera produced an excellent individual finish two minutes later for DC’s second.
“After analyzing our opponent Brooklyn, we felt like we could use our speed on the flanks with Kayla Colbert and Tatum Thomason,” said Power Head Coach Omid Namazi. “Both players are extremely rapid and with their fullbacks not being as fast, we decided to take advantage of that and isolate them in the 1v1’s. That was our gameplan going into the match and the girls executed it to perfection.”
BKFC came into the game as it went on but had already put itself behind the 8 ball with its slow start, a characteristic the side needs to shake off after last season’s travails. For a Power side that only scored once in the opening 15 minutes during the entire 2025/26 season, Friday’s bright start was a blueprint for how the club can succeed this fall.
4. Sun, Trinity Offer Promise Despite Defeats
With the changes that occurred at both Dallas Trinity FC and Tampa Bay Sun FC during the summer, there were high hopes both could contend during the current fall campaign. With a point apiece from their opening two games – coming via the 1-1 draw the sides played to in their season opener – that hasn’t quite materialized in terms of results yet, but the performances have shown positive signs for both clubs that bode well for what’s ahead.
While Dallas was caught out defensively in its loss to Carolina Ascent, the hosts were able to create consistent opportunities. It was only due to another standout display by Ascent goalkeeper Sydney Martinez – who’s now recorded 11 saves in her first two outings, keeping summer arrival Hope Hisey on the sidelines – and a crucial goal line clearance from Reese Tappen that prevented Trinity from finding goals that could have changed the final outcome.
The Sun, meanwhile, looked in strong position at halftime in Jacksonville, and ended up with positive attacking numbers. The key for Tampa Bay is going to be better execution in both penalty areas – Sydny Nasello’s early point-blank chance and Liz Beardsley’s mishandle of Baylee DeSmit’s opening goal were key moments that didn’t go the Sun’s way – but there should be some confidence the side can go into Carolina this weekend in the Super League’s Game of the Month and offer a strong challenge to its hosts.