Carolina Ascent Stays on Top as Lexington and Tampa Extend Unbeaten Run in Week 8 Power Rankings 

The top of the table stayed largely intact during a quiet Week 8, but the gap between the teams chasing Carolina continues to tighten. Lexington and Tampa Bay played to a draw in a matchup between the league’s two champions, while Brooklyn picked up a much-needed win to shake up the bottom of the table.  

Here’s how the eight teams stack up in the Week 8 Power Rankings: 

Rank		Team	Change	Summary
1		Carolina Ascent FC (5-1-1) Week 9: @ TB	Last Week: 1	Carolina enters its return from the bye still atop the standings after going unbeaten throughout September, including three wins and a draw. The Ascent now head to Tampa Bay looking to build on that momentum and extend their lead at the top.
2		DC Power FC (3-2-2) Week 9: @ JAX	Last Week: 2	DC Power enters the biggest matchup of the weekend after a bye, sitting second with a 3-2-2 record and 11 goals scored. Friday’s trip to Jacksonville pits two teams with identical records against each other, with DC holding the edge in goals allowed at eight compared to JAX’s 10.
3		Lexington SC (3-2-1) Week 9: @ FTL	Last Week: 3	Lexington extended its unbeaten run to three games with a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Tampa Bay, earning a point against the inaugural champions on the road. Addie McCain scored her 22nd regular-season goal and the club’s first first-half goal of the season, continuing a connection with Ally Brown that has produced two straight goals this season.
4		Tampa Bay Sun FC (2-1-3) Week 9: vs. CAR	2 Last Week: 6	Tampa Bay has now drawn two straight after earning a point against Lexington, keeping its unbeaten run alive at four games. Shea Connors continued her remarkable scoring streak by finding the net for the fifth consecutive match, giving her five goals through six appearances.
5		Dallas Trinity FC (3-3-1) Week 9: @ BKN	1 Last Week: 4	Dallas gets a chance to reset after a bye following its three-game winning streak being snapped by Lexington. Trinity remains fourth in the standings and will return to action Saturday at Brooklyn, where a win would move it back up the table in a tightly packed group behind Carolina.
6		Sporting JAX (3-2-2) Week 9: v.s DC	1 Last Week: 5	Sporting JAX has gone four games without a win but remains within striking distance of second place heading into Friday’s Match of the Month against DC Power. Baylee DeSmit continues to lead the Golden Boot race with seven goals, including two in the 3-3 draw with Carolina, and Jacksonville will look to turn that attacking production into its first three points since Aug. 29.
7		Brooklyn FC (2-5-0) Week 9: vs. DAL	1 Last Week: 8	Brooklyn answered its recent run of losses with a 1-0 win over Fort Lauderdale, earning its first clean sheet of the season as Carlee Giammona scored her first goal for the club. The victory moved Brooklyn to 2-5-0 and ended a three-game home losing streak, giving the club some momentum heading into a three-game homestand.
8		Fort Lauderdale United FC (1-6-0) Week 9: vs. LEX	1 Last Week: 7	Fort Lauderdale has now lost five straight after falling 1-0 to Brooklyn in a match that remained scoreless until the 76th minute. The result dropped FTL to 1-6-0, but the club will have another opportunity to respond Sunday when it hosts defending champion Lexington.