Carolina Ascent battle Brooklyn FC to 1-1 draw

CAROLINA ASCENT

The Carolina Ascent are atop the USL Super League table, a spot they've occupied since the league's opening game.

At the end of the title fight in the original Rocky movie, the exhausted and pummeled defending champion Apollo Creed and the equally depleted and punch-weary contender Rocky Balboa are barely holding each other up as the bell rings. “Ain’t gonna be no rematch,” Creed says. “Don’t want one,” says Balboa.

No such option for the Carolina Ascent and Brooklyn FC after the knock-down – much of that literal – drag-out fight that ended in a 1-1 draw at the Columbia University field in New York City. They have seven matches left in the first half of the split season, the next of which will be hosting Brooklyn at American Legion Memorial Stadium Saturday at 7 p.m.

The back-to-back matches are a scheduling quirk created by Brooklyn’s postponement of a game that was supposed to be held on Aug. 31 when the pitch at Coney Island’s Maimonides Park was deemed unplayable.
The Ascent lead USL Super League with 13 points (3-0-4) while Brooklyn is two points back (3-2-2). The Ascent are the only team yet to lose in the first-year top tier league.

Both teams threw what could have been knockout punches. Both teams scored with one of them.

"From an attacking standpoint we created some really good chances; several in the first half, several in the second half,” Ascent head coach Philip Poole said. “[Sydney] Martinez made several top saves especially in the second half; one from Vicky [Bruce], one from Sydney [Studer]. On another day, we walk out of here with three points. In fairness to the opponent, they created some dangerous chances, and it was a back-and-forth game. Both teams will look at areas we did well and areas we need to clean up. That’s the good part of playing an opponent back-to-back and also the bad part."

Top of the mountain

While the Ascent continues to hold the high ground at the top of the USL Super League since Day One, the competition has grown to show that no one team is clearly superior to the field. Placement will have to be earned.

Both teams came in with something to prove. The Ascent had draws in its last two matches, the last one a frustrating 1-1 result at last place Lexington by conceding a late stoppage time corner kick. Brooklyn suffered two 1-0 losses to Ft. Lauderdale and DC.

The two sides sparred evenly through the first 20 minutes where the Ascent’s touch and passing betrayed them more than a few times.

That changed when the Ascent took the early lead in the 22nd minute as Jaydah Bedoya took a perfectly weighted low cross from Rylee Baisden on the right in an Ascent breakaway to curl the ball first-time from about 15 yards out past Brooklyn keeper Sydney Martinez’s left, and inside the post. Ashlynn Serepca set Baisden free past the borough defense down the right touchline.

“It was a great finish tonight from Jaydah,” Poole said. “She was close to scoring her first a week ago, and it was always going to come. Jaydah is a young player who is always growing and getting opportunities. I’m really proud of her."

Bedoya gave the credit to Baisden on the pass. “That was an amazing ball put through,” she said.

They came close to doubling two minutes later with Mia Corbin getting a great look at the net but uncharacteristically sending her shot high, wide, and not very handsome.

The momentum switched as Brooklyn ratcheted up the pressure and the Ascent had to weather an assault that needed a corner kick ball cleared off the line by Jill Aguilera, and saw another rattle the crossbar. Carolina had 13 clearances in the first half to just 7 for Brooklyn. It would be 21-13 for the game.

The game grew more physical as the game progressed, especially as Brooklyn, by design or default, kept taking down Carolina players. Serepca was fouled six times when the referee actually blew the whistle which did not include when she was sent into the sideline electric signboard hard enough to move it. She was been fouled 10 times in the previous six games.

It looks closer on paper as Brooklyn committed 16 fouls to 14 for the Ascent but the 4-1 yellow card ratio dominated by the home side attests to the aggravation of their indiscretions. Three of those came in the last 30 minutes.
Brooklyn continued to put the ball into danger zones but Carolina kept scrambling to clear the threats. McClelland cleaned up the rest.

Brooklyn equalized in the 54th minute as Allison Pantuso outjumped Ascent centerback Sydney Studer to head the ball from 7 yards out in the center of the box to the top left corner of the net. Mackenzie Pluck assisted with a cross following a corner.

Ten minutes later, Mackenzie George beat two Carolina defenders but Aguilera was able to clear another ball off the line. Another Brooklyn shot hit the crossbar. George’s volley from the right sailed across the goal and out.

Bruce had an excellent chance to put Carolina back ahead in the 72nd minute but her left footed shot through a crown in the center of the box was well-saved by an outstretched Martinez diving to her right in the bottom left corner. Corbin’s attempt to slot the rebound was blocked at the far post for a corner kick.

Two minutes into stoppage time, Martinez saved again in similar fashion, stopping Sydney Studer’s shot from the center of the box from Bedoya’s pass.

Round two comes in four days.

Vapensky with USA U17s at World Cup

US SOCCER

The United States has a pair of goalkeepers with North Carolina ties on the 2024 FIFA U17 Women's World Cup team in Molly Vapensky of the Carolina Ascent and Wicki Dunlap of the North Carolina Courage Academy.

Molly Vapensky will wear the No. 1 jersey as one of three goalkeepers with the USA Women’s Junior National Team at the 2024 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup Oct. 16-Nov. 3 in the Dominican Republic. Joining her in defending the net will be Wicki Dunlap from the North Carolina Courage Academy in Raleigh.

The 5-foot-10 Vapensky has the most experience in goal with six caps for the national team. She played the majority of the minutes in goal for the USA during the World Cup qualifying tournament.

Other USA players with Carolina connections are defender Trinity Armstrong (North Carolina) and forward Mary Long (Duke).

It is the eighth FIFA Women’s World Cup for this age group, and the USA’s sixth appearance in the tournament. This will be the final 16-team FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup as next year the tournament becomes an annual event and will feature 24 nations.

For the first time, a U.S. roster for the U17 Women’s World Cup will feature professional players with Angel City FC midfielder Kennedy Fuller, San Diego Wave FC midfielders Melanie Barcenas and Kimmi Ascanio and Seattle Reign midfielder Ainsley McCammon. Though Vapensky plays with the Ascent, a professional team, she maintains collegiate eligibility as an academy contract player and not considered a professional.

The Americans will open the tournament on Oct. 16 against reigning U17 World Cup champions Spain. Next is Colombia on Oct. 19 (7 p.m. ET on FS2 & Universo and Telemundo digital) with the final group stage game on Oct. 22 against South Korea (4 p.m. ET on FS2 & Telemundo Digital platforms).

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