Baisden brace elevates Carolina Ascent to third in GSL 

CAROLINA ASCENT

Rylee Baisden's first professional brace propelled Carolina Ascent to a 2-1 win against Spokane Zephyr and third place in Gainbridge Super League.

Rylee Baisden’s first career brace made the 2,060-mile return flight from Spokane, Washington to Charlotte a whole lot more enjoyable for the Carolina Ascent. 

The 2-1 win launched the Ascent from fifth to third in the Gainbridge Super League table. 

The Ascent have been on a steady climb in their last four matches, taking 10 of 12 available points, going undefeated in October. All three of their wins (3-2-4, 13 points) have come in those games. Two of those have come on the road.

With the Super League scheduling as awkward – the range of games for teams varies from seven to 11 as of Thursday night – as is an inability to update athletes’ married names on official rosters and stats, a true measurement of status will have to wait. There are three games this weekend where wins by Sporting JAX and/or Fort Lauderdale United could vault them ahead of Carolina.

They each stand on 12 points and could move to the top of the table with a win, especially Jacksonville, who face leaders Lexington (3-0-5, 14 points). Oddly, the top six teams in the nine-team Super League all have three wins. Only Lexington has yet to lose. 

As form goes, the Ascent are just where head coach Philip Poole wants them to be.

“I thought it was a very dominant performance from Carolina Ascent tonight,” he said. “I think it felt comfortable until, obviously, late in the game. Spokane changed formations, asked some questions of us, and the penalty made the last 10 minutes a little bit nervy, but those are some of the situations that we’ve got to continue to improve on. It was good for us to stand up and get it done in the end.”

Indeed, the penalty kick Poole referenced came as his team were working hard to close out the match with their first clean sheet of the season. Through nine games last season, Carolina had four shutouts and conceded six goals. They’ve allowed 16 goals in nine matches so far with no shutouts.

Defending leads has been far more difficult for the Ascent, the league’s best defensive team last season.

The PK scored by Allie Cook in the 81st minute and the five minutes of stoppage time added at the end of 90 had to rattle the Ascent faithful, as the early part of the season was defined by the three times they dropped points from winning positions over the first eight matches.

Love the high press

Last season, the Ascent defense was more of a wave slowly building way out but gets bigger as it closes in on the shore. That was the essence of a full team defense that was clearly the best in the league.
It’s taken a while, as should be understood in a new season with many roster changes but the performance against Spokane was a brilliant flashback to what might be once again. 

The Ascent started fast with a high press that created five shots and three corner kicks in the first 10 minutes. Strikers Riley Parker and Mackenzie George were excellent as the double-edged tip of the defensive spear, creating hesitancy in goalkeeper Hope Hisey and her back line as they tried to play out of their penalty area in open play as well as restarts.

Their constant movement and smart adjustment wouldn’t have worked without the same effort and insight of the midfield and defenders behind them. The shape of the team in defense and attack was as good as it’s been over 90 minutes all season. Collectively, they took the wind out of the Zephyr. 

“We controlled the game in possession and also out of possession,” Poole said. “I think that we pressed well, and we also recovered the ball really well. The press and the organization of our shape was a big part of a dominant performance. I think we were really good defensively and as a result, we got a lot of opportunities in transition on the attack.”

That pressure created opportunities from the first whistle. Ten minutes in, the Ascent had already fired five shots and earned three corner kicks. 

Spokane didn’t get their first shot until two minutes into added time at the end of the first half. It was a good chance, though, as Tori Waldeck-Zierenberg raced onto a ball over the top in the Ascent penalty area, but Meagan McClelland was quick off the line to grab it off her feet.

By the halftime break, Carolina had dominated with a 12-1 advantage in shots, 4-1 on target, and 7-0 in corner kicks. 

Despite all that, they hadn’t rippled the net. Two big saves by Hope Hisey kept Carolina off the scoreboard.

Second-half hero

The Zephyr came out with a bit more zeal to start the second 45, but Carolina absorbed it. The home team would end up with six shots for the game and half of those on target, forcing two saves from McClelland. Carolina launched 18 shots on the Spokane goal, seven on frame.

In the 59th minute, pressure from the Ascent created a mental landslide as Hisey played the ball short up the middle on a goal kick to defender Charley Boone, who first-timed the ball to her left, unaware that Audrey Harding was there to intercept. She laid the ball across to Rylee Baisden at the top of the six for an easy tap-in past Hisey.

That was a good omen as Carolina are 2-0-3 when scoring first. Nine minutes later, Baisden scored again for her third goal of the season. She was the first of four Ascent players in the six-yard box scrambling with the Zephyr defenders to claim Harding’s cross from the left into the goalmouth.  It first fell to Baisden, then bounced off George back to Baisden, who slammed it into the roof of the net.

Asked by the broadcast crew which goal she preferred, Baisden said, “I think the tap-in was kind of nice. We always joke about getting a tap-in on the back post, but a left-footed banger, I don't mind that either.”

After three consecutive road games, the Ascent return to American Legion Memorial Stadium on Nov. 8 to face Fort Lauderdale at 7 p.m.

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