Sydney Studer brace lifts Carolina Ascent over Dallas 

STEVE GOLDBERG | THE CHARLOTTE POST

A pair of Sydney Studer goals lifted Carolina Ascent to a 2-0 win against Dallas Trinity Feb. 21 at American Legion Memorial Stadium, their first win since Dec. 6.

“I’ve got hops,” Sydney Studer said matter-of-factly, proudly adding that her mother was a competitive high jumper. 

Studer proved it earlier in the day, elevating a couple of feet higher than the defenders around her to head home a Jill Aguilera corner kick for the first of her two goals in the Carolina Ascent’s 2-0 takedown of Dallas Trinity Feb. 21 at American Legion Memorial Stadium. She sealed the win with a second header, also from an Aguilera corner kick. On the first goal, she found the ball. This time, the ball found her, landing short of the goal and bouncing over defenders and attackers at the near post into the middle, where Studer was waiting in the right place at the right time.    

It was Carolina’s first win since Dec. 6, ending a five-game stretch of four losses and a draw that began in Dallas with a 1-0 loss on Dec. 13. The victory moved the Ascent back into fourth place (6-7-5, 23 points) while Dallas (7-6-3, 24 points) remained in third, one point ahead of the Queen City side. Sporting JAX (10-4-4, 34 points) is top of the table with Lexington SC (7-1-9, 30 points), who lost their first game of the season, 3-0 at home to Jacksonville, in second.

Less than seven minutes into the game, Dallas put the ball into the Ascent net but was ruled out for an offside violation. 

Emotions swung the other way in the 26th minute when Studer soared and scored, heading the ball inside the near post. The celebration was muted, though, as Riley Baisden was tripped on her run by a Dallas defender and took a knee to the head from another, and lay dazed on the pitch.

After being checked out by the medical staff, Baisden stayed in until subbing out in the 70th minute.

Asked the difference between the previous week’s 2-0 loss to Spokane and Saturday’s win, Ascent coach Philip Poole said, “Last week was a funny game of football where they scored on a cross (that went in) and Jenna Butler made an uncharacteristic mistake, and we didn't score. Today, we take two of our chances on a corner kick. Sydney scored them both. There was no glaring mistake, no error.”

A tall target

Studer doubled her scoring from last season, when her lone goal came from a corner kick header inside the back post against Spokane early in the campaign.

A 5-11 centerback, Studer will always be coming forward for corner kicks and other set play opportunities. More recently, though, as Carolina has had to chase from behind, Poole has been sending her up the field to create offensive chances. Studer’s done so with 16 shots this season, tied for fifth-most on the team. 

“That's more just like, let’s get up there and have someone win balls and let our forwards do the work,” Studer said. “When we're down, and every team would tell you that they're just gonna launch balls in the last 10 minutes if they're down. Dallas just did it to us, so that’s kind of that. But today, it's just trusting good service over here (nodding to Aguilera), and it is my job to score them, and I finally did it.” 

Asked about the frustration of the previous five games, Aguilera said, “I think we've been doing the right things, with good intention, with grit. But I think there are moments where it doesn't go in our favor, or it's an extra touch, or it's a missed pass, or something small that turns into kind of like a snowball effect of the losses that we've had.” 

“But I think we, especially this week in training, we're staying true to the goal. We didn't really change anything. We were still on the same game plan that we that we go on for every team. We prep the same way. We do the same things. But it's like just that extra ounce of grit, that extra kind of F-you mentality, to put the ball in the back of the net on corners.” 

Mackenzie motors

Much of what’s been good on offense this season has come from the relentless effort of Mackenzie George. She chases the ball like a cat after a laser pointer, but with intent and aggression.

Often, she’s fighting two, sometimes three defenders for the ball, working to gain possession, unafraid to take players on, while searching to create an opportunity for herself or a teammate. For instance, it was her effort that created the corner kick that resulted in the first goal.

With just three goals and two assists on the season, she hasn’t been truly rewarded for her industry, but that could change, and Ascent results would certainly improve if it does. 

Hurry up and wait

There won’t be immediate momentum from the win as an international break puts the schedule on ice until March 13, when the Ascent host Tampa Bay.

Four Ascent players will be on national team duty during that time, including B Hylton with the England U-20s. Aguilera, Sydney Martinez, who started in goal against Dallas, and Maria Tapia will be with the Jamaican women’s team for CONCACAF qualifying matches against Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on February 27 and the U.S. Virgin Islands on March 5. 

Forward Stella Spitzer is with the United States U-16 Youth National Team at a UEFA Development Tournament in Antalya, Türkiye, which runs from February 16-27. Spitzer started and played 57 minutes in the first match, a 2-0 loss to Spain. The Americans play Denmark on February 23 and England on February 26 in this preparation tournament for the 2027 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

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