Carolina Ascent, Charlotte's professional women's soccer team, was held to a 0-0 draw by last-place Fort Lauderdale United FC on Thursday, Oct. 22, after outshooting the hosts 13-2 and winning 11 corners to none in the first half, according to the Ascent.
Fort Lauderdale goalkeeper Haley Craig made five saves, the last on a rebound in stoppage time. Carolina remains first in the Gainbridge Super League, eight points ahead of Sporting JAX in the league's table, and plays Lexington SC in Charlotte on Saturday.
"A very, very dominant first half. One where we know we've got to finish several of those chances," Carolina head coach Philip Poole said. He added, "At this stage of the season, a point on the road is one that we'll take and move on."
Carolina has 23 points from 10 matches in the eight-team league. Sporting JAX is second with 15 from nine. Four matches remain in the 14-match season; first place takes the Players' Shield, and the top four reach the playoffs.
Lexington, third with 14 points, level with DC Power FC, plays at American Legion Memorial Stadium at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31. Lexington beat Carolina 3-1 in extra time in last season's final; Carolina won this fall's first meeting, 1-0 in Lexington on Sept. 11.
In the sixth minute, Craig punched a corner from Carolina defender Jill Aguilera straight to forward Mia Corbin, who hit the crossbar. In the 25th minute Craig dived to stop forward Rylee Baisden, then dived again to keep out midfielder Shea Groom's shot off the rebound. In stoppage time, substitute Ava Cook's first shot went just wide, and her rebound two minutes later was the one Craig saved. It was Craig's second shutout of the season, Fort Lauderdale said.
Fort Lauderdale, which has seven points from 10 matches, had its best chances after halftime. Carolina goalkeeper Sydney Martinez caught a volley from Fort Lauderdale's Abi Hugh in the 61st minute, then held Hugh's cross after substitute Kelsey Oyler flicked it on in the 74th. It was Martinez's third straight shutout and seventh of the season, according to the club.
Poole has said this about his team's finishing before. After a 3-0 win over Fort Lauderdale on Sept. 5, he said, "I think we could have scored another two or three in the second half." After a 1-0 win over Brooklyn FC on Sept. 19, when Carolina took 25 shots, he said, "We've got to take some chances."
Match details and quotes are from Carolina Ascent FC's Oct. 22 recap and Fort Lauderdale United FC's Oct. 22 recap. Standings are read from the Gainbridge Super League's published table on Oct. 26; the schedule is the league's and the club's. Poole's earlier quotes are from The Charlotte Mercury's Sept. 7 and Sept. 23 stories, and the Sept. 11 result from the club's recap of that match.
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