Which team will get to 10 wins first? | News & Notes Week 27

REWIND: WEEK 26 NOTES

BKN 2 – 2 TB

• GOALS:
  • Grace Phillpotts (BKN) 11’, Mackenzie George assist. 
  • Natasha Flint (TB) 29’, Brooke Hendrix assist. 
  • Salma Amani (BKN) 51’, Grace Phillpotts assist. 
  • Natasha Flint (TB) 90+4’ 
• STORYLINES:
  • GOAL+ASSIST: Grace Phillpotts recorded her first goal and first assist of the season. She is the 15^th player this season to record at least one goal and one assist in the same match. 
  • FLINT IS ON FIRE: Tash Flint recorded her fourth goal in three straight matches and her second brace of the season.   
  • FIRSTS: Salma Amani recorded her first goal of the season, and Brooke Hendrix recorded her first assist of the season. 
  • LATE EQUALIZERS: Saturday’s match was the third time this spring that Tampa Bay scored a second-half or stoppage-time equalizer to earn a point. 
• QUOTES:
  • Brooklyn Head Coach Jess Silva:  
    • On the team’s recent form… “Pressure is a big word for me, but I see it as a privilege—the opportunity to coach these ladies is something special. We’ve been playing really good football and our performances have shown that in every match. Right now, we’re focused on the process and not looking too far ahead. We have a game on Thursday—we’ll review, learn from tonight’s match, then head to Spokane, maybe go for a hike, and afterward, look to put on a strong performance.” 
  • Brooklyn captain Kelsey Hill: 
    • On the team’s steady progress… “We’re coming together and improving with every game. It’s about that one percent improvement each time we step onto the training field—we’re getting better every day.” 
  • Tampa Bay Head Coach Denise Schilte-Brown:  
    • On the team’s performance… “Our team is strong and determined. I have full confidence in this group. We attack with purpose and defend with intensity—now we just need to maintain our level for the full 90 minutes.” 
  • Tampa goal scorer Tash Flint:  
    • On what the team can improve on… “We just need to be a bit more complete. We need to keep the ball a little bit better. It’s a windy night tonight—it wasn’t like this in the warm-ups, so we’ve come out, and it’s a different spot. We just need to keep the ball, do what we can do, do what we’ve been working on in the week [during practice].” 

CAR 3 – 0 DAL

• GOALS:
  • Eli Hutchinson (CAR) 19’, Audrey Harding assist. 
  • Mia Corbin (CAR) 24’, Eli Hutchinson assist. 
  • Mia Corbin (CAR) 54’, Penalty 
• STORYLINES:
  • FIRST PLACE: Carolina’s win moved the team to first place in the league standings for the first time since Week 14. 
  • GOAL+ASSIST: Eli Hutchinson recorded her second goal and first assist of the season. She is the 16^th player this season to record at least one goal and one assist in the same match. 
  • GOLDEN BOOT: Mia Corbin netted her eighth and ninth goals of the season, tying her for first in the Golden Boot race.  
  • BACK-TO-BACK BRACES: Carolina has recorded braces in back-to-back matches. Last week, Audrey Harding scored two before Mia Corbin did this week. They are the second and third braces in club history. 
• QUOTES:
  • Carolina Head Coach Philip Poole:  
    • On the team’s performance… “From the first whistle to the last, we were in control of the game. We had very few lapses, which is good for us. The big thing we have talked about in the past few weeks is finishing our chances, so I am really happy for us.” 
  • Carolina goal scorer Eli Hutchinson: 
    • On the team scoring seven goals the last two matches… “I think the goals are starting to flow. We have been knocking on the door for a while and now, we are putting them in the back for the net and it’s obviously huge for us.” 
  • Dallas Head Coach Pauline MacDonald:  
    • On the team’s performance… “I thought we started the game well. We had two good chances that we didn’t capitalize on. Then obviously, they scored twice, and it was a bit of a sucker punch. We lost our way after that.” 
  • Dallas midfielder Deborah Abiodun:  
    • On the team’s performance… “We played a great team, and they collected their points. Unfortunately for us, it wasn’t our night tonight. We’re all disappointed but as a team, it’s our responsibility to come together, work harder and look towards the next game.” 

WEEK 27 SCHEDULE

Wednesday, April 2nd 
Dallas Trinity FC v DC Power FC, 8:00 p.m. ET 

Thursday, April 3rd 
Spokane Zephyr FC v Brooklyn FC, 9:00 p.m. ET 

Saturday, April 5th 
Tampa Bay Sun FC v Fort Lauderdale United FC, 7:00 p.m. ET 

Sunday, April 6^th 
Lexington SC v Dallas Trinity FC, 2:00 p.m. ET 

WEEK 27 STORYLINES

GOLDEN BOOT RACE CONTINUES 
Carolina’s Mia Corbin recorded a brace last weekend, bringing her season total to nine goals. She is now tied with Fort Lauderdale’s Addie McCain and Dallas’ Allie Thornton for first place in the Golden Boot race. 

FIRST TO TEN 
Carolina, Brooklyn and Fort Lauderdale all sit at nine wins on the season. Dallas is also at eight wins with two matches this week. Which team will be the first to reach 10 wins? 

FINAL FLORIDA DERBY 
Fort Lauderdale and Tampa Bay will face off this weekend in the fourth and final regular season Florida Derby matchup. The teams have tied 1-1, 1-1 and 2-2 in the three previous meetings. Fort Lauderdale is riding a nine-match unbeaten streak, but Tampa Bay is hard to beat at Riverfront Stadium. Will there finally be a Florida Derby winner? 

COLLEGE CONNECTIONS 
Dallas’ Amber Brooks and DC Power’s Adelaide Gay were teammates for the UNC Tar Heels in 2010-2011. Also, Spokane’s Ally Cook will be facing off against her former UCLA Bruin teammate (2022-2023) and Brooklyn goalkeeper Neeku Purcell. 

2024/25 USL SUPER LEAGUE PLAYOFF DATES ANNOUNCED 
The USL Super League announced the official dates for its inaugural postseason, marking an exciting milestone in the league’s first campaign. The 2024/25 USL Super League Playoffs will kick off the weekend of June 7, with the highly anticipated 2025 USL Super League Final scheduled for the weekend of June 14.   

Read the full release with playoff structure and end of year awards here.  

INTERNATIONAL CALL-UPS 
17 players have been called into National Team camps for the current window: 

• CAR – Eli Hutchinson, Israel  
• DAL – Sealy Strawn, USYNT U-18 
• DAL – Gaby Gullen, Costa Rica 
• DC – Claire Constant, Haiti  
• DC – Katrina Guillou, Philippines 
• DC – Carleigh Frilles, Philippines 
• DC – Charlie Estcourt, Wales 
• DC – Jennifer Cudjoe, Ghana 
• LEX – Nayeong Shin, South Korea  
• LEX – Emma Johnson, USYNT U-18 
• LEX – Yunaira Lopez, Colombia   
• LEX – Grace Wisnewski, New Zealand  
• SPK – Riley Tanner, Panama  
• SPK – Sophia Bruan, Argentina 
• TB – Cecilie Fløe, Denmark U-23 
• TB – Andrea Hauksdottir, Iceland  
• TB – Sydney Schneider, Jamacia  

DISCIPLINE REPORT – WEEK 27

TAMPA, Fla. – There are no new suspensions to report. 

LEAGUE LEADERS

GOALS:

• Addie McCain (FTL) – 9 goals 
• Allie Thornton (DAL) – 9 goals  
• Mia Corbin (CAR) – 9 goals 
• Natasha Flint (TB) – 8 goals 
• Jasmine Hamid (FTL) – 7 goals  
• Carlee Giammona (TB) – 6 goals 
• Cecilie Fløe Nielsen (TB) – 6 goals 
• Madison Parsons (LEX) – 5 goals  
• Emina Ekić (SPK) – 5 goals 

ASSISTS:

• Madison Perez (LEX) – 5 assists  
• Madi Parsons (LEX) – 5 assists 
• Jill Aguilera (CAR) – 5 assists  
• Mackenzie Pluck (BKN) – 4 assists 
• Emina Ekić (SPK) – 4 assists 
• Shea Moyer (LEX) – 4 assists 
• Chioma Ubogagu (DAL) – 4 assists 
• Mackenzie George (BKN) – 4 assists 
• Audrey Harding (CAR) – 4 assists 
• Kiara Locklear (FTL) – 3 assists 
• Rylee Baisden (CAR) – 3 assists 
• Sydny Nasello (TB) – 3 assists 
• Lucy Shepherd (DAL) – 3 assists 

CLEAN SHEETS:

• Madison White (DAL) – 7 clean sheets  
• Meagan McClelland (CAR) – 6 clean sheets 
• Cosette Morche (FTL) – 5 clean sheets  
• Hope Hisey (SPK) – 5 clean sheets  
• Sydney Martinez (BKN) – 4 clean sheets 
• Morgan Aquino (DC) – 4 clean sheets 
• Neeku Purcell (BKN) – 4 clean sheets 

MILESTONES

HAT TRICKS:

• DAL – Allie Thornton (09.13.24): 61 minutes 
• FTL – Addie McCain (09.22.24): 68 minutes 
• BKN – Luana Grabias (11.13.24): 13 minutes 

BRACES:

• DAL – Chioma Ubogagu (09.13.24) 
• DC – Madison Wolfbauer (09.29.24) 
• TB – Cecilie Fløe Nielsen (10.02.24) 
• CAR – Ashlynn Serepca (10.19.24) 
• LEX – Madison Parsons (10.19.24) 
• DC – Allie Flanagan (10.25.24) 
• TB – Cecilie Fløe Nielsen (11.02.24) 
• LEX – Hannah Richardson (12.14.24) 
• TB – Natasha Flint (12.14.24) 
• FTL – Kiara Locklear (12.14.24) 
• DAL – Allie Thornton (03.09.25) 
• SPK – Emina Ekić (03.15.25) 
• FTL – Sh’Nia Gordon (03.15.25) 
• CAR – Audrey Harding (03.23.25) 
• TB – Natasha Flint (03.29.25) 
• CAR – Mia Corbin (03.29.25)