Carolina Ascent hold off Spokane Zephyr 2-1 in return to ONE Spokane Stadium
The Spokane Zephyr rallied in the second half and had a chance to tie the score in the final moments of Saturday’s match, but a last-ditch shot attempt missed the mark and the visiting Carolina Ascent escaped with a USL Super League win.
Spokane forward McKenzie Weinert nearly netted the equalizer on the Zephyr’s last possession of the game, but Carolina goalkeeper Samantha Leshnak tipped the shot away and the Ascent cleared the ball to seal their 2-1 victory on a frigid Saturday evening at ONE Spokane Stadium.
“We can’t start slow like that and let them have the first punch, then have to dig ourselves out of the hole,” Spokane coach Jo Johnson said. “I’m proud of the response, proud of the second half. We’ve got to build on it. But we also need to make sure that it’s 90 minutes.”
Carolina (7-4-7) attacked the Spokane penalty area and built a 2-0 advantage after 30 minutes, forcing the Zephyr (3-7-6) to adjust defensively and play aggressively on offense during the second half. Spokane tightened up defensively and seemed to outplay the visitors for most of the second period, but the two early goals proved too much to overcome.
“We need to find that fire from us from the beginning,” Spokane midfielder Katie Murray said.
Carolina’s Eli Hutchinson scored from short range in the 4th minute after receiving an assist from Audrey Harding, who split Spokane’s defense on a downfield sprint. Jenna Butler put the Ascent up 2-0 in the 30th minute with a header from deep inside the box, set up by Jill Aguilera’s perfectly placed cross kick.
At the half, Carolina had nine shot attempts compared to two for Spokane. But the Zephyr started to find a rhythm offensively after the break and outshot the Ascent 5-0 in the second half.
“We challenged the group at half. They took that on,” Johnson said. “I was really proud of them for that. They took the fight. They are the group to do it. We just gotta make sure we do it for 90 minutes.
“Obviously, I’m proud of their second-half effort,” the coach added. “It just wasn’t good enough for the first half. We knew (the Ascent) were going to be a pretty direct team and make you pay for chances with their high press, and we didn’t execute.”
Spokane controlled possession during the second half and prevented Carolina from peppering crossers into the box, as the Ascent had done effectively in the first half. The Zephyr finally broke through in the 85th minute, when striker Emina Ekic sent a cross to forward Ally Cook, who took a hard hit from Leshnak and earned a penalty kick.
Cook, who signed with Spokane in January during the Super League’s two-month winter break, converted easily for her first goal in a Zephyr kit.
“I know she’s had a journey,” Johnson said of Cook, who played for the NWSL’s Chicago Red Stars last year after collegiate stops at Oregon and UCLA. “We’re happy to have her and I think getting that first one helps, and it just goes from there.”
Having captured a bit of momentum, Spokane went on the attack over the final 10 minutes, and the Zephyr almost pulled off some late magic.
In the sixth and final minute of extra time, a sharp pass from Ekic found its way through a scrum of players and trickled out to Weinert, who found herself alone in the middle of the penalty area, about 10 yards from the goal. Weinert’s straightaway shot seemed like it had a chance, but Leshnak sprawled out and made a save with her outstretched leg, ending the match in the process.
“The goalkeeper came across and got a kick-save on it,” Johnson said. “A game of inches, right? We’ve got to bury those. … But like I said, I’m proud of the response, proud that we got numbers in the box. Just (need) to get those last piece executions to get some points.”
Overall, Spokane had possession for 56% of the match and won eight corners against six for Carolina, but the Zephyr missed several chances and committed six offsides. Carolina outshot Spokane 9-7 (4-3 on target) for the match.
Spokane next hosts DC Power at 2 p.m. Saturday.”