Carolina Ascent FC is set to host Spokane Zephyr FC on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET in the final match of Week 29. Both teams are on undefeated runs, and the race to secure playoff spots is heating up.
Here are three reasons why you should tune into the match this weekend:
They are the two hottest teams in the league right now
Saturday’s match should have a playoff atmosphere considering the form of both teams. In the Ascent’s last four matches, they’ve scored 13 goals and Samantha Leshnak Murphy has kept a clean sheet in each one. Zephyr has recorded seven goals in their last four matches, also all shutouts for goalkeeper Hope Hisey.
And nearly all of these goals were exciting to watch. Carolina has a league-high 15 unique goal scorers like Jill Aguilera, who just scored a stunner from a set piece last week, and Jenna Butler, who has shown to be one of the biggest aerial threats in the league. Meanwhile, Spokane does so well at building out of the back, connecting one-touch passes up the field or using their speedy outside backs to take the ball up the flanks and send in crosses. The team’s first goal against Dallas last weekend started with a short goal kick and worked its way up to the opposite six-yard box to striker Ally Cook.
Neither team has had to climb out of a deficit in months, so whoever is able to score first will likely be at a huge advantage.
A sixth-place team can become a third-place team
The Super League standings are so close, and teams change positions nearly every week. As of Thursday, second through sixth place in the standings are separated by just five points. All eight clubs are in action this weekend, creating a lot of possible scenarios for placement following the conclusion of Week 29.
With Carolina vs. Spokane as the last match of the weekend, the other matchups will influence if Spokane can move above the playoff line or not. Brooklyn, Fort Lauderdale and Tampa Bay all sit tied at 33 points, so it’s in Spokane’s best interest that all three lose or at max, earn just one point with a draw. If Zephyr takes care of business and those results occur, the team will move to third place, its highest placement this season.
A Carolina loss would make the rest of the season that much harder
For the most part, Carolina has taken care of business this spring. The team has gone 6-2-1 since the return from break and is not far from clinching a playoff berth. However, its remaining schedule might be the toughest in the league. After Spokane on Saturday, the Ascent close the season against Fort Lauderdale, Tampa Bay, Brooklyn and Dallas, the four teams directly below them on the table.
While it’s difficult to believe Carolina would lose out or drop below the playoff line, there is a possibility of it slipping a couple spots down the table, especially with a loss to Spokane. Carolina is one of the few that has a good shot at finishing in the top two, which would mean hosting at least one playoff match at American Legion Memorial Stadium. The Ascent has a 6-2-4 record there, making playing in front of its home crowd a huge advantage in the postseason.
Tune in to the match this Saturday, April 19 at 7:30 p.m. only on Peacock.