Super League Power Rankings – Week 31

Just when we thought the playoff picture couldn’t get any tighter, three big results completely shook up the standings by the end of Week 31. Spokane Zephyr FC has moved above the playoff line for the first time since early in the fall, Brooklyn FC finally broke its 11-match winless streak, and Tampa Bay Sun FC earned all three points despite playing with 10 players for most of the match. 

The spring has transformed Zephyr into a championship contender. The offense has exploded into a goal scoring machine, averaging 1.72 goals per game and only have been shut out twice. On the defensive end, the team has conceded only 10 goals and goalkeeper Hope Hisey leads the league in clean sheets (nine) and goals-against average (0.94). 

For Brooklyn, not only did it secure the win it needed, but it also dominated Fort Lauderdale United FC in a 4-1 route after only scoring one goal for the entire month of April. While the team is still in fifth place, it got a much-needed result that can create some momentum before it closes out the season at home the last two matches. 

For the first time this season, a team had to compete with 10 players due to a red card, but you wouldn’t have even noticed it based on how Tampa Bay played. Getting the early go-ahead goal from Hannah Keane helped the Sun play with composure to earn a win against Dallas Trinity FC, which now has only a one-point lead over Tampa Bay. 

Rank		Team	Change	Summary
1		Carolina Ascent FC (13-5-7) Week 32: —	Last Week: 1	The Ascent has set the standard for the rest of the league as it sits in first place with a comfortable six-point advantage over Dallas. The team is on the brink of securing hosting the playoffs and the first Players’ Shield.
2		Spokane Zephyr FC (10-8-7) Week 32: @ BKN	Last Week: 2	It seems like Spokane can’t stop scoring, as it recorded a 2-0 victory over Lexington for its eighth win of the spring. Zephyr is now officially above the playoff line, and the team needs to keep this form as it travels to Brooklyn in a huge match of consequence this weekend.
3		Tampa Bay Sun FC (10-6-9) Week 32: @ LEX	1 Last Week: 4	The Sun showed extreme fortitude to play for over 70 minutes at a disadvantage following captain Jordyn Listro’s red card and still come away with the three points. The match also showed the talent of goalkeeper Sydney Schneider, who made four saves and managed the clock well to preserve the clean sheet.
4		DC Power FC (4-12-7) Week 32: vs. DAL	1 Last Week: 5	Despite being out of the playoff race, DC Power still plays competitively and has been one of the more entertaining teams to watch, especially with the scoring prowess of Gianna Gourley. If the team can return from the week off and earn a result against Dallas this wekend, it could have huge results on the teams still in the playoff hunt.
5		Brooklyn FC (10-9-7) Week 32: vs. SPK	3 Last Week: 8	A lot of people may have counted Brooklyn out, but getting that huge win over Fort Lauderdale shows this team is not going away easily. Brooklyn looked like the team it was in the fall, pressing high, being aggressive and shutting down its opponents inside the box. It was just what the team needed heading into its final two matches.
6		Dallas Trinity FC (11-7-7) Week 32: @ DC	3 Last Week: 3	Dallas did not come out with the energy it needed on Sunday and failed to take advantage of the opportunity it got playing 11v10 for most of the match. For Trinity to hold 67% of possession and record 14 shots and not come away with a single goal is not going to be good enough if it wants to hold on to second place.
7		Fort Lauderdale United FC (9-8-7) Week 32: —	1 Last Week: 6	After the previous loss to Carolina Ascent, Fort Lauderdale needed a big response over Brooklyn to try to stay in the top four spots. The team’s defense looked scrambled and unorganized, its offense wasn’t clinical enough, and it came up extremely short. Its saving grace is having a match in hand over every team above it in the standings.
8		Lexington SC (4-16-5) Week 32: vs. TB	1 Last Week: 7	It’s hard for a team to stay locked in defensively after conceding a penalty kick and going down a goal within the first ten minutes of the match. Limiting Spokane to only two goals is better than Lexington’s last few results but is ultimately not enough once again to earn a result.