Tampa Bay Sun Weekly: L vs CAR, DC Up Next
Date: Sunday April 5, 2026
Result: Tampa Bay 1-2 Carolina
Records: Tampa Bay Sun (21 pts 4W-9D-9L); Carolina Ascent FC (36 pts 10W-6D-7L)
Standings: The Sun sit 9th in the USL Super League and the Ascent are 3rd.
Sun fans are back in the doldrums after another depressing defeat. While the opposition got some help from the referees, it can’t be said that they were responsible for the overall result. The team are rapidly losing hope of even making the playoffs at this point where they could defend their title. It’s essentially do or die this weekend when they take on DC Power. While the visitors are close to a playoff spot themselves, there should be reason to believe a win is possible.
So we can’t win at home?
This section will have to be broken up into two styles of complaint. The first will be a complaint about the way the team played and lined up. Obviously, it was not sufficient to get the goals needed or to produce enough chances to even keep them in the game. The second will be a complaint lodged against the officiating crew, who did nothing to help a flailing Sun side.
After a couple trips away for games at weird times, it could be expected that some changes on the field would occur. Liz Beardsley started in net. She was also not particularly responsible for either concession to Carolina. Taylor Chism and Viv Bessette played in the center of the defense with Sabrina McNeill and Victoria Haugen on either side.
A midfield of Sandrine Gaillard, Gabby Provenzano, and Jordyn Listro sat behind Sydny Nasello, Faith Webber, and Maddie Pokorny. Nasello was again allowed to take up positions in the center of the field to assist with the numbers there. However, it was the Ascent who controlled the middle of the park for large stretches, in particular in the first half.
A well-drilled Carolina midfield did more than hold their own before the halftime whistle. Their two goals were essentially fake in the eyes of this writer; but, we’ll have to return to that later on. What wasn’t fake was how easily they controlled the Blue and Gold attack. Webber, who had been so good since her arrival in January, didn’t see much of the ball in this one.
There were two changes at halftime, with the Sun adding Brooke Hendrix to the field as well as a very recent newcomer, Anna Heilferty. Bessette stepped out wide as the right back and Heilferty played in the center of the midfield. There was a closer balance in between the lines after these changes. Three more as the game went on never truly swung things enough, though.
A goal from Madi Parsons in the 89th minute seemed to give local fans hope. Of course, that gave so little time for an equalizer that it should never have been expected. Carolina had effectively killed off the game by then. When the final whistle blew, no one was pleading for extra minutes.
It should be noted now, with the game over and the result decided, that the referees had multiple howlers of their own in this game. The first goal the Ascent scored came from a phantom penalty. The second was a handball off of Lily Nabet’s elbow. There was even hesitation on the second goal before neither the linesman nor center ref had the courage to make the right call.
It’s not the referees’ job to help the home team, to be completely clear. However, it isn’t their job to help visitors, and they should be calling things that make sense. The first penalty made no sense (I was standing 20 feet away from it). Additionally, they failed to award the Sun a penalty in an almost identical play. This is unacceptable. Small margins decide too much for this to be occuring.
Player of the Game:
Liz: Faith Webber
JD: Sydny Nasello
Date: Saturday April 11 at 7:30 pm
Upcoming Game: Tampa Bay vs. DC
Can we still turn it around?
To earn a spot in the playoffs, the Sun need both a miracle on their own field and likely on other fields, too. It almost certainly wouldn’t be enough to win every remaining game, as unlikely as that might be. Carolina, Dallas, and DC are all in better positions with better chances. The latter of these, of course, will be playing for three points to close the gap between them and Trinity.
DC have built up from last year to make themselves a true competitor. (Meanwhile, Tampa Bay languish in last again.) They added pieces around the field, and they have a stronger identity on it. Luckily, they are currently on a run of bad form, losing their last three games. Two of those losses came at home, with the Sun dishing out the first of two consecutive 2-0 losses in the nation’s capital.
The Power will likely play in a similar formation to the Sun, with a few key differences. One of those is not having a direct Nasello corollary. Where Syd has played inside the last few games and let her left back streak up the wing, DC will rely on out and out wingers with defenders who tend to stay at home more often. One of those is former Tampeña Paige Almendariz.
These wingers will be looking to get down into the Sun’s defensive end and get crosses into the box. Center forward Alyssa Walker has five goals this season. While these numbers aren’t incredible, they are better than anyone’s on Tampa Bay – other than Nasello. Walker’s wingers, Loza Abera and Dasia Torbert, also contribute with five and three goals, respectively.
Tampa Bay will need to break out of their mold to get three points at home. Even in the two wins away, including against DC, a fair bit of luck was involved. Luck is a part of sport and, as stated in a prior column, you have to make your own. But, the Blue and Gold didn’t create many chances from which they could even hope for a lucky bounce against Carolina.
Relying on Nasello for all chance creation is not a recipe for success. She somehow still pulls things out of the hat every so often. Asking her to do that for 90 minutes game in, game out is not tenable. McNeill has offered a lot going up the left, with four assists to show for it. Her runs are still too infrequent. Someone should be able to hit her on the run when the opposition is bunched up elsewhere.
Without more tweaks, there is low likelihood for a repeat of the win on March 26th. There is good news, though: the Sun have room for tweaks. Multiple new players have joined, with Heilferty making her debut in the last game. When someone isn’t up to the task, or when they’re simply too tired to carry on, the team must test their depth and give someone else a shot.
RBLR Score Predictions:
Liz: 1-1 D
JD: 2-1 W
Yurika: 0-0 D
James: 1-1 D
RBLR Score Predictions Standings:
Liz: 7
JD: 3
Yurika: 3
James: 11
