Tampa Bay Sun Weekly: 2-0 L, LEX Up Next

Date: Saturday April 11, 2026

Result: Tampa Bay 0-2 DC  

Records: Tampa Bay Sun (21 pts 4W-9D-10L); DC Power FC (29 pts 7W-8D-9L)

Standings: The Sun sit 9th in the USL Super League and the Power are 5th.  

After another disappointing home loss, it looks like the Sun will not get the chance to defend their inaugural-season title. While they may not be mathematically out of the playoffs, that is a reasonable conclusion to make at this point. There should be more than just pride on the line, though, when they take to the field away in Kentucky this weekend. Fans in Florida will be hoping to see a good performance regardless of how far it can get their team in the standings.

So we really can’t win at home?

It’s a very odd situation to be in to see the Sun’s recent run of form. They beat Floridian rivals Fort Lauderdale 3-0 at home in late February. Then, they lost away to Carolina and at home to Brooklyn. After somehow conspiring to beat both DC and Dallas in DC and Dallas, they lost again to Carolina and finally to DC in their two most recent games, both in Tampa Bay.

To be fair, it’s been a largely negative year. These aren’t necessarily just fluke losses; the team has trouble winning anywhere. Those three Ws mentioned above are 75% of their victories all year. You can trust that even though I’m no math whiz. If anything, DC will be kicking themselves for not earning three more points in that match from a few weeks ago. 

Emory Wegener returned to the starting XI after an illness kept her out last week. Her best efforts could not keep DC off board. After a good save following a slip from Gabby Provenzano, the visitors capitalized very quickly off a counter attack a little more than 15 minutes in. Only 14 seconds after getting possession, the Power had entered their attacking half and scored.

The goal itself was a great example of improvisation. Wegener was out of her box frequently when the Sun had the ball. DC must’ve noticed this, and in particular attacker Alyssa Walker. She looked up as soon as possible and lobbed a shot over the last line of Tampa Bay’s defense. Stranded, she could only look on as helplessly as those sitting in the bleachers.

The second – and final – goal of the game only six minutes after that. Considering how the Blue and Gold have played in 2026, that was likely to be the death knell, and so it turned out to be. Whether or not Paige Almendariz had any beef with the club when she left at the end of last season, we’ll likely never know. But, if so, she exorcised some demons with her assist to put the game to bed.

Two subs came on at the break for the home team. More followed as the clock ticked by. Any attempts to change the patterns of attack or the pressing triggers led to a mostly similar outcome: half chances with no end product. Striker Faith Webber had her moments, including one where the ball unfortunately got stuck in her feet, and Carlee Giammona even hit the bar.

The issue remains a lack of potent attacks. While the Sun defense remains porous at times, there’s little impetus moving forward. Webber has her pop shots, including from distance, Sydny Nasello does everything she can to dribble the entire opposition, and sometimes a player gets the end of those. Chance creation overall, though, hasn’t looked good for a while now.

Player of the Game: 

Liz: Faith Webber

JD: Faith Webber

Date: Saturday April 18 at 5:00 pm

Upcoming Game: Lexington vs. Tampa Bay

What can we expect from this game?

This weekend, the Blue and Gold are back on the road, looking for some kind of redemption. The opposition sit second in the table on 40 points. However, they won’t feel safe in their spot. While catching first-place Sporting Jax seems unlikely, the Carolina Ascent are only one point behind on 39. They are a good side with a lot still to play for.

Lexington spent big in the offseason. They brought in many players who, now in April, appear to have been good investments. Among the new players are McKenzie Weinert, Taylor Aylmer, Sarah Griffith, Emina Ekic, Catherine Barry, and Addie McCain. The latter of those joined from Fort Lauderdale, where she often was a thorn in the Sun’s side – even if they still never won. 

If you take Barry out of that list, there are 21 goals between the rest of them. Barry, though, adds another 12 to their team-wide total. Lexington, needless to say, are a good team – and one in good form. In nine games through 2026, they’ve lost three, including their last match away to Carolina. That potent attack was even shut out in Charlotte. 

The Gals in Green won’t be looking to let that happen again. Giving the Ascent that win meant they were closer to overtaking Lex in the table. The Kentuckians will want to start this game quickly and with intensity. The perspective is clear: the Sun are there for the taking. So go take it, and earn that three point boost in the standings. 

Weinert and Griffith will likely line up out wide with McCain reprising her role as the attacking #10. She formed such a potent attack with FLOOTD’s wingers last season, it only seems natural that she’s carried that over into her new team farther north. Barry has been the beneficiary of all this attacking talent, leading the entire league with her 12 goals. 

In addition to their front line, the defense is smart and stout. Losing 1-0 to Carolina meant that Lexington had conceded once in four games. The writing is on the wall for a difficult night for Tampa Bay. Nasello can sometimes do it all on her own – and lord knows she’ll try. But without other options to carry the ball forward, it seems like an uphill battle.

Some width from the Sun would be beneficial in two ways. If Sabrina McNeill and whoever starts at right back can get down the line more often, they will take some of the onus off Nasello. Additionally, they could act to pin back Lexington’s deadly wingers. There’s been a lot of hit and hope, which would likely not bode well for anyone up top against the hosts’ defense. 

Both Webber and Madi Parsons have looked isolated at times. They can’t be put in those situations and left to fend for themselves. Sadly, it’s happened a lot. If it happens again, it could lead to disastrous results this Saturday. With only a few games left, the team has to show fans they need to come out. As I said, there’s more than just pride on the line. 

RBLR Score Predictions: 

Lizzie: 2-1 L

JD: 4-0 W

Yurika: 2-0 L

James: 3-1 L

RBLR Score Predictions Standings:

Lizzie: 7

JD: 3

Yurika: 3

James: 11