USL SUPER LEAGUE: Red-hot Carolina Ascent capture Players’ Shield with dominating campaign

May 23, 2025 271 Views USL SUPER LEAGUE

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Behind some dominating play, the Carolina Ascent have clinched the USL Super League Players’ Shield for the 2024-25 season.

Following Sunday’s 1-1 draw against Tampa Bay Sun FC, the Carolina Ascent FC clinched the honor awarded to the team with the most points at the end of the regular season. The Carolina Ascent currently has 47 points with an overall record of 13-5-8 with two matches remaining on May 24 and May 31.

The team has only tasted defeat five times over the course of 26 games up until this point.

By claiming the inaugural award, Carolina Ascent continues to make history in the USL Super League’s first season. The team earned a 1-0 victory against DC Power FC on August 17, 2024 – in the league’s inaugural match – beginning a historic run of 11 consecutive matches for Carolina without a loss.

The Ascent has doubled up their opponents on the scoreboard, posting a 44-22 scoring edge this season with 11 shutouts while only being blanked three times this season.

The Carolina Ascent are 4-0-1 in their last five games, 6-0-1 in their last seven matches and over the last 10 games have posted a 7-2-1 record – and that includes an impressive 25-6 scoring edge in that 10-game stretch with five clean sheets defensively.

In goal, Meagan McClelland has played in 17 matches, allowing 17 goals in 56 chances, made 39 saves (tied for seventh in the league), recorded six shutouts, posted a .696 save percentage, and posted a 0.81 goals-against-average as the team’s No. 1 goalkeeper.

Backup netminder Samantha Leshnak has played five complete games, faced 18 shots, allowed five goals while making 13 saves, posted a .722 save percentage and also has an GAA around 1.00.

Offensively, Mia Corbin has led the Ascent in scoring with 12 goals this season – tied for the league lead along with Dallas Trinity FC’s Allie Thorton – but she’s far from the main contributor in the attack. Eli Hutchinson and Audrey Harding are tied for second with five goals and Sarah Troccoli has three tallies this season. Five other Ascent players have contributed two goals apiece.

The Ascent will wrap up the regular season with a game against Brooklyn FC (May 24) and against the Dallas Trinity FC (May 31).

Carolina will enter the 2024-25 USL Super League Playoffs with the No. 1 overall seed, earning home field advantage for the semifinal match against the No. 4 seed. Tickets for the match are available here.

The postseason will kick off the weekend of June 7, with the highly anticipated 2025 USL Super League Final scheduled for the weekend of June 14. The playoffs will feature a fixed-bracket, single-elimination format, played under FIFA Rules with extra time and a penalty shootout if required. All three playoff matches will be streamed live on Peacock.