Carolina Ascent Looks to Clinch against Dallas Trinity Sunday
GSL Carolina Ascent FC

Carolina Ascent Looks to Clinch against Dallas Trinity Sunday

Published on April 16, 2026 under Gainbridge Super League (GSL)
Carolina Ascent FC News Release


CHARLOTTE, NC - Sunday's showdown is more than just a battle between two teams looking to head to the postseason. Carolina Ascent can officially clinch a playoff spot with a victory on Sunday afternoon against Dallas Trinity FC. Read more below on Sunday's contest.

Match Details

Date: April 19

Time: 5:00 PM EST

Who: Dallas Trinity FC

Where: Cotton Bowl (Dallas, TX)

Watch: The match can be streamed on Peacock.

Seven Games Unbeaten

Carolina Ascent is currently on a seven-game unbeaten run - the club's best streak of the campaign. The run has surged Carolina into a point back of second place Lexington SC. Carolina is 6-0-1 since February 21 and has picked up five clean sheets in that timeframe. Since that date, the Ascent

ranks second in the league in both goals (10) and Expected Goals (13.64xG). Carolina's -10.9 differential between its goal total (30) and Expected Goals mark (40.9xG) suggests there is still more to come in the attack.

Tale of the Tape

So Far This Season:

December 13: The clubs didn't meet for the first time this season until December 13 in Dallas. It was a dominant statistical game from the Ascent, but Dallas Trinity nicked a goal through Lexi Missimo in the 64th minute that stood until the final whistle. The game was the first of four losses in a five-game stretch for Carolina from the end of the Fall to the beginning of the Spring.

March 13: Meeting back in Charlotte, Carolina was desperate to get back to winning ways after not grabbing three points since December 6 and they did just that. Defender Sydney Studer rose high twice off two Jill Aguilera corner kicks to snag a brace as Carolina knocked off Dallas Trinity 2-0. That victory was the start of the club's season-high seven game unbeaten run.

All-Time

The all-time series sits at 2-3-1. Dallas picked up two victories last season against the Players' Shield winners, while Carolina defeated Dallas 3-0 in March 2025 in the midst of the club's second-half surge and six-game winning streak.

Last Time Out

Carolina Ascent picked up a massive victory, defeating Lexington SC 1-0 on April 11 to pull their deficit in the league table to within one of the Kentucky side. Just on the pitch as a substitute, Emily Morris rocketed home her first professional goal in the 72nd minute that stood as the game-winner. Sydney Martinez picked up her fifth clean sheet of the season in the victory.

Dallas Trinity fell to Brooklyn FC last Sunday 3-0 in a stunning result for the fourth-place Texans. Brooklyn's Rebecca Cooke bagged two goals and handed Dallas their third loss in four matches.

Chance to Clinch

With a victory on Sunday afternoon, Carolina Ascent can clinch a playoff spot for a second consecutive season.

Other playoff scenarios include:

Lexington can clinch a playoff berth with a win over Tampa Bay Sun Saturday night.

If Tampa Bay loses or ties against Lexington AND Dallas Trinity wins, the reigning champion Tampa Bay Sun will be eliminated from playoff contention.

Milestones to Watch For

Aguilera is one assist away from 10 assists in her Super League Career.

Both Martinez and Meagan McClelland are sitting on nine clean sheets in their Super League careers. Only two other goalkeepers have reached ten.

Aguilera has played every minute this season (2,160 minutes).

player STATS

Last Home Match

May 16 | vs. Sporting JAX

Join us in celebrating our FANtastic FANale with:

Post-Match Fireworks

Base Camp Bash Tailgate at CPCC Quad🍻 (3 p.m.)

Pre-Match concert by Taylor Swift cover band 🎤 (5:30 p.m.)

Mystery T-Shirt Giveaway

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Gainbridge Super League Stories from April 16, 2026


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