Note from Author: Apologies for missing last week. In case you haven’t had food poisoning recently, here’s my review - it still sucks. Not recommended.

Five Observations from Week Five (and Week Four) of the Super League

Sydney Martinez Isn’t Going Anywhere
Once again, Carolina Ascent found a way to win this past weekend, scoring late to grab a 1-0 road win against the defending champs Lexington SC. But Jenna Butler’s late goal may not have mattered if it were not for a series of key saves made by Sydney Martinez in the second half. On multiple occasions, Martinez had to make multiple saves in the same sequence as Lexington was applying the pressure on Carolina. During last season, Sydney Martinez took over as the starting keeper for Carolina as they made their way to the final and has continued her excellent form so far this season. There were some of us who thought former Spokane Zephyr Hope Hisey would be handed the starting goalkeeper job once she arrived. But that’s not how things work in Carolina. With the Ascent, every starting position has to be earned every week. And what is clear is that Martinez continues to earn her spot

The Will of Sydney Nasello
Yes, she arrived in Tampa Bay with some, como se dice, baggage. Yes, she yaps an awful lot to the refs for calls. But with the ball at her feet, Sydney Nasello shows that there is only one player in this league who can single handedly grab a game by the scruff of its neck. During the match with Ft. Lauderdale United this past weekend, Nasello was attacking the backline like they owed her money. Molly McDougal, who had to come on as an early sub due to an injury to Maggie Mace, would need to be subbed out herself due to Nasello’s relentless runs at her. It would be Nasello setting up Tori Zierenberg in the 65th minute for the tying goal in the match. But the game winning goal would not be scored by Nasello but by Shea Connors, who is having her own great start to the season. And when Tampa Bay has multiple scoring options going, that only makes Nasello all the more dangerous.

NWSL Loans? It’s a Good Thing
You may have noticed there are a number of players in the fall season who are on loan from the NWSL And with the two leagues aligning their schedules next year, there’s going to be more of this going forward.And that’s a good thing. Whether it’s Onyeka Gamero and Seven Castain for Dallas Trinity, Mak Whitham for DC Power, or Ryan Campbell for Lexington SC (just to name a few), it’s an opportunity for these players to get playing time and they want to make the best of it. And we as fans of this league get the benefit of seeing these players wanting to show their talents. Sure, the strike force in Dallas may only be together for this short season, but it’s sure going to be a fun short season to watch.

Playing in a Phone Booth
A small sample size can be hazardous on which to base anything. But if you were watching the game this past weekend between Brooklyn FC and Sporting JAX, a match that saw bottom beat top by a score of 3-2, you saw something that may be a sign of better things to come with the ladies from Coney Island. For the first time since Brooklyn FC made the move to Maimonides Park, it seemed like they were using the small pitch dimensions to their advantage. The reference about to be made will call out the age of yours truly, but Sporting looked like they were trying to play soccer in a phone booth. They couldn’t spread Brooklyn out. Every possession, every pass, was contested. JAX never looked comfortable in the match. Small crowd size notwithstanding, Brooklyn looked like they had a true home field advantage. Again, it’s one game, but perhaps we’re witnessing the birth of Phone Booth Football.

We See You, Ginger Fontenot
One of the fun things about following this league is watching players growing right before our eyes. Ginger Fontenot snuck into our lives midway through Season One with Brooklyn FC, coming off the bench to play on the back line. Season Two found Fontentot in Spokane, where the coaching staff thought that her pace and skill would work better out on the wing. And at times during the season, it looked like the right move. She showed promise. But that experiment got cut short when Zephyr got shut down. Now at Team #3 for Season #3, Sporting JAX thinks Fontenot is a floor wax and a dessert topping, so to speak (ask your dad if you don’t get the reference). Not being afraid to move players around, Sporting has used Fontenot out on the wing and on the back line, and has quickly become a key member of a deeply talented roster. She was a standout on defense in Sporting’s 1-1 draw with DC Power.

by John Howard-Fusco

Be sure to listen to the latest episode of Super Show, “DC Power on the rise and we're believers! Week 4 review plus a look forward to the matches this weekend. Everything USL Super League!” with John HF & Dan Vaughn