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Lexington SC completes worst-to-first turnaround, beats Carolina Ascent 3-1 in extra time to win USL Super League Final

Lexington SC completed its season in a scene that would have been difficult to imagine a year ago: players sprinting onto the field, a home crowd celebrating a championship, and a team that had gone from the bottom of the table to the top of the league lifting the trophy.

After conceding first and chasing the match for much of the night, Lexington rallied past Carolina Ascent FC for a 3-1 extra-time win in the 2026 USL Super League Final. Mia Corbin opened the scoring for Carolina with a left-footed strike from outside the box just before halftime, but McKenzie Weinert equalized in the 72nd minute before Lexington took control in extra time through goals from Regan Steigleder and Addie McCain.

The victory completed a remarkable turnaround for Lexington, which claimed both the Players’ Shield and the Super League Final after a 35-point improvement from the previous season. The win also carried extra weight because Lexington had rarely come from behind during the season, entering the final with only one win all year after conceding the first goal.

The matchup had already shown how little separated the two sides. Lexington and Carolina drew 1-1 in Lexington on October 25, before Lexington won 2-1 in Charlotte on February 7. Carolina answered with a 1-0 win in Charlotte on April 11, a result that evened the season series heading into the final.

Lexington entered the night with one of the league’s most dangerous attacking groups. Cat Barry led the team and the league with 15 goals, while Weinert and McCain each added eight. Sarah Griffith contributed four goals and four assists.

Carolina’s attack came in with a more balanced profile. Rylee Baisden led the Ascent with five goals, followed by Maddie Mercado with four, before returning to the Seattle Reign, and a group that included Sydney Studer, Corbin, and Jill Aguilera on three each. Audrey Coleman led the team with five assists, while Corbin and Aguilera each added three.

The opening half reflected the pressure of the occasion. Lexington pushed the game with intensity, pressing high and creating most of the sustained attacking moments. Carolina goalkeeper Martinez had a few nervous moments early, but each time she recovered well enough to keep Lexington from turning pressure into the opening goal.

Carolina’s best route forward came through line-breaking passes. The Ascent were not able to control the half for long stretches, but when they found moments to bypass Lexington’s pressure, they looked dangerous.

That approach paid off just before halftime. In the lone minute of first-half stoppage time, Carolina broke through. After a strong run and pass from Lily Nabet released George out wide, the ball eventually fell to Corbin outside the box. Corbin struck a left-footed effort to give Carolina a 1-0 lead at the break against the run of play.

The second half opened at a frantic pace much like the first half, with both teams trading attacks in a much more open stretch. Weinert quickly became one of Lexington’s most important outlets, repeatedly threatening to get in behind Carolina’s back line. Carolina’s defense recovered well, with Addisyn Merrick in particular doing important work to keep Weinert from turning those runs into clean chances.

Martinez also became a steady presence for Carolina, looking comfortable claiming balls into the box from corners and free kicks. That was especially important as Lexington began to pile up set-piece opportunities.

As the half progressed, Lexington continued to push more numbers forward. Carolina dropped deeper into its defensive third and did well to block shots and close down chances before they became clear looks at goal. The game stretched in both directions, with Carolina still carrying the confidence of a 12-match unbeaten streak and Lexington throwing more and more pressure at the Ascent back line.

In the 61st minute, Weinert broke through again and drew a foul from Jenna Butler just outside the box. Butler was shown a yellow card, and Griffith put the ensuing free kick on goal, forcing Martinez into a save that went out for a corner. The stretch from the 60th to 70th minute brought a series of Lexington set pieces, but Carolina continued to survive.

In the 71st minute, Lexington nearly found its breakthrough. Weinert got a terrific chance, only for Meaghan Nally, playing in place of the injured Sydney Studer, to come up with a crucial block.

One minute later, Lexington finally broke through.

The equalizer came from a move involving Griffith, Barry, and Weinert, with Weinert finishing to make it 1-1 in the 72nd minute. It was a deserved goal for Lexington’s pressure and for Weinert’s constant work as the outlet running behind Carolina’s defense.

The goal also came with a worrying moment for Carolina, as Tyler Lussi was injured on the play and eventually stretchered off with an injury to her knee. Play did not resume until the 77th minute, and Carolina made a triple change, bringing on Taylor Porter, Audrey Coleman and Emily Morris for Lussi, Corbin, and Nabet.

Despite the pace and pressure, Lexington still had not made a substitution by the 86th minute. There was also a potential penalty shout involving Allison Pantuso in the 87th minute, but the game continued. Seven minutes were added to the second half, and Lexington finally turned to the bench in stoppage time, bringing on Hannah White and Amber Nguyen for Weinert and Barry in the 91st minute.

The final minutes of regulation were chaotic. Emily Morris received a yellow card in the 94th minute for a hard tackle on Nguyen, and Carolina had to survive a scramble in front of its own goal. The Ascent cleared the initial danger, and Martinez saved the follow-up attempt to send the final to extra time.

Lexington made another attacking change to begin extra time, bringing on Tati Fung for Darya Rajaee. The move helped keep the pressure on Carolina, and Lexington’s set-piece strength again became decisive.

In the 96th minute, Bourgeois delivered a corner into the box, and Regan Steigleder headed Lexington in front. It was Lexington’s 18th set-piece goal of the season.

Carolina’s frustration showed shortly after, with Porter receiving a yellow card in the 98th minute for a foul on Fung. The Ascent then made changes in the 101st minute, bringing on Ava Cook and Emily Moxley for Merrick and Shae Groom. Lexington also adjusted, with Griffith coming off for Nicole Vernis.

In the 104th minute, Lexington found the goal that sealed the final. White played the ball across the box to McCain, who was left open in front of goal. Martinez got hands to the effort, but the ball deflected off McCain and into the net to give Lexington a 3-1 lead near the end of the first half of extra time.

Carolina brought on Brianna Martinez for Aguilera at halftime of extra time and continued to press, but the Ascent struggled to create the kind of clear chances needed to mount a comeback. Lexington, on the verge of a 10th home win of the season, managed the final stretch well.

Carolina’s final look came deep into stoppage time, when Butler had a chance in the 121st minute. Lexington held on, and when the final whistle came in the 123rd minute, the field filled with celebration.

For Carolina, the defeat ended a 12-match unbeaten run and a second half of the season built on consistency, defensive resilience, and the league’s best road form. The Ascent entered the final with 10 road wins, the most in the league, and again showed the ability to absorb pressure and punish teams in transition.

But the night belonged to Lexington as it completed one of the league’s defining season-long stories. From worst to first, becoming the Players’ Shield winners and the playoff champions, Lexington SC ended the year with the double and the first Super League Final trophy in club history.

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