Carolina WoSo season check-in: Ascent rising, NC Courage charging toward the playoffs
By Rylee McKinney (@rylees_roster)
As the summer winds down, two of North Carolina’s professional women’s soccer teams are heading into important stretches in their seasons.
The Carolina Ascent are building momentum early in the new Gainbridge Super League campaign, while the North Carolina Courage are entering the final stretch of the NWSL regular season with playoff positioning on the line.
Although the teams are at very different points in their seasons, both have given fans plenty of reasons to be optimistic.
Carolina Ascent: Fast Start
The Carolina Ascent have wasted little time establishing themselves as a team to watch in the 2026-27 Gainbridge Super League season.
Through their first five matches, the Ascent have posted a 4-1-0 record, with wins over DC Power FC, Dallas Trinity FC, Fort Lauderdale United FC and Lexington SC.
Their only setback came at home against Tampa Bay Sun FC, a 2-1 loss on August 29. Carolina responded to that defeat in impressive fashion, shutting out Fort Lauderdale 3-0 before earning another clean-sheet victory, 1-0, on the road against Lexington.
The Ascent have scored nine goals while allowing just three through five matches, showing an early balance between attacking production and defensive consistency.
The road form has been particularly encouraging. Carolina is 3-0 away from home, showing it can pick up important points even when playing outside Charlotte. The challenge now is maintaining that consistency.
After reaching the Super League championship game last season, expectations are higher for the Ascent. The early results suggest Carolina is once again capable of competing near the top of the table, but the season is still young.
If the Ascent can continue turning strong performances into points, another postseason run could be on the horizon.
North Carolina Courage: Finding Their Form
The North Carolina Courage are already much further into their season, and their recent run has shown both their potential and their inconsistency.
North Carolina entered September sitting near the top of the NWSL standings and has emerged as one of the league's most dangerous attacking teams.
The Courage's August stretch included impressive wins over Denver Summit FC and the Washington Spirit, followed by victories against Boston Legacy FC and Angel City FC.
There have also been some frustrating results. North Carolina fell 3-2 to Houston and Kansas City, showing that even with its attacking firepower, the team can still be vulnerable against quality opposition.
Still, the high point of the recent stretch came on September 6 where the Courage dominated the Chicago Stars 6-0, putting their offensive firepower on full display.
That momentum was unfortunately interrupted the following week when San Diego defeated North Carolina 2-1 on September 12.
Despite the loss, the Courage remain firmly in the playoff picture as the regular season enters its final weeks.
Ashley Sanchez Leading the Attack
One of the biggest storylines of North Carolina's season has been the performance of Ashley Sanchez.
Sanchez has put together a record-breaking campaign, surpassing the Courage's single-season scoring record while also surpassing Alex Morgan and Crystal Dunn (15 goals) for the highest NWSL single-season scoring record by an American player. She currently leads the league with 19 goals.
With the playoffs approaching, the Courage will need Sanchez and the rest of their attack to continue producing while the defense finds more consistency.
The team's ability to score in bunches gives North Carolina a dangerous weapon heading into the postseason.
What Comes Next?
The Courage now face a massive test at home against Gotham FC on September 19.
With playoff positioning still at stake, every point matters as the regular season winds down.
The Ascent, meanwhile, has much more time to build their season. Their 4-1 start gives them a strong foundation, but the club will need to maintain its consistency as the schedule becomes more demanding.
The Ascent are simply looking to establish themselves as an early contender in the Super League 2026/27 season, while the Courage are trying to turn a strong regular season into a deep NWSL playoff run.
