After the hurricane make up match between Ft Lauderdale and Tampa Bay two weeks ago, this weekend marked the real kick off of the second half of the season and we got two good ones over Valentine’s Day weekend.

Dallas Trinity 1-1 Tampa Bay Sun

Lexi Missimo starts, Lexi Missimo scores. 4 minutes into the match, the newest addition to the USL Super League showed her ability. A quick break down the right side, featuring a couple of line-breaking passes, eventually set up Missimo with a one-on-one chance against Tampa goalkeeper Ashley Orkus. Lexi casually finished past the charging Orkus and notched her first professional goal, putting Dallas up 1-0. “Diabolical” as one announcer described it.

Here's a closer look at Lexi Missimo’s goal, just a few minutes into our first game of the spring ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/OpeOkIl40M
— Dallas Trinity FC (@dallastrinityfc) February 16, 2025

Tampa waited till the second half to find an equalizer. Carlie Giammona would do the heavy lifting here, splitting defenders with a pass into the box that Cecilie Fløe ran on to. Fløe would return the favor, passing through two defenders to find Giammona streaking into the edge of the 6 yard box. Giammona two-touched it and fired it across the face of goal to the waiting foot of Parker Goins, who slotted it home to even the match.

While we didn’t get any more goals in this match, I have to note the play of Sydney Nasello. Her quality was really shining in this match and she was a menace for Dallas’ backline, getting multiple good shots at goal that Madison White stopped. The temperature at the match was in the low 50s all evening, with a whipping wind that could be heard on the field mic throughout the broadcast. Super Show co-host Danielle Gawronski was at this match and noted a large number of fans left at halftime due to the chill.

Tampa has looked good in both matches since the break, earning a point in each against opponents that are expected to deliver in the second half. Dallas has to be a tiny bit irritated to only get a point at home, particularly with Missimo scoring in her debut.

Carolina Ascent 2-1 Lexington SC

Lexington scored 2 goals and still lost on the road against Ascent? Yeah, when the opening goal of the match is an errant back pass by Madi Perez. The pass came just minutes into the match, as Perez struck the ball without realizing that her goalkeeper had ventured out behind her. Skiba made an attempt to catch up to the ball, but the pace of the pass carried it into the net. Mia Corbin would add a second for Carolina before the first half ended, beating the Lexington goalkeeper after a beautiful bit of passing into the box found her waiting. It was Corbin’s 4th goal of the season.

Corbin almost got her fifth just five minutes later, when Audrey Harding stole the ball, beat two defenders, and led Corbin into the box with a beautiful pass. Corbin went five-hole with her shot, but Skiba saved the ball.

Carolina celebrates another win. Photo courtesy of Carolina Ascent

Carolina continued to find chances in the second half, one of which occurred in the 52nd minute, when Rylee Baisden skied a shot over the bar from point-blank range. The best looking Carolina chance of the second half was from substitute Kat González, who teed up a shot from well outside the box. While the ball beat a diving Skiba, it only found the corner of the crossbar and pinged back into play. Ascent looked filthy in attack against a struggling Lexington backline, which appears to have not fixed the issues of the first half of the season.

The only goal of the second half came from the foot of second-half substitute Hannah Richardson. McClelland was a rock between the pipes for Ascent the entire match, but Richardson’s shot took a fortuitous deflection and found the back of the net to give Lexington a consolation goal.

Carolina looked good against Lexington, but given LSC’s defensive struggles, that might not be the ringing endorsement it sounds like. Next week’s matchup with Ft. Lauderdale might be a better barometer. For Lexington, the struggles continue.

- Dan Vaughn