Tampa Bay Sun FC’s Paige Almendariz Credit: Photo by Ryan Kern

One more home game could determine the fate of Tampa Bay Sun FC’s inaugural season. The Bay area’s first professional women’s soccer team is currently second in the USL Super League and making a final push to secure a spot in the playoffs.

Two regular season games remain—one at the first-place Carolina Ascent FC on Saturday, May 17, and their home finale at Blake High School’s Riverfront Stadium against seventh place DC Power FC on Saturday, May 24.

For the league’s first season, the top four teams advance to the playoffs, but with the standings so tight, the Sun can’t afford to lose points.

The Sun is 2-0-1 against Carolina, which is on a six-game winning streak, at the top of the standings with 46 points. The Sun isn’t far behind with 42 points, followed by Dallas Trinity FC with 40 points and Spokane Zephyr FC with 38 points.

After starting the first half of the season 5-6-4 the Sun were just out of the playoff picture, but the team, bolstered by the addition of its international players, has been able to improve as the season’s gone on and started the back half of the season with a record of 6-2-3.

The Sun has a record of 7-2-4 at home this season, keeping Tampa fans hopeful for a playoff spot.

Sun strikers Cecilie Fløe Nielsen and Natasha Flint are in the running for the “Golden Boot,” which goes to the league’s top goal-scorer at the end of the season. Goalkeeper Ashley Orkus is up for the “Golden Glove,” which goes to the goalie with the lowest goals-against average.

The playoffs will take place in the respective teams’ stadiums, as long as the league approves of the venue, and will consist of two semifinal games on the weekend of June 7 and one final match on June 14.

Tickets for Tampa Bay Sun FC v DC Power FC on Saturday, May 24 are still available and start at $23. Readers are invited to submit their own events to Creative Loafing Tampa Bay’s things to do calendar.

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