Friday brings the Battle of the Florida Triangle back to the forefront as Sporting Jax look to remain unbeaten against Fort Lauderdale United. Sporting Jax are also looking to break a 4 game winless streak against a side with a familiar interim head coach, and a side who upset Lexington SC last Sunday.

Sporting Jax would again fall behind, but Ashlyn Puerta would remind the league of how dominant she can be. Ashlyn Puerta, with the first 4 goal haul in a Gainbridge Super League contest, would keep Sporting Jax unbeaten against Florida sides this season in a 4-1 rout of Fort Lauderdale United.

Both sides made 1 change from their previous match. Sporting Jax, playing in their first match in 20 days, made the switch in goal with Jamie Gerstenberg replacing Kaitlyn Parks. Fort Lauderdale United made their switch in the back line with Molly McDougal swapping places with Maggy Henschler.

After having the better play inside the opening exchanges, Fort Lauderdale United were rewarded with the lead on 8 minutes. The sequence started from a horrible throw in from AJ Hennessey looking for Georgia Brown, missing by at least a yard. During the throw, Sh’nia Gordon moved into the space Brown conceded when chasing the throw in and was already on the run when Kiara Locklear made the pass. Gordon outran the Sporting Jax defense into the penalty area, and with Jamie Gerstenberg flat footed blasted near post. It was a perfect counter attacking goal to put Fort Lauderdale United ahead 1-0.

The goal woke Sporting Jax up, who were second best in the opening exchanges. 2 minutes later brought Sporting Jax’s first warning shots of the evening when Grace Phillpotts won a corner off Molly McDougal. After Hennessey and Paige Kenton saw shots blocked, the final phase of play would see Sophia Boman play a cross far post to Kenton, her header rising over the crossbar.

The following 10 minutes would see Sporting Jax one touch short of an equalizer, Fort Lauderdale defending deeper and deeper. Kenton’s 18th minute effort from Boman going right to Craig. 4 minutes later Boman would find Puerta, Puerta’s heavy touch preventing another golden Sporting Jax chance inside the penalty area.

Midway through the first half Sporting Jax would go to the spot. From the resulting throw after Puerta’s touch in the box was cleared, the ball would be played back to Puerta. Puerta would put a through ball through the five hole of Kelli Van Treeck and find Kenton. Getting into the box, Kelsey Oyler would clip Kenton on the run. The referee thought for half a second before pointing to the spot. It was a horrible challenge by Oyler as Haley Craig had the angle cut on any shot Kenton would have tried, the middle of the box full of traffic. Ashlyn Puerta would step up and bury the penalty to her right, Sporting Jax’s pressure rewarded with a 24th minute equalizer.

The game would turn sloppy after the equalizer, Sporting Jax pressing too much for the lead while Fort Lauderdale United played multiple fire drill clearances. AJ Hennessey would win a 36th minute free kick, Grace Phillpotts pass to Baylee DeSmit would see DeSmit’s effort on goal blocked. 2 minutes later, DeSmit would have a shot blocked from another Phillpotts delivery. The 40th minute would see Haley Craig’s best save of the half when Meg Hughes would find Kenton inside the box, Craig making a kick save at the near post to deny Sporting Jax the lead.

Fort Lauderdale United would see Taylor Smith go down injured before halftime, Daniela Todd replacing Smith. Todd would win Fort Lauderdale United a later corner, but going into halftime Sporting Jax were well on the front foot.

After an early Fort Lauderdale United corner, Sporting Jax would again find the front foot. The 52nd minute would see Haley Craig come up big on a Georgia Brown long ball that found Baylee DeSmit. DeSmit would beat Haley Thomas before going for goal, Craig getting a touch off the crossbar.

4 minutes later Sporting Jax’s dominance would be rewarded with the lead. The first phase would start with Paige Kenton staying onside, her centering ball to Baylee DeSmit just missed by the Sporting Jax forward. The ball would be cleared, but the next phase would see Sporting Jax strike. It was surgical in precision, Grace Phillpotts to Sophie Jones to Meg Hughes. Hughes’s centering ball would find Ashlyn Puerta, who beat Daniela Todd to the spot, her blast too powerful for Craig to get to.

Sporting Jax would keep the pressure up and with 16 minutes to play Puerta would get her hat trick. Off a Fort Lauderdale Untied throw in, Puerta would intercept the ball intended for Todd. After cutting central Puerta would go for goal, aided by a screen from Ella Simpson. With Craig unable to sight the ball, it was an easy finish for Puerta.

10 minutes later Puerta would become the first player with a 4 goal night in the Gainbridge Super League. Puerta would win the final ball and play towards substitute Andrea Fernandez. Fernandez would play a cheeky backheel to an unmarked Puerta, who would blast near post in the only spot Haley Craig couldn’t save it.

Imagine this, without Haley Craig making 3 remarkable saves this scoreline could have been much worse. Sporting Jax needed a few minutes to get the rust out of their system, but once they did Fort Lauderdale United didn’t have a prayer. 3 matches played against Florida sides in the Battle of the Florida Triangle for Sporting Jax, 3 wins. Their record against the rest of the Gainbridge Super League: 1 win 2 draws 2 losses.

If Sporting Jax wants to be taken seriously as a championship contender, they have to match the energy they play with against Fort Lauderdale United and the Tampa Bay Sun with the rest of the league. This turned into a much needed get right game for Sporting Jax, one that hopefully spurs them on in the second half of the sprint. They’ll need it when they travel to Lexington next Friday, October 23rd, to face Lexington SC with a 7:30 pm kick.

Announced attendance: 843