In front of more than 5,200 fans—including Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield, who only has to drive four miles to get from his home on Davis Islands to the stadium—Tampa Bay’s first professional women’s soccer team eked out a 1-1 tie against Dallas Trinity FC.
But what happened at a revamped Riverfront Stadium at Blake High School felt much bigger than a single point on a standings table.
Supporters crowded the streets in Tampa Heights, with many waiting in long queues to board a river taxi that ferried fans across the Hillsborough River from Tampa Armature Works to the stadium (players also arrived by boat, earlier in the day). Sun bums filled the merch queue, and raised scarves high—some even jokingly heckled the opposite side about the authenticity of Texas BBQ as Dallas came out for warm ups.
Photo by Ryan Kern
Family members cheer on Tampa Bay Sun FC forward Sydny Nasello at Blake High School in Tampa, Florida on Aug. 18, 2024.
Fans packed into the stadium’s south bleachers, while others enjoyed a little more elbow room in seats on the western and northern side—all while a new supporters group, The Heatwave, worked through chants and raucous pounded on drums throughout the match. They also chowed down on gouda cheese curds and steak sandwiches from a Bern's Steak House food truck (and will someone please let food vendors sell beverages going forward?).
With the game sold-out, soccer fans hoping to catch a glimpse of the team even watched from the nearby parking garage; more supporters stood on the peak of North Boulevard bridge, silhouetted in the second half by a blazing, glorious, setting sun.
Photo by Ryan Kern
Tampa Bay Sun FC v. Dallas Trinity FC at Blake High School in Tampa, Florida on Aug. 18, 2024.
While other teams in the newly-minted USL Super League have stadiums that can hold more than 10,000 fans, seeing an outdoor stadium in downtown Tampa in all its glory was a sight unprecedented for local sports fans.
In postgame comments to reporters, Tampa Bay Sun FC head coach Denise Schilte-Brown described the scene as electric and emotional, all elements that played into her team’s performance on the field.
“I'm so proud of Tampa Bay for showing up and being there for us,” Schilte-Brown said. “We're not just playing for us, we're playing for you guys. We're playing to be the role models for all the little girls here in Tampa Bay.”
Players certainly wore the weight of the occasion on their faces, too. Outside the locker rooms ahead of the walkout—as “Heatin Up” by Lil Baby and Gunna played on loudspeakers—Sun FC players held hands tugged on their jersey collars and rocked back and forth on their heels.
Starting goalkeeper Ashley Orkus copped to having a healthy amount of nerves ahead of kickoff, but told reporters, “After the whistle blows, it kind of becomes just soccer again, doesn’t it.”
She would know. Orkus—a three-time SEC Goalkeeper of the Year during her time at Ole Miss—was easily the MVP of the game, stopping an onslaught of shots on goal from Dallas, which dominated possession in the first half and scored a go-ahead goal at the end of stoppage time in the first half.
Orkus admitted that was tough to let the first goal in, but went with a goldfish mentality as the rest of her team—including midfielder Wasila Diwura-Soale—turned in a herculean defensive effort to keep the game within reach.
“She's a baller,” Orkus said about the Louisiana State alum who helped the keeper draw a crucial foul in the box in the second half. “She goes hard, makes all of us better. We love her to death.”
Photo by Ryan Kern
Tampa Bay Sun FC defender Brooke Hendrix at Blake High School in Tampa, Florida on Aug. 18, 2024.
As the Sun battled, Dallas finally broke in the 70th minute on a corner from forward Ashley Clark that found the head of defender Brooke Hendrix who sent it past the goal line, onto the pitch, and into the back of the net to earn the tie.
“I just felt like we needed something. We needed a little push,” Hendrix, a Southern Miss alum from Alabama, told reporters about her push to get even. “As it was coming in, it was a perfectly-weighted ball. Honestly, I just went in for it, and it went in—happy days.”
And happy days could very well be ahead of Tampa Bay Sun.
The team has another home game this Saturday, Aug. 24 against DC Power, which sits at the bottom of the USL Super League table after its 1-0 opening weekend loss to Carolina Ascent FC. In all, the Sun will play seven home games this fall before resting and starting a 14-game spring schedule ahead of a four-team playoff next year.
Schilte-Brown—who noted the absence of five crucial international players while lauding the play of Sun FC academy players called up to help last weekend—praised her side for fighting together and united to get the tie.
“The most important thing, and I've talked to my women about this—s it's not where we start, it's where we finish,” Schilte-Brown added. “So as long as we grow from game to game and get better—that's what matters. I'm glad we got the point today. I would have wanted it to be a win, but even if we lost, what I would care about is, how are we going to get better the next day?”
Orkus, who came in last Friday to soak in the stadium and feel everything in advance even felt something special in the stands during the match.
“I don't think I could have prepared enough to not be fazed by how huge the crowd was. It was fantastic,” she said. “I have never played before this many people and so it was absolutely electric.”
Tickets to see Tampa Bay Sun FC play DC Power FC at Blake High School's Riverfront Stadium in Tampa on Saturday, Aug. 24 are still available and start at $16.
