DC Power FC suffered another loss on Wednesday night at Audi Field, falling 2-0 to Lexington SC. Catherine Barry had the brace for Lexington in a match that saw DC Power once again fail to get above the playoff line.

The match was delayed for 79 minutes due to storms around the DC area, which made for a long wait for the match to start. Forward Gianna Gourley (knee) was out due to knee aggravation from the match last week. Alexis Theoret, Sara Wojdelko, and Susanna Fitch also remained out due to injury. DC Power was looking to start the match out on the right foot after Dallas Trinity’s loss on Tuesday night to Tampa Bay Sun had DC Power just 3 points below the playoff line.

DC Power sought to be aggressive right off the opening whistle, but it was a sluggish start for both teams. The first major chance for DC didn’t come until the 16th minute, when Justina Gaynor attempted a shot from 25 yards that went well wide of the net. A few minutes later, there was a nervous moment on the defensive end as a throw-in bounced a few times before it was headed towards goal by a Lexington player. Morgan Aquino, back from international duty and in the lineup, was able to make the calm save.

Paige Almendariz did a lot on the left side of the field. In the 21st minute, she sent a cross into the box that curled enough to actually hit the upper right crossbar. Whether it was a cross or a shot – “Whatever you think it was,” Almendariz said after the match – the ball somehow stayed out of the net. DC continued to be aggressive, but they couldn’t get the ball in the net. Lexington couldn’t get much action generated either, and it was scoreless at the half.

The second half began and it was Lexington who had the edge. They looked a bit more energetic on the ball, and it quickly paid off for them. In the 49th minute, with them moving the ball down the field with crisp passes down the left flank. Hannah Johnson was able to get the ball into the middle of the box to Catherine Barry, who fired a shot that went through the hands of Morgan Aquino and snuck into the back of the net to make it 1-0 to Lexington.

Lexington almost had a second goal a minute later as they once again got the ball and flew towards goal. However, they were only able to force a weak roller that Aquino could pick up. DC power tried to get a set piece opportunity. Sydney Cummings sent the ball into the box, and Justina Gaynor flicked a header backwards towards goal. Lexington goalkeeper Kat Asman was able to make the save on the header.

After that, the game opened up a bit as DC Power increased the urgency to get the equalizer. However, through 60 minutes, they just weren’t able to generate any offensive pressure up front.

In the 69th minute, DC Power had another chance. Loza Abera inside the box was able to track down a pass from Constant inside the penalty area and backheel it to Claire Constant. Constant fell as she was shooting and Asman was able to track down the shot and collect it. Just a minute later, DC got another shot from Emily Colton from 25 yards out that went just wide. Alyssa Walker also got a shot off a minute after that, but again it was wide.

DC Power continued to apply pressure on offense in an effort to get the equalizer. In the 74th minute, Loza Abera got the ball into the right side of the box and got a cross that Alyssa Walker was able to head across goal. Kat Asman was able to dive and deflect the ball away from danger.

In the 87th minute, disaster struck. With DC Power trying desperately to push forward towards goal, Lexington was able to clear the ball away, and the ball made it to Catherine Barry just short of midfield. With some space and seeing Morgan Aquino off her line, she took a dribble and then launched a chip from 50 yards that fell over Aquino’s outstretched hand and into the goal. It was her second goal of the night and it gave Lexington a 2-0 advantage.

DC Power was deflated after that. They attempted to push forward to salvage at least a consolation goal, but it was not to be as the referee blew the whistle for full time after three minutes of stoppage.

After the match, a visibly frustrated Omid Namazi said the lack of finishing has been what hurts them all year. “My job is to get the team from our goal to the front of their goal. I can’t score for them,” Namazi said. “So they gotta finish their chances that falls to their feet. That’s been our problem all year. And I just don’t know what else I can do.”

With six more matches left, DC Power still sit three points below the playoff line, and they’ll need to turn it around quickly to get the points they need to qualify for the playoffs.