DC Power FC got a wild road win on Saturday afternoon as they defeated Lexington SC 2-1 at Lexington SC Stadium. Loza Abera and Emily Colton had the goals for DC Power, while Mac Midgely got a late goal for Lexington to give them hope.

The first half started with DC attempting to start out with quick, aggressive play.. Abby Boyan got the first shot of the match in the third minute, firing a shot from outside the box. However, the shot went well wide of the net. A minute later, Lexington’s McKenzie Weinert mishit a sitter off a pass from Cat Barry. Barry sent a cross in that Weinert got right in front of the center of the goal. However, she hit her shot well high and over the bar in what was the first major chance of the match.

Lexington had a lot of the early possession, as DC couldn’t string any passes together. That didn’t stop DC from getting shots off. In the 11th minute, Tyler Lussi got a foot to the ball, but her shot went right at goalkeeper Ryan Campbell, who made the save. DC Power then started to get it going a bit, as Abby Boyan got another shot off in the 13th minute. This one was a curler and it required Campbell to slide over to make the save. A couple minutes later, she got another shot that skidded inches wide of the net.

In the 21st minute, Loza Abera, off a pass from Justina Gaynor, made a nice turn to fire a great shot from 30 yards. However, it was right at Ryan Campbell, who made the easy save. After that, it was a struggle for both sides to really get anything going. It was a stalemate as both teams were able to make the defensive plays necessary to keep each other off the scoreboard in the first half.

In the 44th minute, DC Power saw their aggressive play pay off. As Sam Angel was trying to cross the ball into the box moving forward, Alyssa Bourgeois lifted her arm above her head and blocked it. The referee saw the handball and pointed to the spot for a penalty. After some time was taken for Lexington captain Taylor Aylmer to receive treatment and sub off, Loza Abera took the penalty and it was saved by Ryan Campbell. However, the rebound came out in front of her, and Abera was first to the ball to fire it home to give DC the 1-0 lead just shy of halftime.

Lexington had a couple of chances in stoppage time, but DC was able to handle it, and they went to the locker room with the 1-0 halftime lead.

The second half started with DC Power looking to extend their lead and hold off the defending champions. Early on, Loza Abera picked up a yellow card after a tackle on Bourgeois that gave Lexington a free kick opportunity around 30 yards from goal. The wall was able to block Bourgeois’ free kick and the defense did well to end the threat. A couple minutes later, Sam Angel was able to get a shot on the other end, but the shot went high over the crossbar.

In the 59th minute, Captain Susanna Fitch went down with a leg injury, and she could not continue, with Kayla Colbert coming on as a substitute. DC continued to be aggressive, and a few minutes after the restart, DC Power capitalized. In the 68th minute, Emily Colton was able to force a turnover on the pass back, and she got the ball and dribbled down the field. Entering the box, she was able to avoid the chasing defender to put a shot past Ryan Campbell into the bottom left corner of the net. That goal was Colton’s final action in the match, giving DC Power the 2-0 lead as Emily Colton was subbed off for Tatum Thomason.

A couple of minutes after the restart, Katie Cappelletti gave Lexington a chance to get back in the match when she made a careless tackle inside the box, her second of the match. The referee immediately blew the whistle for a penalty. Addie McCain, the Gainbridge Super League all-time leader in goals scored, stepped up to take the penalty for Lexington, but she pushed her attempt wide of the net to bail DC Power out and preserve the two-goal lead.

DC continued to press while also doing their best to keep Lexington in front of them. Alyssa Walker and Mak Whitham came on to help keep the team aggressive up front and push for more goals. In the 90th minute, DC had another chance when Ryan Campbell came out of the box to block a shot and the rebound fell to Gianna Gourley with Campbell well off her line. Gourley tried to chip it from 30 yards, but it went just over the bar. Just a few seconds later, Mak Whitham had a chance but the shot went just wide.

DC continued to be aggressive, with Justina Gaynor winning the ball quickly on a turnover and firing an incredible shot from 30 yards. Ryan Campbell made a miraculous save, with the ball bouncing off the underside of the crossbar and off Campbell’s hand to somehow stay out of the goal.

Lexington got one back 4 minutes into second half stoppage time when Mac Midgely was able to get a shot off a Hannah White header pass. Cappelletti looked to save the ball, but it was ruled that the ball went just across the line before the save was made to draw Lexington back a goal.

Lexington hoped to get one more, but they weren’t able to get it. The whistle sounded for full time, and DC Power held on for the 2-1 win. With the win, DC Power temporarily occupies second place in the Gainbridge Super League standings after three matches.

DC Power returns home to face Sporting Jacksonville on Friday at Audi Field. They do so with the boost of winning two in a row on the road and will look to replicate that success at home.