Sporting Jax women overcome own goal, red card to reclaim first place

Gritty finish: Despite suffering their first-ever own goal and red card, Sporting Club Jacksonville women's soccer rode two goals from Baylee DeSmit and clutch saves from keeper Jamie Gerstenberg to outlast Brooklyn FC 2-1 in their regular season home finale on May 3 at the University of North Florida's Hodges Stadium, returning to the top of the Gainbridge Super League.

Grand Gerstenberg: Gerstenberg, who hadn't played a competitive game for Sporting Jax since Sept. 28, leaped into action following chaos in the 67th minute. After an own goal glanced off Jacksonville defender Georgia Brown and into the net, Sporting Jax goalkeeper Kaitlyn Parks grabbed the loose ball and got entangled in a scuffle with Brooklyn's Rebecca Cooke. Referee Kaitlyn Trowbridge issued a yellow card to Cooke but a red card to Parks, leaving Jacksonville down a player. Gerstenberg entered and denied four Brooklyn shots late to seal the win.

DeSmit delivers: Rookie forward DeSmit, up to 11 goals, converted a 17th-minute penalty kick after turning two defenders and going down under a challenge from Brooklyn midfielder Jennifer Cudjoe near the edge of the box. She netted the decider in the 58th minute, finishing off a pinball sequence inside after quick passes between Meg Hughes and Grace Phillpotts had carved open an attack down the left.

Sporting Club Jacksonville forward Baylee DeSmit (center) celebrates her first goal of the game with teammates including Abby Boyan (9) and Ashlyn Puerta (19) during a Gainbridge Super League women's soccer game against Brooklyn FC on May 3, 2026. [Clayton Freeman/Florida Times-Union]