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Creative spark and Messi motivation: Ashlyn Puerta steps up for Sporting Jax soccer
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- Creative spark and Messi motivation: Ashlyn Puerta steps up for Sporting Jax soccer
Two weeks, two goals, 18 years old.
The start of Ashlyn Puerta's professional soccer career is one for the books, not that she's hungry for the individual spotlight from Sporting Club Jacksonville 's first-ever women's soccer victory .
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"We were just excited and happy for it to all pay off and get the reward," the rookie attacking midfielder said.
Entering Sporting Jax's second home contest against Dallas Trinity, set for 7:30 p.m. Sept. 6 at the University of North Florida's Hodges Stadium, Puerta is fast making her name in the Gainbridge Super League for women's soccer while barely six months past her 18th birthday.
Puerta spearheaded the second-half surge when Sporting Jax captured its first-ever win on Aug. 30 against reigning champion Tampa Bay Sun , 3-2. On the second goal, she drew a foul from a Tampa Bay defender and converted the ensuing penalty kick herself. On the third, she squeezed a narrow-angle shot into the net in a scramble off a corner kick.
"She's a creative spark, and she definitely was a difference-maker," Sporting Jax coach Stacey Balaam said.
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The way things look now, Puerta is a player to watch both in Jacksonville and beyond, maybe far beyond. At the end of spring, she lined up for the United States at the CONCACAF Women's Under-20 Championship in Costa Rica . If she continues her growth, the 2026 Under-20 Women's World Cup in Poland might be in her future.
She's thankful for the opportunity to pursue a future in the pro game as an uplifting teammate with impressive skills. Her target: "a creative player, an exciting player, fun to watch."
Meet the Sporting Jax roster: These are the players for Jacksonville's women's soccer debut
FROM CALIFORNIA TO FLORIDA
Sporting Club Jacksonville midfielder Ashlyn Puerta (19) passes the ball in practice ahead of the Gainbridge Super League women's soccer season on July 15.
Growing up on the opposite coast in San Diego, Puerta soaked in the soccer inspiration from halfway around the planet.
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A lifelong fan of FC Barcelona , she rapidly rattles off the names of current and past club stars who shaped her game: Lamine Yamal , Pedri , Xavi, Andres Iniesta and another present-day transplant to the Sunshine State, Lionel Messi .
"He's so smart, creative, he's just not human," she said. "He is something else."
PrepSoccer.com ranked Puerta as the No. 6 recruit nationwide in the 2024 class, after she reclassified to enter college a year early. Her commitment to Florida State went a long way toward earning the Seminoles the No. 1 recruiting class from several national outlets.
She helped the Seminoles to a national No. 1 seed for the NCAA Women's College Cup tournament, appearing in 21 games (nine starts) with the Seminoles and netting four goals with five assists while getting accustomed to the demands of college soccer.
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"They're very professional in a lot of ways there, especially with nutrition, travel, taking care of your body," she said.
But after only one year in Tallahassee, she tried a more dramatic plunge.
She had competed for Florida Elite Soccer Academy in the United Soccer League's W-League, which primarily fields college players and a few high schoolers during the NCAA off-season on a non-professional basis. The Gainbridge Super League does not conduct a college draft, and as Sporting Jax prepared for its kickoff, the club reached out to Puerta. She decided, at age 18, that the time was right to enter the professional game in Jacksonville.
"I was like, 'OK, let's do it,'" she said. "I talked with [club president] Steve Livingstone and I was really impressed with the project and what they were trying to do here. I thought this could be really cool."
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'IMPACT PLAYERS'
Sporting Jax midfielder Ashlyn Puerta scored her first goal since December against Lexington.
The next step became official on May 21, when Puerta joined defender Georgia Brown in the inaugural signing class at Sporting Jax . When the club kicked off Aug. 23 , she was one of six Sporting starters making their professional debuts.
Two games later, and two goals later, it looks like she belongs.
"Ashlyn just thrives on freedom," Balaam said. "If you give her a little bit of freedom to express herself, give her the chance to get on the ball, she can deliver. She's a special talent."
In week two in Tampa, the one Jacksonville goal that Puerta didn't score might have illustrated her potential most vividly.
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Receiving the ball inside the Sun half, she held off a defender and dribbled 25 yards into the heart of the Tampa Bay defense, then passed to Julia Lester on the right. When Lester returned the pass, Puerta fully understood her surroundings: She deliberately allowed the ball to run past her, drawing Tampa Bay defenders out of position as Meg Hughes blasted Jacksonville's opening goal.
Her learning process enters its next chapter Saturday against Dallas Trinity. The Texas club leads the league with two wins from two matches, with experienced campaigners like Amber Wisner (one cap for the U.S. women) and England 's Chioma Ubogagu .
"The league has gotten better from year one to year two, so every game is going to be a close matchup," Balaam said. "You need those impact players."
Puerta is eyeing a long soccer future as one of those impact players. Built in San Diego and Tallahassee, and now Jacksonville.
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"Honestly," she said, "I just want to keep playing this game as long as I can."
GAINBRIDGE SUPER LEAGUE WOMEN'S SOCCER PREVIEW
Who: Sporting Club Jacksonville vs. Dallas Trinity.
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6.
Where: Hodges Stadium, University of North Florida.
Watch it:TV on WJXT; streaming on Peacock.
Last week:Sporting Jax won 3-2 at Tampa Bay Sun; Dallas won 1-0 vs. Brooklyn FC.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Sporting Club Jacksonville: Ashlyn Puerta's fast women's soccer start
