TAMPA — In the first meeting between the teams since last season’s Super League title match, the Sun played Fort Lauderdale United to a 0-0 tie Saturday night at Suncoast Credit Union Field.

Tampa Bay won 1-0 in June to claim the inaugural championship of the first-division women’s soccer league.

With Saturday’s tie, the Sun ended first-place Fort Lauderdale’s three-game winning streak.

Though Tampa Bay (0-3-3) continues to seek its first win, the match felt like progress, head coach Denise Schilte-Brown said.

“We’d been a different team the last two weeks — a lot of intensity at practice, better possession," the coach said. “The ball just started rolling for the Tampa Bay Sun.”

Schilte-Brown said she was particularly pleased by how her team’s defense handled the high-powered offense of Fort Lauderdale (3-0-3).

That defense, led by Brooke Hendrix, shut down the United’s game plan and prevented them from scoring.

“We made sure they weren’t able to get in behind or find their rhythm,” Hendrix said. “We closed the space down together as a team.”

Though the Sun were unable to score, it wasn’t for a lack of opportunities.

“We had so many chances. The ball was just going across the box,” forward Sydny Nasello said. “It’s about being more clinical and more decisive. Me as well.”

Said Schilte-Brown, “We have so many threats out wide. The runs were there, they just weren’t the correct ones. But it’s coming.”

The Sun were close to full strength for the first time this season after a spate of injuries.

Schilte-Brown said the team’s improved health resulted in better performance and higher confidence within the locker room.

“We don’t believe anybody is better than us. We believe we’re the best team in the league,” she said. “There’s been no disbelief in each other. It’s just been, OK, let’s get to work and get this done.”

Though the match didn’t result in a win, the Sun were encouraged that they seem to be getting back to their game.

“We’re not happy with the one point, but we’re happy with the forward trajectory,” Nasello said. “We’re getting better every single game and buying into that identity.”

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