Superhero Writing

Hey, Reddit, this is my first post, so go easy on me.

Anyway, long story short, I'm working on a superhero novel, and I wanted to get some advice on how I can have a hostage scene without it seeming too cliché or sexist.

Let me explain: I have it so my main character has a crush, but later in the story, he and his crush will get familiar with one another and the two will become friends.

So, when my main character becomes a superhero, the antagonist in my story will kidnap my main character's crush and take her hostage to lure out my main character/superhero.

See, my only problem with this scene is that because his crush is female, I don't want the scene to come off as the classic damsel in distress/sexist stereotype that females are weak and always need to be saved by males.

How can I write this scene without the story seeming like I made a female character only for the point of being kidnapped?