Bay FC’s Racheal Kundananji tries to move past Orlando defender Julie Doyle at PayPal Park on Sunday. Kundananji scored Bay’s only goal in a 3-1 loss to the Pride. (Supriya Limaye / Bay FC)

By William Espy

SAN JOSE–Bay FC was back at home on Sunday afternoon as they hosted the Orlando Pride. The Pride got scoring help from Haley McCutcheon and Lizbeth Ovalle scored twice for a 3-1 win at Pay Pal Park in San Jose.

Things didn’t get off to a very good start for the home side, as Orlando defender Haley McCutcheon scored in just the second minute to give the Pride a very early lead at PayPal Park.

Bay defender Joelle Anderson saved a second goal, this time off the foot of Barbra Banda, in the fourth minute. Bay had a few attempts on goal in the opening minutes, but they finally got rewarded for their efforts in the 11th minute when Rachael Kundananji was able to tie things up.

The game remained a 1-1 deadlock heading into halftime, but again Bay FC had a slow start to the half and, once again, Orlando capitalized. McCutcheon scored her second of the night in the 47th minute, just two minutes into the second half.

Agostina Holzheier was shown a yellow card in the 86th minute, then Orlando got one shown to Jacqueline Ovalle a minute later. Then, in the 96th minute, Ovalle doubled Orlando’s lead and handed her team a 3-1 victory over Bay.

It was a disappointing loss for Bay FC, which had major implications for the season as a whole.

Bay now sits 14 points outside of a playoff spot, the last of which is currently held by the Seattle Reign and with teams starting to clinch a spot in the postseason, Bay FC has officially been eliminated from contention as they can only get 12 more points. They have two more home games remaining, with the next one against the Portland Thorns on October 18.