Category: National Women’s Soccer League

Bay FC and North Carolina play to a 1-1 draw at WakeMed Park in Cary NC

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Bay FC were happy to come away with a 1-1 draw against the North Carolina Courage in NWSL action at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary NC on Fri Sep 13, 2024 (Bay FC X photo)

By William Espy

Bay FC was back on the road Friday night as they visited WakeMed Soccer Park to take on the North Carolina Courage who currently sit fifth in the NWSL. Bay’s victory over Racing Louisville last week allowed them to climb into 7th in the league, but the teams trailing weren’t far behind.

As a result, points were a must for them. A loss would put them directly in the clutches of the Chicago Red Stars and Angel City FC, which a tie or win would help them stick with both North Carolina and the Portland Thorns in the standings. Solid performance by Bay FC in a 1-1 draw against North Carolina.

Bay FC Starting XI: Rowland, Dydasco, Menges, Dahlkemper, Malonson, Pickett, Bailey, Boade, Hill, Oshoala, Kundananji Courage Starting XI: Murphy, Berkely, Kurtz, Rauch, Williams, O’Sullivan, Narumi, Sanchez, Lussi, St-Georges, Hopkins

Bay FC got out to an early lead as the surging Asisat Oshoala scored in the ninth minute off of an assist from Tess Boade. The 29-year-old striker has been on fire since the friendly against her former team FC Barcelona, scoring both against Louisville and in this game.

It’s no coincidence that the team has been winning quite a few games now that Oshoala and Rachael Kundananji are seemingly much more comfortable following the Olympic break. Ashley Sanchez tied it up for the Courage in the 28th minute from a difficult angle. The 1-1 tie would be maintained into halftime.

In the 84th minute, Oshoala nearly set up a game-winning goal for Kundananji but she was able to get to the ball with a diving kick attempt and got called for a handball in the process. Caprice Dydasco had a strong run a few minutes later, getting the ball to Oshoala inside the box but her shot sailed well over the goal.

North Carolina were unbeaten at home entering this game, with a home record of 8-0-1 and they were desperately trying to make sure their unbeaten streak continued. A diving header from Feli Rauch nearly gave the Courage the lead in stoppage time, but the aim was just off and it went wide left.

Bay FC got one final attempt with a throw-in in the 96th minute, but were unable to do anything with it. The game ended in a 2-2 draw, which was a phenomenal outcome for the Courage. It marked Bay FC’s first draw of the season, so it’s hard to be upset with a result that at least got them a crucial point.

North Carolina dominated in terms of possession, leading 59% to 41% for Bay FC. In most other areas though, Bay was doing a great chance of producing chances throughout the game. They had a total of 12 shots, six of which were on target compared to the Courage who had seven total, with only two on target.

Although it wasn’t the result Bay FC was undoubtedly hoping for, keeping a top-five team in the league to a draw certainly shows that they have what it takes to make the playoffs interesting if they’re able to secure a spot.

Their next game isn’t going to be much easier either, as they’ll face the so-far unbeaten Orlando Pride at PayPal Park. Luckily for Bay, they’ll have the home field advantage in that matchup, but it hasn’t mattered much to Orlando so far this season.

Asisat Oshoala scores match’s lone goal in Bay FC 1-0 shutout over Racing Louisville at Pay Pal Park

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Bay FC forward Asisat Oshola (8) who scored the match’s only goal is congratulated by defender Caprice Dydasco (3) after Bay FC defeated Racing Louisville at Pay Pal Park in San Jose on Sat Sep 7, 2024 (Bay FC X photo)

By William Espy

SAN JOSE–Bay FC’s inaugural season is starting to wind down, and on Saturday night they played a game that will undoubtedly be crucial for the intense race for the playoffs.

They entered the night sitting in eighth, tied with Angel City for the final playoff spot and took on Racing Louisville FC, the team currently in tenth who would move into sole possession of the final spot if they walked away victorious.

Recently acquired forward Penelope Hocking was starting on the bench for Bay FC, considering the impact Abby Dahlkemper made in her competitive club debut, it would be interesting to see if Hocking could contribute immediately right away if given the chance. Bay FC’s Asisat Oashola scored the match’s only goal in defeating Racing Louisville FC 1-0 Saturday night.

Bay FC Starting XI: Rowland, Dydasco, Menges, Dahlkemper, Malonson, Pickett, Bailey, Boade, Kundananji, Oshoala, Hill

Louisville Starting XI: Lund, Milliet, Wright, Jean, Borges, Sears, Digrande, Beckie, Erceg, Flint, Balcer

Bay FC came right out of the gates with pressure, in the third minute they got a solid opportunity on the counter attack but Rachael Kundananji’s pass into the box was just out of Tess Boade’s reach.

In the 13th minute, Louisville’s goalkeeper, Katie Lund made a phenomenal save to deny Kundananji, then a follow-up opportunity by Dahlkemper was cleared out by a defender in front.

Louisville was starting to create some offense of their own as the half progressed, including one attack that was disrupted by a perfect slide tackle on the edge of the area by Dahlkemper. Bay FC’s new centerback pairing of Emily Menges and Dahlkemper seem to compliment one another perfectly and it’s helping the team significantly.

Lund was forced to make another great diving save in the 22nd minute when she tipped a shot from Rachel Hill over the goal. With neither Deyna Castellanos or Joelle Anderson in the starting eleven, Dorian Bailey took over on corner kicks and seemed to be fairly effective with it.

A hard but clean slide tackle by Kiki Pickett saw Taylor Flint go down in some discomfort in the 24th minute. After some delay, she was able to walk off the field under her own power and ultimately remained in the game.

Hill got her second shot on target of the night in the 28th minute, but it was a fairly easy save for Lund. Menges and Bethany Balcer had an awkward collision in the 29th minute, Menges was initially shaken up a bit but quickly got back to her feet and played on.

Kundananji had a strong run in the 33rd minute, but her chip pass toward Asisat Oshoala was broken up by the defender and got knocked just wide of the goal. A Kundananji pass finally got through to Oshoala moments later after the corner, but Oshoala’s shot hit the side-netting.

Balcers had an opportunity to give Louisville the lead in the 38th minute, but her header went just over the crossbar for a goal kick. Alyssa Malonson showed off her speed in stoppage time, with a phenomenal run from her own half but ultimately nothing came of it. The half came to an end with the game still in a 0-0 deadlock heading into the break.

Bay FC entered the second half with quite a bit of physicality, which was definitely frustrating Louisville. One incident in particular saw a collision between Bailey and Laurent Milliet along the touch line, ultimately resulting in Milliet flipping over the advertisement boards. Hill came off in the 60th minute for the debuting Hocking who got a strong ovation from the crowd at PayPal Park.

Malonson continued to make her mark when it came to get involve offensively, earning a dangerous free-kick in the 65th. Oshoala broke the deadlock in the 76th minute after a great run by Hocking found her in front of the goal, making it 1-0 for the home side. Tess Boade came out after the goal for Deyna Castellanos.

Oshoala was shown the first yellow card of the game following a desperation tackle on Ary Borges, that was quite frankly a reckless play. Oshoala was taken out moments later, with Maddie Moreau entering the match in her place.

Bay absorbed quite a bit of pressure from Lousville in stoppage time, but the defense was holding up well and the offensive players were wasting a lot of time when the ball found their feet.

They would maintain their composure through the seven minutes of stoppage time, and walk away victorious with a final score of 1-0. It moved Bay FC up to seventh in the league table for the time being, and extended their lead over the teams right on their tail.

Dahlkemper, Hill, and Anderson with a goal each in Bay FC win over Portland 3-1

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Bay FC celebrated a road win against the Portland Thorns in NWSL action at Providence Park on Fri Aug 30, 2024 (Bay FC photo)

By William Espy

Bay FC’s inaugural season continued against the Portland Thorns on Friday night as they made their first appearance at Providence Park. It marked the return of Emily Menges to her former stomping grounds for the first time since she was traded to Bay FC in December.

Abby Dahlkemper made her proper Bay FC debut, as her previous appearance against Barcelona was just a friendly. Meanwhile, Australian goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold was making her debut for the Thorns. In the two teams’ only previous meeting, Portland walked away with a 3-2 win at PayPal Park on May 1.

With Savy King out of the lineup as she represents her country in the U20 World Cup in Colombia, Alyssa Malonson who recently signed a three-year contract extension was in the starting eleven for Albertin Montoya. Bay FC got scoring from Dalhkemper, Rachel Hill and Joelle Anderson to defeat the Thorns 3-1.

Bay FC Starting XI: Rowland, Dydasco, Menges, Dahlkemper, Malonson, Bailey, Pickett, Boade, Hill, Oshoala, Kundananji

Thorns Starting XI: Arnold, Reyes, Obaze, Hubly, Payne, Sugita, Coffey, Fleming, Spaanstra, Smith, Moultrie

Dahlkemper made an instant impact with her hometown team, giving them the lead off of a header just eight minutes into the match. She had a strong performance against Barcelona, and it’s clear she’s ready to push Bay FC to the next level and help them make a run toward the playoffs.

It was a night of firsts for Bay FC, as Rachel Hill extended the lead with her first goal with the club in the 17th minute. Menges was disrupting plays consistently defensively, helping prevent Portland’s dangerous offense from creating any high-quality chances.

A terrible play by Katelyn Rowland led to Sophia Smith getting Portland on the board. After some passing back and forth with Dahlkemper, Rowland passed it directly to the Thorns’ striker who put it away to make it 2-1.

Dorian Bailey would get shown a yellow card moments later, giving the Thorns a free kick right outside of the box. Smith’s shot went directly to Rowland who made the save. Portland seemed to score an equalizer in the 42nd minute, but it went to the video assistant referee as Smith was offside and the call was overturned.

Bay FC would maintain their 2-1 lead heading into halftime. They had a strong start to the match, but momentum had swung heavily in Portland’s favor after their goal. Bay was going to need to come out with another strong start in the second half to fend off one of the most dangerous teams in the NWSL.

Bay FC gave Portland another dangerous chance just moments into the second half, when a scramble in front of the goal could’ve easily resulted in a goal but they were able to keep it out of the net. Nicole Payne hit the inside of the goal post in the 48th minute, despite her appeal to the officials that it entered the net, it bounced off the post and out without crossing the line.

Bay were being their own worst enemy since Smith’s goal, and they needed to settle down and maintain composure to prevent handing the opposition more chances. Arnold denied a phenomenal shot by Rachael Kundananji in the 57th minute, preventing Bay from taking a two-goal lead.

Smith came off for Reilyn Turner in the 57th minute as well, a move that Rob Gale certainly didn’t want to make while behind a goal, but he was left with no choice. Joelle Anderson came into the game in the 65th minute for Bailey, which was a wise decision in a physical game when Bailey already had a card.

Rowland made a big save in the 68th minute when Alexa Spaanstra shot it from outside of the box. In the 70th minute, Anderson netted her third of the season to extend Bay’s lead to 3-1 off of a turnover by Kelli Hubly.

Hill recorded her second goal contribution on the night, assisting on the goal. Becky Sauerbrunn, Marie Muller and Payton Linnehan entered the game for Portland in the 75th minute for Obaze, Spaanstra and Coffey. Kundananji came off in the 89th minute for Maddie Moreau.

Caroline Conti entered the game in the 99th minute for Tess Boade, and a couple of minutes later the final whistle was blown. Bay FC entered one of the most difficult stadiums to play as a visitor in the NWSL and walked away with a decisive 3-1 win.

It was a crucial three points for Bay FC as they look to continue to hold off quite a few strong teams who are chasing them for the final playoff spot.

Despite 5-2 loss Bay FC hung with formable foe Barcelona at Pay Pal

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Bay FC’s Tess Boade (12) kicks the ball against FC Barcelona in the first half at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

By William Espy

SAN JOSE–Bay FC hosted an international friendly match against FC Barcelona at PayPal Park on Tuesday night. After a disappointing loss against Utah on Friday, it gave Bay an opportunity to bounce back prior to their next NWSL match against the Portland Thorns in three days time.

With that being said, that opportunity was coming against the best women’s soccer team in the world. It also marked the first time that Asisat Oshoala faced off against her former team following her transfer to Bay FC. Bay FC hung tight with Barcelona in the match despite the three goal loss 5-2.

Bay FC also made a couple of transfers the day before the match, sending Lysianne Proulx to Italian side Juventus and acquiring Bay-Area native Abby Dahlkemper from the San Diego Wave. Dahlkemper was in Albertin Montoya’s starting lineup for this matchup, so she was debuting against a very strong opponent.

Bay FC Starting XI: Rowland, Dydasco, Menges, Dahlkemper, Moreau, Pickett, Bailey, Boade, Kundananji, Oshoala, Hill

Barcelona Starting XI: Gemma, Leon, Fernandez, Graham Hansen, Rolfo, Pajor, Nazareth, Walsh, Engen, Cano, Schertenleib

Oshoala nearly got on the board early, she got past the defense and had only the keeper left to beat but she was at a tight angle and was unable to get it into the net. Rachael Kundananji took a ball to the fact in the 7th minute, after a little difficulty she got back to her feet and continued on.

In the 11th minute, Barcelona got a dangerous ball into the box but nobody was there to get on the end of it and it went out of play for a goal kick. Overall, Bay FC was doing a phenomenal job limiting chances for Barcelona and creating their own.

Oshoala got her goal after intercepting a pass from Gemma to her defense, giving Oshoala a wide-open net. Barcelona evened it up in the 22nd minute with a goal by Kika Nazareth that ricocheted off of the goalpost and in, giving Katelyn Rowland no chance to make the save.

Oshoala nearly got a second one in the 30th minute, but her shot went wide right. In the 32nd minute, Tess Boade fired a shot from distance, which was saved by Gemma but bounced right to Kundananji who put it away to make it 2-1 in favor of Bay FC.

Kundananji and Rachel Hill were substituted for Deyna Castellanos and Caroline Conti, following the goal. Barcelona once again evened the game up, this time Caroline Graham Hansen put it away to make it 2-2.

That score would hold until the break, and it would head into halftime tied. Despite the tied score, the game already seemed like a victory for Bay FC as they had proven they could hang with the best team in the world. Now, it was a matter of getting the actual result as well.

Bay FC made a multitude of changes for the second half, having a majority of their bench enter the match. Barcelona made a few substitutions of their own but most of their stars remained on the bench. Catherine Paulson who was signed to fill Savy King’s roster spot while she’s representing the United States U20 team came into the match making her debut with the team.

In the 51st minute, Ewa Pajor got a shot off inside the box that had potential to give Barcelona the lead, but it went just wide. Barcelona’s sensational passing nearly gave them the lead in the 64th minute, but a great save by Emmie Allen followed by a blocked shot and another great save by Allen kept the game a 2-2 tie.

Barcelona took the lead off of a corner kick and from there, they brought on quite a few of their top players including Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas. Bay FC had already substituted off all of their starting eleven, as a result, the remainder of the game seemed like it should go in Barcelona’s favor.

Alyssa Malonson had a great run in the 78th minute, but she went down off of a bit of a push and was unable to get a shot away. Bonmati showed tremendous sportsmanship when Allen went down with an apparent leg injury and she helped the opposing goalkeeper stretch out.

Allen made another fantastic save in the 85th minute. Allen really shined, making a couple of other saves late in the game. She made a few mistakes but overall played really well for the majority of the second half.

A long shot by Claudia Pina after a corner gave Barcelona a 4-2 lead in stoppage time. Patri Guijarro added another in the 93rd minute to make it 5-2 and that would end up being the final score. Although Bay FC lost, they proved that they could hang with any competition in the world on any given night.

Bay FC podcast with William Espy: Bay needs to jell to stay in playoff hunt

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Bay FC Asisat Oshoala is expected to be one of the big star players in the NWSL (Punchng.com file photos)

On the Bay FC podcast with William Espy:

#1 Bay FC is playing Barcelona on Tuesday and it marks Asisat Oshoala’s first game against her former team. How important will that game be for her future performances? 

#2 Maddie Moreau had a strong performance in the Summer Cup, how should Bay FC proceed with her development?

#3 Bay FC has lost to Utah twice so far this season, considering the Royals have only won three games in total this season, what went wrong?

#4 Savy King is leaving the team to play for the United States at the U-20 World Cup in Colombia, how can they fill that gap for the time being? 

#5 Bay FC is currently in the final playoff spot, with just 9 regular season games left how can they hold off teams like San Diego and Angel City?

#6 The NWSL and the union have come to an agreement for a new CBA on Thu Aug 22. Could you please discuss some of the player benefits.

William Espy is a beat writer for Bay FC Futbol at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Bay FC falls short against Utah Royals 2-1; Four loss for Bay in last 5 games

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Bay FC forward Racheal Kundananji takes off down field against the Utah Royals at America First Field in Sandy UT on Fri Aug 23, 2024 (photo from Bay FC X)

By William Espy

Bay FC’s inaugural regular season continued after the Olympic break and Summer Cup with a match against the Utah Royals on Friday night. Entering the match, Bay FC found themselves sitting in the final playoff spot for the time being, while Utah was last in the league. It turned out to be another tough night for Bay losing their fourth in their last five games 2-1 at America First Field in Sandy Utah.

After a strong Summer Cup though, the Royals were looking to get things on the right track for the remainder of the season. It was another battle of the top two picks in the 2024 NWSL Draft, which will now be known as the final draft in league history as Ally Sentnor and Savy King took the field against one another just days before they become teammates for the United States U20 team.

Bay FC Starting XI: Rowland, King, Beattie, Menges, Dydasco, Bailey, Pickett, Castellanos, Kundananji, Boade, Hill

Utah Starting XI: Haught, Griffitts, Del Fava, Riehl, Pogarch, Tejeda, Zornoza, Tanaka, Sentnor, Monaghan, Betfort

Just 30 seconds into the game, Rachael Kundananji went down in considerable pain after getting her toes stepped on and received medical attention just moments into the match. She would remain in the game though after a short delay.

In the sixth minute, she’d get Bay FC their first opportunity of the night after a strong run into the box which ultimately ended with a shot by Dorian Bailey. Katelyn Rowland got tested for the first time in the 10th minute when Hannah Betfort took the ball from her own end of the pitch into Bay FC’s box and fired a shot on the Bay FC goalkeeper who made the save.

Jen Beattie made a few mistakes in the opening minutes of the match, but seemed to get stronger as the game went on denying Sentnor of a scoring chance in the 12th minute. Tess Boade got her first chance in the 13th minute after a phenomenal run that resulted from a perfect through-ball from Kundananji, however the shot would go just wide.

Kundananji seemingly gave Bay FC the lead in the 18th minute, however, Mandy Haught’s clearance attempt hit her in the hand and it was ruled a handball so the game remained 0-0. Rachel Hill nearly got on the board in the 23rd minute, but the long shot was deflected out for a corner.

Overall, Bay FC was clearly the better team in the first 25 minutes, maintaining 65% of possession but the game was still scoreless. Betfort and Beattie collided at midfield around the half-hour mark, leaving Betfort in major discomfort but she remained in the game. It remained a 0-0 heading into the break, as neither team had been able to break the deadlock.

Paige Monaghan gave Utah the lead just moments into the 48th minute, with a shot just outside of the box. Rowland nearly got a hand on it, but her reflexes were just a millisecond too late. Once again, Utah was leading over Bay FC who for whatever reason had been unable to score against the Royals up to this point in the season.

Emily Menges’s own goal gave Utah a 2-0 lead. It was a disastrous opening to the second half for Bay FC, and now they had a major uphill battle to get back into the match. Bay nearly got on board in the 58th minute but Mina Tanaka swept it away on the goal line.

Tanaka exited her NWSL debut for Cloe LaCasse to make her Utah debut in the 60th minute while Amandine Henry entered for Zornoza. Alyssa Malonson and Asisat Oshoala entered the match for Deyna Castellanos and King in the 66th minute.

Betfort got behind the defense in the 69th minute, but Rowland came well out of the box to beat her to the ball and clear it out for a throw-in. The surging Maddie Moreau entered the match in the 76th minute for Jen Beattie.

Kundananji finally got her goal in the 83rd minute off of a great cross from Rachel Hill, making it 2-1 in favor of Utah with very limited time remaining. Ten minutes of stoppage time were awarded after the 90 minutes were completed, giving Bay FC a significant amount of time to get an equalizer.

Oshoala nearly got an equalizer in the final minute off of a corner kick, but Utah got another goal line clearance to maintain their lead and walk away with a 2-1 victory. Utah swept the season series, and as a result, Bay FC dropped important points to the team at the bottom of the table on two separate occasions.

Bay FC picks up key win edge Club America 2-1 at Pay Pal Park

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Aug 2, 2024; San Jose, CA, USA; Bay FC defender Maddie Moreau (24) and Club America forward Noemi Granados (6) battle for the ball during the first half at PayPal Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

SAN JOSE–Bay FC had a familiar face return to PayPal Park on Friday night as Scarlett Camberos, who recently departed from the club, returned with her new team Club America for the NWSL x Liga MXF Summer Cup. Head coach Albertin Montoya went with a slightly more experienced lineup than we’d seen previously in the Cup, but Maddie Moreau, who has certainly impressed over the course of the tournament, remained in the starting 11. Bay FC picked up the win Friday night just getting by Club America 2-1.

Bay FC Starting XI: Rowland, Dydasco, Menges, Beattie, Moreau, Malonson, Pickett, Bailey, Hill, Boade, Castellanos

Club America Starting XI: Panos, Rodriguez, Granados, Guerrero, Hernandez, Orejel, Avilez, Enciso, Luebbert, Palacios, Camberos

The game started off with quite a bit of physicality and it seemed to center around Tess Boade early in that regard, which isn’t unordinary with her style of play. Bay were creating chances in the opening minutes but Club America were defending responsibly.

Moreau got her second professional goal just seven minutes into the match, when the ball landed at her feet with an empty net directly in front of her. She has been earning Montoya’s trust, and it’s well deserved.

Camberos launched an attack for Club America in the 10th minute, but her former teammate Emily Menges defended her perfectly kicking the ball out for a corner that was caught by Katelyn Rowland. In the 18th minute, Bay had another prime scoring opportunity as the ball went straight through the box but nobody was there to tap it into the netting.

Moments later, the ball found Kiki Pickett, but her shot went wide of the goal. Club America got their best opportunity to this point in the match in the 23rd minute when they were able to cross it across the box a couple of times, but were unable to make anything of it.

Besides Camberos, it seemed like their most involved player was Nicolette Hernandez who fired a shot on target whenever she got an opportunity to do so. Noemi Granados nearly gifted Bay a goal in the 25th minute as she slipped with the ball at her feet, handing it to Boade who created a 2-on-1 rush with Rachel Hill but Club America was able to recover defensively.

Camberos scored in her return to PayPal Park in the 29th minute off of a pass from Sarah Luebbert. It was a moment that seemed somewhat inevitable, and she was able to accomplish it very early on. Bay FC had been playing well up until the goal, and it was vital that they didn’t let a single moment derail their performance.

The summer of Moreau nearly continued with a goal in the 38th minute, but her shot went just wide. The first half came to an end after 45 minutes, with no stoppage time and a 1-1 tie.

Joelle Anderson and Jordan Brewster entered the match to start the second half for Bay FC with Boade and Menges coming out as a result. Deyna Castellanos tried to restore her team’s lead in the 48th minute with a powerful shot from outside of the box, and although a diving Sandra Panos wasn’t able to get in front of it, it went just wide of the goal.

Club America nearly got a lead of their own when Luebbert got behind the defense but was slightly tripped up and ended up falling into the goal while Rowland gathered the ball. Rachel Hill was taken down inside the box in the 50th minute, but to the dismay of the crowd, a foul wasn’t called by the official. Bay FC regained the lead in the 53rd minute, as a Jen Beattie header placed the ball right on the goal line following a corner and Dorian Bailey toe-poked it into the goal.

Club America attempted to equalize it in the 55th minute with a header of their own, but it went just over the crossbar. Castellanos came out in the 60th minute for Princess, while Aylin Avilez came out for Miah Zuazua.

Princess immediately got a scoring chance in the 61st minute, but her touch knocked the ball slightly out of reach of a shot and as a result, Panos was able to take away her shooting angle. Granados and Leubbert came out for Club America in the 64th minute with Nancy Antonio and Natalia Mauleon entering the match.

Albertin Montoya made another change in the 68th minute when Caprice Dydasco came out for Savy King. Bailey got another opportunity in the 70th minute but once again, her first touch was too heavy and the ball bounced to the goalkeeper Panos.

Camberos nearly got her second of the night in the 77th minute, but the shot went wide of the goal. Rowland went down in the 82nd minute and received some medical attention before getting back up to her feet and remaining in the game.

A collision between Princess and Sabrina Enciso in the 88th minute saw Enciso go down in considerable difficulty before she ultimately got back up and stayed in the match.

There were four minutes of stoppage time awarded at the 90-minute mark, meaning a Bay FC victory was very close, they just needed to hang on for a few more minutes. Moreau seemed to be cramping up around this point in the match, as she went down for a moment while by herself but got back up and played with no further difficulty.

Camberos was tackled inside the box in the 92nd minute, but once again the official decided there was no foul on the play. Time eventually ran out for Club America, and Bay FC walked away with their first and only victory of the Summer Cup, with a 2-1 final score at PayPal Park.

Bay FC blanked by Angel City in NWSL X Liga MXF Summer Cup 2-0

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Bay FC battled in their NWSL X Liga MXF Summer Cup match with Angel City FC at Pay Pal Park in San Jose on Fri Jul 26, 2024 but lost their second match in the Cup (photo by Bay FC)

By William Espy

SAN JOSE–Bay FC looked to bounce back and get some points on the board in the NWSL X Liga MXF Summer Cup on Friday night when they hosted Angel City FC. Bay lost their second match in the Femenil Summer Cup at Pay Pal Park 2-0 to Angel City.

Bay FC Starting XI: Rowland, King, Brewster, Sharples, Moreau, Bailey, Shepherd, Conti, Hill, Doms, Castellanos Angel City Starting XI: Anderson, Vignola, Reid, Gorden, Fuller, Dougherty Howard, Hammond, Emslie, Thompson, Spencer, Bright

Rachel Hill nearly got Bay FC an early lead, when a fantastic through-ball found her with only the goalkeeper to beat however Angelina Anderson made the save, knocking the ball out for a corner. The corner led to a scramble in front of the goal, and Maya Doms put a shot on target causing Anderson to make a second save to tip the ball over the night.

Off the second straight corner, Savy King’s pass found a player in front, but Anderson once again made the stop. Angel City got a chance of their own in the fifth minute when Dorian Bailey slipped while defending but the shot sailed over the goal.

Maddie Moreau was continuing her strong performance in the Cup, making a few solid defensive plays early in the night. Deyna Castellanos nearly scored a phenomenal goal in the 10th minute when Anderson was outside of her box.

Castellanos shot it from midfield, however it was just off-target and went to the right of the net. Bailey had another great opportunity in the 15th minute, but the ball rolled just enough to throw her shot off and it went out of play.

Bay FC came out of the gate very strong, maintaining possession and generating quite a few scoring opportunities while preventing Angel City from getting many of their own. Overall, they were playing well up and down the entirety of the pitch. It seemed like Bay could easily be leading by two or 3 goals. After a freekick in a dangerous area though, an own goal by Bailey put them down a goal in the 18th minute.

Madison Hammond got shown the first yellow card of the night in the 22nd minute when she grabbed Doms with two hands from behind. Caroline Conti forced Anderson to make another save in the 25th minute, and Bay was starting to get momentum back on their side after the energy had been taken out of PayPal Park following the goal.

There was a break in play as Anderson got evaluated for a potential head injury following a collision with Hill. Angel City nearly extended their lead in the 37th minute when King slipped inside the box trying to clear the ball, but Kayla Sharples was able to press the shooter a bit and force a rushed shot that trickled out of play.

Mary Alice Vignola got another opportunity for Angel City in the 38th but the shot went just over the crossbar. Sharples made a fantastic sliding block in the 41st minute, on a shot that could’ve easily gotten past Rowland.

As the first half reached stoppage time Bay desperately attempted to tie it before halftime, creating quite a few chances late in the half. They were unable to accomplish their goal though and entered the break still trailing by a goal.

Rowland needed medical attention roughly a minute into the second half after a collision with Claire Emslie. Bay FC’s goalkeeper was trying to play the ball inside her box, while Emslie slid directly into her trying to play the ball.

After a few moments, Rowland was back to her feet and remained in the match. Emslie was shown a yellow card for the dangerous play. Rowland got tested almost immediately after and made the save. Emslie would end up extending Angel City’s lead to 2-0 in the 54th minute.

Although it seems that Bay FC manager Albertin Montoya is taking a development approach to this Cup rather than attempting to win it, he certainly had to be disappointed in how the game was turning out. Sharples and King kept up the aggressive defending that we’d seen from them all night as we approached the hour mark, both were pulling off sensational slide tackles to deny their opposition scoring chances.

Bay made three substitutions in the 61st minute taking off Hill, Doms, and Castellanos for Alyssa Malonson, Princess, and Kiki Pickett. The substitutes attempted to make an impact right out of the gate, creating some pressure in the offensive third of the pitch.

Angel City made a substitution of their own in the 65th minute with Casey Phair entering the match for Messiah Bright. Montoya responded moments later taking off Jamie Shepherd for Joelle Anderson. Conti fired a long shot in the 69th minute following a pass from Princess,it was a great effort but went over the goal.

It’s certainly worth noting, Sharples really stepped up into a leadership role in this game. With a majority of the typical leaders out of the lineup, she was truly leading by example and putting her body on the line to make an impact. Princess nearly scored off of a cross in the 77th minute, but the shot went into the side netting after a deflection off the goalkeeper.

Ultimately Bay FC wouldn’t be able to complete a comeback and were shutout by Angel City, with a final score of 2-0.

San Diego hands Bay FC second straight loss 3-1 at Snapdragon

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Hard as they tried Bay FC couldn’t overcome the San Diego Wave at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego on Sat Jul 20, 2024 (Bay FC image)

By William Espy

Bay FC visited the San Diego Wave on Saturday night to start the Summer Cup. With a few of their players off to play in the Olympics, and a few others out of the lineup for other reasons, Bay was running with a much different starting eleven than we’ve seen previously.

San Diego had a highly motivated Alex Morgan in the lineup, as she was left off the United States Olympic Team. Emmie Allen was making the first start of her professional career between the pipes for Bay. Bay FC couldn’t hold on losing in a two goal match 3-1 at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego.

Bay FC Starting XI: Allen, Brewster, Beattie, Moreau, Dydasco, Bailey, Shepherd, Castellanos, Doms, Conti, Hill

Wave Starting XI: Beall, McNabb, Westphal, Dahlkemper, Wesley, McCaskill, Colaprico, Doniak, Bennett, Sanchez, Morgan

Allen got forced into action early, making a great save in the 6th minute while she was assisted by defender Jordan Brewster who was also making her first start with Bay FC. Bay spent a majority of the opening minutes with the ball around their box, but they were defending very well despite a few young defenders and midfielders.

15 minutes into the game, Allen went down with an apparent injury but she got back on her feet and remained in the game. Katelyn Rowland was on the bench if necessary, but the 21-year-old Allen certainly needed to make the most of her opportunity.

She certainly was doing so, making another save, this time on Alex Morgan in the 26th minute. A nice passing play nearly gave Bay the lead in the 28th minute, and Deyna Castellanos put it away with a nice finish but the play was called offside. Albertin Montoya was trying something new, playing with Castellanos as a false nine which was seemingly working early in the match.

Around the halfway point in the first half, things seemed to switch a bit. The Wave were carrying momentum and bringing heavy pressure early on, but Bay was starting to swing things in their favor. Dydasco made a phenomenal block in the 31st minute, preventing a quality scoring chance by San Diego.

Kristen McNabb picked up a yellow card in the 36th minute for San Diego when she tripped up Dydasco in midfield. A jumping Jordan Brewster and Makenzy Doniak collided in midfield moments later, leaving Doniak down in some pain and Brewster no worse for wear.

Doniak got back to her feet and remained in the match for the time being. San Diego got a dangerous chance in the 40th minute when Jen Beattie went down leaving it a 2-on-1 with Brewster as the long defender back. Brewster handled it very well though and prevented San Diego from getting on the board.

Rachel Hill created a great chance with hard work in the 42nd, as the Wave tried to hold out for a goal kick as the ball drifted out of play but Hill hustled, got a foot on the ball, and centered it to Castellanos who was unable to finish it off.

Moments later, Bay got their strongest opportunity of the night as Maddie Moreau and Hill got past the defense, but Moreau’s pass was just out of Hill’s reach and went out of play. San Diego took the lead in stoppage time off of a corner, Maria Sanchez whipped it into the head of Kennedy Wesley and Allen had no chance to make a save. It marked the Wave’s first goal since June 19th and Wesley’s first professional goal.

Joelle Anderson entered the game early in the second half for Bay FC, taking over for Maya Doms. Bay got a chance around the 50th minute when a cross from Moreau found Castellanos in front of the goal but it went wide of the goal following a weak shot.

Sanchez scored her first goal with the Wave in the 53rd minute on a long shot that went well over Allen’s head, giving her no chance to make the save once again. Allen was playing at a high level in her first career start, but unfortunately, there was nothing she could do on either of the goals Bay had conceded.

Anderson continued trying to make an impact after entering the game, getting a solid shot just a few minutes later. Moreau got Bay FC on the board in the 63rd minute following a bad clearing attempt by the Wave’s goalkeeper Beall.

It was a great moment for Moreau, who was undrafted in the 2024 NWSL Draft but still scored in her rookie season. Chaos inside Bay FC’s box in the 80th minute gave San Diego a 3-1 lead. Allen originally made the save, but with nobody in between the ball and Amirah Ali, Ali was able to retrieve the ball and put it away.

All things considered, Bay played well with a young lineup against an experienced Wave team. Bay was awarded a penalty at the start of stoppage time when Dydasco went down hard inside of the box.

Castellanos stepped up to take it, and Beall read the shot perfectly, denying the attempt. San Diego walked away with their first win in 10 games, as they defeated Bay FC 3-1 and now leads their group in the Summer Cup.

That’s the Spirit Bay FC shutout by Washington 3-0 at Pay Pal Park

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As hard as they tried Bay FC couldn’t get on the scoreboard and were shutout by the visiting Washington Spirit at Pay Pal Park in San Jose on Sat Jul 6, 2023 (photo by Bay FC)

By William Espy

SAN JOSE–Bay FC hosted the Washington Spirit in their final game before the Olympic break. Bay was looking to extend their winning streak to three games, while the Spirit looked to pull closer to the Orlando Pride and Kansas City Current in the standings.

Bay has a couple of ties with the Spirit, as head coach Albertin Montoya was previously their interim coach, while midfielder Dorian Bailey previously played for them. After winning two games in a row and winning three of their last five games Bay FC were shutout at Pay Pal Park 3-0 by the Spirit in Saturday night’s match.

Bay FC Starting XI: Rowland, King, Menges, Sharples, Malonson, Castellanos, Pickett, Bailey, Kundananji, Oshoala, Hill

Spirit Starting XI: Kingsbury, Krueger, Butel, McKeown, Carle, Hershfelt, Sullivan, Rodman, Bethune, Morris, Sarr

In the third minute, Katelyn Rowland got very lucky to only get a yellow card when she came out to play the ball and took out the attacker’s legs. It could’ve easily been more than that, which would’ve certainly put Bay FC in a difficult spot very early on.

They weren’t overly lucky though, as just moments later Washington would make it 1-0 off of a shot from Makenna Morris. Before the match even started, it was clear that Bay would be fighting an uphill battle as they looked to knock off the third-placed team in the NWSL but now it was going to be even more difficult.

Morris was tripped inside the box by Alyssa Malonson in the 17th minute and was awarded a penalty. Upon review, it appeared that Morris tripped over her own leg, but the penalty stood Trinity Rodman stepped up to take it and scored, making it 2-0 for Washington just 20 minutes into the match.

In the 24th minute, Deyna Castellanos appeared to take an elbow to the head after a battle with Hal Hershfelt in midfield. Due to the nature of the impact, she had to get taken a look at by the medical staff but she remained in the game.

Not only did Castellanos remain in the game, but she got Bay FC’s best opportunity of the night so far in the 29th minute. Bailey had a long shot that nearly found the back of the net in the 32nd minute but went wide. Malonson was playing a very physical game, and although the penalty was a low point for her, she was doing very well winning battles and regaining possession for Bay.

Unfortunately, most people will forget her solid play and focus on the mistake. Once the 45 minutes elapsed, the officials added ten minutes of stoppage time leaving plenty of opportunities for Bay to score a goal and get back in the game, or for the Spirit to essentially put the game out of reach early on. Late in stoppage time, Rodman slipped with the ball and continued on but had a significant limp.

Rachael Kundananji nearly got Bay on the board just after the start of the second half, but her shot sailed wide. Malonson picked up an apparent ankle injury in the 51st minute and Caprice Dydasco was ready to enter the match if necessary but remained on the bench for the time being.

Washington extended their lead in the 57th minute in the midst of a counter attack when Ouleymata Sarr got past Kayla Sharples and gave Rowland no chance to make the save. The crucial third goal of the match went to the Spirit, and with a half hour remaining the game seemed out of reach for Bay.

After adding to their lead, Washington made some adjustments taking off Sarr, Sullivan and Morris for Hatch, Metayer, and Brown. In the 66th, Bay made some changes of their own with Malonson coming out for Dydasco and Tess Boade coming in for Castellanos.

In the 72nd, they made another change taking off Asisat Oshoala for Princess. Five minutes later, Washington took off Bethune for Stainbrook. Bay continued playing aggressively though, and Sharples picked up a yellow card in the 81st minute before getting a scoring chance just a few minutes later.

Once again, ten minutes of stoppage time were awarded at the end of the half. Once all was said and done, Bay FC would walk away with their second defeat of the season against the Spirit, this time with a final score of 3-0. It certainly wasn’t how Montoya wanted his squad to head into the break, but they’ll have plenty of time to prepare for their road trip in the second half of August.