Bay FC Faces 14th Straight Loss in Home Finale Against Courage

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Bay FC‘s struggles continued on Friday night as the team suffered a 4-1 defeat against the North Carolina Courage at PayPal Park. This marked the team’s 14th game without a win, with midfielder Tess Boade noting it had been 132 days since their last victory.

The loss was highlighted by a remarkable performance from North Carolina forward Manaka Matsukubo, who scored a hat-trick in just eight minutes. The early goals left Bay FC’s supporters in disbelief, struggling to find hope as the team faltered on home turf.

Despite some moments of individual brilliance, Bay FC’s overall play was lackluster. Head coach Albertin Montoya acknowledged the team’s struggles this season, where they had recently been eliminated from playoff contention following a draw against the Seattle Reign.

Montoya described Friday’s performance as uncharacteristic, stating, “This is a rare game for us because more often than not, our losses are one-goal games. We’re in every game.” He emphasized his desire for the team to return to their usual form.

The coach took responsibility for the outcome, admitting, “I got the tactics wrong today.” Montoya sought to reward players who had put in extra effort this season, leading to unexpected starting placements for forwards Catherine Paulson and Jamie Shepherd over regular starters.

Although Matsukubo’s quick goals set the tone, Bay FC managed a flicker of hope with Penelope Hocking‘s header late in the first half, marking her first goal since returning from injury.

The second half began with a penalty awarded to North Carolina, allowing Matsukubo a chance for her third goal, which she ultimately secured after a save from Bay FC’s goalkeeper, Jordan Silkowitz, briefly reignited crowd support.

However, North Carolina quickly took control again, with Shinomi Koyama adding to their score before Matsukubo completed her hat-trick.

Reflecting on the ongoing challenges, Boade remarked on the psychological toll of a losing streak, stating, “Every pro league has a few teams every year that you just get stuck behind losing, and it’s hard to relate to unless you’ve been in it.”

Bay FC has one final opportunity to secure a victory this season against Racing Louisville on November 1.