The 2025 NWSL regular season has been a nail-biting campaign, with every match representing a high-pressure competition for a top spot in the standings. NWSL league leaders and impact players rewrote the record books and set a new standard for excellence on the field.
Now, the regular season is pushing toward the end and the fight for playoff berths has become even more consequential. Amidst the team’s competition, players are also climbing the ranks for individual honors, including the race for the Golden Boot or a spot on the prestigious Best XI teams.
Bay FC, with top NWSL athletes of their own, is preparing to play some of the league’s most impactful players: the game-changers, the record-setters and those aiming to cement their place among the elite. They will face these league leaders in their final three home matches against Gotham FC, Utah Royals FC and the North Carolina Courage.
Gotham FC’s League Leaders
Gotham FC has shown out this season with talent spread across the field. Goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger is one of the most reliable shot-stoppers in the league, currently ranking third in Goals Against Average at 0.90 across 19 matches. While Portland Thorn FC’s Bella Bixby (.57) and Kansas City Current’s Lorena (.59) sit above her in the rankings, Berger has played more matches than either and has proven her consistency through a heavier workload.
Gotham also leans on defender Emily Sonnett’s distribution. Sonnett currently ranks fifth as a league leader in total passes with 1,085 completed passes. She ranks just behind Orlando Pride’s Emily Sams, who leads with 10 more completed passes. Sonnett quickly moves the ball under pressure, linking the backline and the midfield.
Further forward, all eyes will be on Esther González, who is firmly in the Golden Boot race. With 12 goals in 18 matches, she is head-to-head with Kansas City’s Temwa Chawinga, who has tallied 12 goals in 19 matches played. González also ranks fourth in total shots, seven behind Bay FC’s Racheal Kundananji. Moreover, Gonzáles is ranked third in shots on target, trailing closely behind Chawinga and Orlando Pride’s Barbra Banda. Every touch González takes at PayPal Park could have implications for the scoring charts.
Be there at PayPal Park on September 13 to see Bay FC host Gotham FC in a match that could reshape the players’ standings as league leaders, with Bay FC’s Kundananji in position to climb the shots leaderboard.
Utah Royals FC Impact Players
Utah Royals FC may not feature as many league leaders statistically, but they will enter The Bay in strong form, having maintained an unbeaten streak through their last four matches. Forward Paige Monaghan made an impact in that run by recently scoring a stoppage-time equalizer against North Carolina Courage to secure a 1–1 draw. This was her second goal in their two most recent matches. Monaghan found her footing in a crucial point in the season and will look to carry on that momentum through the final stretch of the regular season.
Equally important is forward Cloé Lacasse’s return to Utah Royals. She recently made her first regular season start since a season-ending injury in 2024, and her comeback has been a turning point for the Royals. In her first match back, she was directly involved in Utah’s win over the Portland Thorns by constantly stretching the defense and generating scoring chances. Lacasse’s return gives the Royals an added attacking dimension and makes them far more dangerous than their early-season record suggests.
Head to PayPal Park September 27 when Bay FC hosts the Utah Royals. Watch to see how Utah performs with Monaghan and Lacasse strengthening their attack.
North Carolina Courage League Leaders
North Carolina Courage’s midfielder Manaka Matsukubo found her spot as a league leader this 2025 NWSL season. She currently sits fifth in the league for shots on target, recording 21 shots in 19 games played. Matsukubo’s ability to test defenses from range forces opponents to stay compact and on their toes.
At the back, defender Kaleigh Kurtz serves as the starting point for much of North Carolina’s buildup play. At 1,146 passes, she ranks third in the NWSL for completed passes, just a handful shy of Orlando Pride’s Kylie Nadanar who is at 1,158 passes in 17 matches played. Kurtz has always been a top competitor in this field. In 2024, she broke the NWSL record for passes completed in a season. Kurtz’s poise from the backline ensures that Courage maintains one of the highest possession rates in the league.
Come out to PayPal Park on October 17 when Bay FC takes on NC Courage in their last home match of the 2025 regular season. See if NC Courage leaders Matsukubo and Kurtz can hold their spots on the league leaderboards as the regular season comes to a close.
See the League’s Best at PayPal Park
When these challenging teams head to PayPal Park, they’ll face one of the loudest home crowds in the league. More importantly, the opponents will take on Bay FC’s own impactful players, including goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz. Silkowitz is multi-time winner of the NWSL Save of the Week and recently earned the honor for a spectacular save to deny Temwa Chawinga of the NWSL’s number one-ranked team, Kansas City Current.
These home matches represent more than the final matches of the 2025 regular season. They are an opportunity to see how Bay FC will take on some of the NWSL’s most impactful players and to see how the league leader standings will shake out.
Don’t miss the competition during Bay FC’s final home matches at PayPal Park. Secure your tickets today!
