Bay FC concluded their home schedule with a challenging result, falling 4-1 to a strong North Carolina Courage.

The match began under intense pressure, as NC Courage quickly secured an early advantage. Manaka Matsukubo netted a swift brace, scoring in the 3rd minute (assisted by Payton Linnehan) and again in the 8th minute (assisted by Meredith Speck), putting Bay FC in an immediate 2-0 hole.

Just before halftime, Bay FC found a crucial moment of breakthrough. Taylor Huff delivered a precise cross into the box, which forward Penelope Hocking expertly finished with a header, cutting the deficit to 2-1 and injecting momentum into the Bay FC attack entering the break.

The second half tested Bay FC’s resolve. NC Courage earned a penalty kick opportunity following a handball inside the box. Goalkeeper Silkowitz came up with a spectacular, leaping save to deny Matsukubo the penalty and a near-hat trick, keeping the scoreline tight momentarily. However, the Courage attack proved too relentless. They extended their lead with a goal from Shinomi Koyama, and Matsukubo was eventually able to complete her hat trick later in the half, putting her at position three in the NWSL Golden Boot Race.

The final score stood at 4-1 in favor of North Carolina Courage. Bay FC now turns its focus to the final match of the season: an away trip against Racing Louisville FC on Saturday, November 2nd.