Kiki Pickett, Joelle Anderson score goals in front of 35,038 fans to earn fourth win of the season
CHICAGO (June 8, 2024) – Bay FC scored a goal in each half, earning a 2-1 win against the Chicago Red Stars in front of a record-setting NWSL crowd of 35,038 fans at Wrigley Field on Saturday evening. Kiki Pickett scored her first goal of the season, while Joelle Anderson tallied the game-winning goal in the 79th minute to help Bay FC earn their fourth win of the 2024 campaign.
Pickett Factor
Pickett tallied her first career professional goal in her 35th career regular season contest. It was Pickett’s fourth straight start for club. She has tallied one goal and one assist in those matches. Bay FC have also recorded two wins in those matches. Notably, Pickett is the seventh player to record at least one goal and one assist for the club this campaign.
Attacking Depth
With her goal, Pickett became the 10th player to tally a goal for Bay FC this season. Only Kansas City (15) has more players with a goal in 2024. Anderson recorded her second goal of the season becoming the sixth player to register multiple goals for the club. Bay FC’s six players with multiple goals this campaign is tied for second-most with only the Washington Spirit having more players (7) with multiple goals.
Goal-Scoring Plays
BAY – Kiki Pickett, 25th minute: Working down the left field of the side, Alyssa Malonson’s pass to Racheal Kundananji was redirected by a Chicago player to Kiki Pickett just outside the box. Pickett turned and fired a curling strike inside the right post.
BAY – Joelle Anderson, 79th minute: Dorian Bailey delivered a cross from the right side near the edge of the six-yard box in front of the goal. Chardonnay Curran attempted to clear the ball near her goal line, but Joelle Anderson crashed the goal and blocked it into the net.
CHI – Penelope Hocking (Shea Groom), 90+3: Chicago played a long ball into the box from deep on the right wing. The ball bounced off Shea Groom’s head before landing at the feet of Penelope Hocking, who finished from close range.
Notes:
- Kiki Pickett scored her first career professional goal in the match.
- Pickett is the 10th player to score a goal for Bay FC this season.
- Bay FC have the second-most goal scorers in the league only Kansas City (15) has more and double-digit scorers in 2024.
- Pickett has a goal contribution (1G, 1A) in two of her last three games.
- Pickett is the seventh player to record at least one goal and one assist for the club this campaign.
- Joelle Anderson scored her second goal of the season. She is the only Bay FC player with multiple goals and multiple assists this season.
- Anderson is the sixth player to register multiple goals for Bay FC in 2024. Only the Washington Spirit have more players (7) with multiple goals.
- Bay FC had 10 different players create at least one chance in the match, including Anderson who finished with a match-high five chances created.
- Rachel Hill earned her first start of the season. It marked her fourth appearance of the campaign. Notably, Hill played for Chicago from 2020-22.
- Kayla Sharples made her return to Chicago. The Naperville, Ill. native, attended Northwestern University and began her professional career with the Red Stars as she was drafted by the club in 2019.
- Bay FC have scored in the first half in seven of their 12 matches.
- Bay FC recorded at least 20 shots in a match for the third time this season.
- Bay FC set an NWSL record with 16 corner kicks in the match.
- Last time Bay FC’s Albertin Montoya faced Chicago in Chicago was August 2010 — WPS regular season. FC Gold Pride defeated the Chicago Red Stars by a score of 3-2.
- Today’s match marked the first soccer match at Wrigley Field since July 2012 when Italy’s AS Roma and Poland’s Zagłębie Lubin played an exhibition match.
- The first professional soccer game played at Wrigley Field was in 1978 – the Chicago Sting of the North American Soccer League (NASL).
- Before today’s match, the first professional women’s sports event held at the ballpark was in 1943 – the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.
- This is the first soccer match “under the lights” at Wrigley Field. All previous soccer games were played before lights installed (1988) or were played before dark.
Next Match
Bay FC returns to San Jose to play three of their next four games at PayPal Park, starting with a match against the other new expansion side Utah Royals FC on Sunday, June 16; kickoff is set for 7 p.m. (Pacific) on CBS Sports Network and locally on NBC Sports Bay Area.
Bay FC (4-8-0, 12pts) vs. Chicago Red Stars (5-6-1, 16pts) – NWSL Regular Season
June 8, 2024 – Wrigley Field (Chicago, Ill.)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
Bay FC 1 1 2
Chicago Red Stars 0 1 1
Scoring Summary:
BAY: Pickett, 25
BAY: Anderson, 79
CHI: Hocking (Groom), 90+3
Misconduct Summary:
CHI: Malham (caution), 17
Lineups:
BAY: GK Rowland, D Malonson (King, 85), D Menges ©, D Sharples, D Dydasco, M Pickett, M Boade (Conit, 90+2), M Anderson, F Kundananji, F Oshoala (Bailey, 62), F Hill (Camberos, 62)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Proulx, D Beattie, D Brewster, M Castellanos, F Princess
TOTAL SHOTS: 21 (Kundananji, 7); SHOTS ON GOAL: 7 (Kundananji, Pickett, 2); FOULS: 6 (Kundananji, 3); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 16; SAVES: 2
CHI: GK Naeher ©, D Malham (Curran, 67), D Anderson, D Staab, D Kuikka (Milazzo, 46), M Roccaro, M Nesbeth (Joseph, 85), M Bianchi (Bike, 46), F Hocking, F Schlegel (Groom, 67), F Hocking
Substitutes Not Used: GK Wood, D Rall, D Griffith, M Franklin
TOTAL SHOTS: 12 (Hocking, 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (Swanson, 2); FOULS: 8 (Malham, Swanson, 2); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 5
Referee: Alex Billeter
Assistant Referees: Salma Perez, Ethan Buege
Fourth Official: Melinda Homa
Weather: Cloudy, 58 degrees
Attendance: 35,038
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial.
