San Diego, Calif. (May 4, 2024) — Bay FC fell in a heartbreaker Sunday in San Diego, falling 2-1 to San Diego Wave FC at Snapdragon Stadium. After giving up and early lead, forward Karlie Lema scored her second goal of the season, seemingly sending this match to a 1-1 draw. However, San Diego would go ahead in the dying moments when Wave defender Trinity Armstrong headed in a corner kick to give the hosts all three points.
“Any game in the NWSL is really tough. Proud of the group for responding to going down a goal early, I think we were resilient in that,” said defender Abby Dahlkemper after the match. “Not hanging our heads, but the little things make a big difference in this league. We’re taking the positives, focusing on the little things that can help us improve and looking forward to another game next weekend.”
A wide open first half provided each side chances early in the match. San Diego got out on the front foot with the game’s first goal just six minutes after the opening whistle. A corner kick served by by San Deigo forward María Sánchez was headed over the line by defender Kennedy Wesley. The Wave continued to press early following the opening goal, but a strong save by Jordan Silkowitz sent away a chance in the ninth minute, before another free kick chance from close range was cleared by Bay FC’s backline.
Bay FC answered with a chance of its own at the 14-minute mark. A cross by defender Alyssa Malonson from the left flank was met by Lema in the penalty area, but the former Cal Bear couldn’t corral a tough bounce. Lema earned retribution moments later, finding the net to even the scoreline off an assist from forward Racheal Kundananji. Lema slotted her shot in the lower left corner for her second goal of the season after Bay FC won possession back in the middle of the pitch. Kundananji’s assist marked her first of the season, and second scoring contribution in as many games following her first goal last Saturday.
Shortly after Lema’s tally, pressure on the other end by San Diego nearly resulted in another goal for the hosts. Wave FC defender Perle Morroni rattled the woodwork at the 20-minute mark, and six minutes later, San Diego was sent to the penalty spot after a foul in the box. Silkowitz came up with a big save to keep the scoreline level, denying Sanchez’s attempt from the spot for the first penalty save of her NWSL career. She is the 12th goalkeeper in NWSL history to save her first penalty faced.
Opportunities were less frequent for both sides after the break. Bay FC did well to keep pressure from San Diego from reaching the goal, limiting the hosts to just two attempts on frame despite holding 60% of the possession balance. San Diego came close but was again denied by the bar in the 88th minute when Delphine Cascarino rattled the right post.
San Diego netted the winner in the final moments of stoppage time, when Armstrong heading on a corner kick.
Bay FC continues its two-match road swing next weekend, when the club visits Kansas City to take on the first-place Kansas City Current at CPKC Stadium. Kickoff is set for 9:50 a.m. PT on ESPN. The club returns home May 17 when Angel City FC comes north to the Bay Area for the two sides’ first matchup of 2025.
San Diego Wave FC v Bay FC
May 4, 2025
Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, Calif.
Kickoff: 5:09 p.m. PT
Weather: 56 degrees, rain & clouds
Attendance: 11,206
Discipline
BAY – Anderson (caution) 43’
BAY – Kundananji (caution) 52’ BAY – Dydasco (caution) 67’
Scoring Summary
SD – Wesley (Sanchez) 6’
BAY – Lema (Kundananji) 18’
SD – Armstrong (Dali) 90+5’
| Goals | 1 | 2 | F |
| Bay FC | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| San Diego Wave FC | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Starting Lineups:
Bay FC: Silkowitz (GK), Malonson, Anderson, Dahlkemper (C), Dydasco, Pickett, Bailey (Shepherd 90+4’), Huff, KundananjiConti (Hocking 73’), Lema (Moreau 86’)
Unused Substitutes: Lowder, Brewster, Menges, Oshoala, Hubly, Paulson
San Diego Wave FC: Sheridan (GK) (C), Armstrong, Lundkvist, Sanchez (Barcenas 60’), Dali, Corley (Robbe 75’), Wesley, Ascanio (Leon 60’), Cascarino, McCaskill, Morroni (McNabb 90+7’)
Unused Substitutes: Carusa, Emmanuel, Fusco, Arias, Haracic
