SAN FRANCISCO (Aug. 23, 2025) — Bay FC fell 3-2 Saturday afternoon to Washington Spirit before a record crowd at San Francisco’s Oracle Park. A fast start for Washington put the visitors up 3-0, before Bay FC answered back with a pair of scores before the hour mark. The hosts threatened throughout the second half and nearly found an equalizer but ultimately didn’t put a third score through before the final whistle sounded. A crowd of over 40,091 took in the match from the corner of Third and King. The fans were raucous all afternoon for yet another exciting affair between the two sides.
“I thought players on both sides really enjoyed their football, the fans were amazing and really supported our team and that helped us through the entire game,” said Bay FC head coach Albertin Montoya. “When you’re down three goals you can go either direction, and credit to all the players, they never stopped fighting, they believed in each other, we were knocking on the door. Today was incredible, and the players deserved it. This league has come such a long way, and when you get football like that, I think every person who watched this game can say ‘Hey, I’d do this again’.”
Saturday’s attendance of 40,091 fans sets a new record for any NWSL match, surpassing the previous record of 35,038 fans in attendance for Bay FC vs. Chicago Stars FC at Wrigley Field June 8, 2024. The sellout also represents the highest-attended game in any U.S. professional women’s league, across all sports.
Washington had control of the early goings, as its trio of first half scores put Bay FC at a deficit. The visitors found the back of the net just seven minutes in after defender Kate Wiesner got in behind on a ball played by defender Esme Morgan and slotted it through. Shortly after a set piece score doubled the advantage in the 39th minute off the foot of Washington forward Croix Bethune.
A tough-luck own goal in first-half stoppage time provided Washington its third score, but Bay FC would answer immediately and send the crowd into a frenzy. Racheal Kundananji got one the end of a Caroline Conti free kick to put her club on the board just before the break, her second score this season and first since returning from international duty during the July league break. The assist marked Conti’s second straight game with a scoring contribution.
Pressure out of the break put Bay FC on the front foot, holding 54% of possession and out-shooting their foes 5-2 in the second half. The club was rewarded ten minutes after the break, when defender Kelli Hubly netted her first goal of the season and first with Bay FC. The center back headed through a corner kick from defender Alyssa Malonson to bring her club within one heading towards the hour mark.
Bay FC kept the heat on Washington as it gunned for an equalizer. Bay Area native Joelle Anderson tried her luck from a distance with 15 minutes remaining, but her effort sailed high. Bay FC put all its bodies forward on a corner kick in the waning moments and was nearly rewarded, as goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz got on the end of a cross into the box and nearly put one through.
After making history, Bay FC is back in action September 1, Labor Day, for a visit to Angel City FC. Kickoff from BMO Stadium in Los Angeles is set for 6 p.m. PT. The club will return home September 6 when first-place Kansas City Current visits the Bay Area for the first time this season, kicking off a stretch of three home matches in four weeks.
MATCH SUMMARY
Bay FC v Washington Spirit
August 23, 2025
Oracle Park, San Francisco, Calif.
Kickoff: 1:07 p.m.
Weather: 66 degrees, Sunny
Attendance: 40,901
Discipline
BAY – Malonson (caution) 35’
WAS – Hershfelt (caution) 38’
BAY – Huff (caution) 42’
BAY – Anderson (caution) 60’
BAY – Bailey (caution) 63’
BAY – Kundananji (caution) 79’
BAY – Moreau (caution) 90’
Scoring Summary
WAS – Wiesner (Morgan) 7’
WAS – Bethune (Hershfelt) 40’
WAS – Hubly (Own goal) 45+2’
BAY – Kundananji (Conti) 45+5’
BAY – Hubly (Malonson) 55’
| Goals | 1 | 2 | F |
| Bay FC | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Washington Spirit | 3 | 0 | 3 |
Starting Lineups:
Bay FC: Silkowitz, Malonson, Anderson, Hubly, Dydasco, Pickett (Bailey 45’), Shepherd (Bebar 77’), Conti (Moreau 87’), Huff, Hill (C) (Lema 77’), Kundananji
Unused Substitutes: Allen, Freeman, Oshoala, Collins, Paulson
Washington Spirit: Kingsbury (C), Bernal, McKeown, Carle, Morgan, Bethune, Santos, Hershfelt, Rodman (Miura 78’), Wiesner (Metayer 67’), Cantore (Monday 67’)
Unused Substitutes: MacIver, Ratcliffe, Brown, Stainbrook, Sylla, Ricketts
