Bay FC completed its second disappointing season in a row with a quiet 1-0 loss to San Diego Wave FC. After the game, Bay FC goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz made it clear she expects a different ending and outlook heading into the team’s fourth season.
“The most exciting part [is] we are a young group. We’ve learned a lot of tough lessons this year,” said Silkowitz. “And next year, I’m tired of f–king learning the same lessons. It’s going to change.”
Bay FC’s third season was a transition year, with a squad of young players attempting to rebound from the team’s disastrous second season. Under first-year head coach Emma Coates, players learned the fine line between winning and losing in the NWSL.
“A first year of growth for me in this sort of position and this club,” said Coates after the match. “Scoreboard and the table, we’re not pleased with where we are.”
Mired in 14th place, the home side had little to play for. Meanwhile, the Wave, second in the standings, came in motivated with an outside shot at claiming the NWSL Shield if first-place Gotham FC lost, and San Diego earned a victory over Bay FC.
In the 9th minute, the result San Diego was searching for became a possibility.
Bay FC midfielder Dorian Bailey was caught between two minds in possession at the corner of her own penalty box. That indecision let San Diego’s Trinity Byars dispossess Bailey and deliver a quick square ball to teammate Kenza Dali. Dali then turned and found an unmarked Wave winger, Mimi Van Zanten, at the far post, who put her shot past Bay keeper Jordan Silkowitz for an early advantage.
From there, the Wave enjoyed long spells of possession, constantly probing for holes in the Bay FC defense but unable to deliver the perfect final touch to open up the game.
In the second half, Bay had its first dangerous shot on target in the 54th minute when Kiera Bailey’s strike from distance forced a diving save from Wave keeper Sandra Paños.
Then, two minutes later, a turnover deep in the Wave defense allowed Bay’s Caroline Conti to unleash another long-range shot, which Paños saved again.
Claire Hutton came on in the 62nd minute and added some bite in midfield. But with Gotham scoring two goals in their match, any chances of San Diego claiming the NWSL Shield were remote, and the game played itself out with little attacking thrust from either side.
After the game, Bay FC players Sydney Collins, Claire Hutton and Hannah Bebar addressed the crowd.
“You guys truly are a 12th man on the field, playing at home,” said Hutton to the 15,927 supporters in attendance as part of fan appreciation day. “This is a castle, and we want to continue building that.”
Coates also mentioned the castle analogy in what she is trying to build for next season, which will start earlier than normal because of a long international break for next year’s Women’s World Cup.
“We’re a club with really bold ambitions, and we’ll make changes and decisions that you know go hand in hand with the castle that we’re building,” adding the team will be active in the transfer window to strengthen the squad.
“There’ll be lots of conversations, decisions, and discussions over this break to give us the most competitive roster for sure,” explained Coates.
And for Bay FC goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz, the offseason is a time for each returning player to look in the mirror and see what they individually need to do to come back and finally deliver a winning season for the team’s faithful supporters.
“I think everyone on this team will go back, evaluate how the year went for them individually, and see the areas where you can make marginal gains because that’s the difference at this level,” said Silkowitz.
