Ella Stevens scored twice in three minutes in the first half, both coming on mistakes by the Bay FC defense.
Bay FC dropped its sixth game in seven attempts Friday night at home, losing 2-0 to defending NWSL champions Gotham FC.
The goals for Gotham came in quick succession in the first half and Bay never was able to equalize.
Racheal Kundananji nearly put Bay FC (3-8-0, 9 points) on top in the 16th minute when she nodded a cross from Emily Menges off the left post. Just after the half-hour mark, Gotham’s Rose Lavelle smacked a shot from outside the box against the right post, keeping the match scoreless.
Less than a minute after Lavelle’s chance, Ella Stevens gave Gotham the lead when a quick free kick on the right wing caught Bay FC out of position. Esther González slid a pass across the goal and Stevens tapped the ball into the net.
Stevens doubled the lead two minutes later when she stole the ball from Bay FC keeper Katelyn Rowland, who tried to dribble through Stevens’ pressure inside her own six-yard box after a back pass.
Tess Boade generated another chance for Bay on the break in the 80th minute, but Gotham keeper Ann-Katrin Berger stopped her low left-footed shot.
Both keepers finished with two saves.
Bay FC, now 12th in the 14-team league, plays its next match June 8 in Chicago against the Red Stars.
.@gothamfc brings back +3 points to the East Coast!
Bay FC vs. Gotham FC match recap, presented by @Nationwide pic.twitter.com/CZR3TKqVzo
— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) May 25, 2024
