Bay FC Fights Back, but Fishlock Leaves the Final Mark in San Jose

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Bay FC spent nearly the entire evening undoing the damage of a difficult opening. After falling two goals behind inside ten minutes, the home side slowly worked its way back into the match, eventually pulling level through Hannah Bebar and Keira Barry.

The comeback was real, but it was not allowed to last.

Jess Fishlock entered the match in the 84th minute and scored less than a minute later, lifting Seattle Reign FC to a 3–2 victory over Bay FC on Saturday, August 1, at PayPal Park.

A crowd of 11,439 attended the match, which kicked off at 5:47 p.m. under sunny skies and an 85-degree temperature. Seattle wasted little time making itself comfortable, scoring its opening goal just five minutes after the first whistle.

Maddie Dahlien attacked down the left side and sent a cross into the center of the penalty area. Mia Fishel controlled the ball around the defender and goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz before finishing from close range to put Seattle ahead.

Silkowitz responded with two saves in quick succession as the visitors continued to pressure Bay FC’s defense. Those stops briefly kept the deficit at one, but Seattle returned in the 10th minute.

After receiving the ball through the center of Bay FC’s midfield, Dahlien carried it into the box and placed her finish toward the right post. Five minutes after assisting the opening goal, she had one of her own.

Photo by Aiden Carranza Valencia / FLORENZA

Bay FC was two goals down before the match had reached ten minutes, but its response came almost immediately.

In the 13th minute, Bebar collected the ball through the middle of the field and drove toward the top of Seattle’s penalty area. With the Reign defense retreating, she sent a powerful strike beyond goalkeeper Claudia Dickey to cut the lead to 2–1.

Estelle Cascarino Cometti was credited with the assist. For Bebar, it was the first professional goal of her career and the moment that prevented Seattle’s fast start from taking complete control of the match.

Photo by Mathias Marchan/ FLORENZA

Ten minutes later, Bay FC believed it had completed the comeback.

A ricochet inside Seattle’s penalty area fell to Dorian Bailey near the penalty spot. Bailey reacted quickly and sent the ball off Dickey’s hands and across the goal line, appearing to bring the match level.

The celebration was stopped by a video review. After checking the pitch-side monitor, the referee ruled Bailey offside and overturned the goal.

It was the second consecutive match in which Bay FC had a possible game-tying goal taken away following a VAR decision.

Photo by Mathias Marchan/ FLORENZA

Seattle remained dangerous despite Bay FC’s response. Shortly after the half-hour mark, Maddie Mercado broke into the penalty area and forced another important intervention from Silkowitz, who sent the attempt over the crossbar.

The first half also became more physical as it entered stoppage time. Fishel received the match’s first yellow card in the 45th minute plus two. Bailey was then cautioned three minutes later, and Seattle carried its 2–1 advantage into halftime.

Bay FC returned for the second half with greater pressure in Seattle’s defensive half. Caroline Conti received a yellow card in the 51st minute, while Seattle’s Meza was cautioned in the 64th.

Around the hour mark, Bailey sent a dangerous ball across the face of goal. Karlie Lema slid toward the service but arrived just too late to make contact, allowing the ball to travel through the area and out of play.

It was not a goal, but it was another sign that Bay FC was beginning to find space around Seattle’s defense.

Head coach Emma Coates turned to her bench in the 66th minute, introducing Taylor Huff and Barry. The changes gave Bay FC fresh energy, and nine minutes later, one of those substitutes delivered the equalizer.

Bay FC earned a free kick in Seattle’s defensive half in the 75th minute. The Reign appeared prepared for a long delivery into the penalty area, but Bebar recognized another opening.

She played the restart short and sent the ball through Seattle’s back line toward Barry. The forward took the opportunity and curled her finish inside the far post, beating Dickey to make it 2–2.

It was Barry’s second goal for Bay FC and her first at PayPal Park. Bebar added the assist, completing a performance in which she contributed directly to both Bay FC goals.

Photo by Mathias Marchan/ FLORENZA

After chasing Seattle for more than an hour, Bay FC had finally erased the two-goal deficit. The home side had survived the early pressure, an overturned equalizer and several dangerous Seattle attacks. With 15 minutes remaining, the match had returned to level terms.

Seattle, however, still had Fishlock waiting on the bench.

Bay FC introduced Abby Dahlkemper in the 82nd minute and Cristiana Girelli in the 83rd. Seattle’s Nérilia Mondésir was also shown a yellow card in the 83rd, the fifth and final caution of the match.

One minute later, Fishlock replaced Mercado.

Her impact was almost immediate.

Emeri Adames lifted a pass over Bay FC’s defensive line and into Fishlock’s path. The Seattle midfielder won the race toward goal and drove a low finish past Silkowitz in the 85th minute, restoring the visitors’ lead before Bay FC had much time to settle after the substitution.

The goal was the 50th of Fishlock’s NWSL career, adding another milestone to a decisive moment from one of Seattle’s longest-serving players.

Bay FC attempted to find another equalizer during the closing minutes, but Seattle protected the advantage and left San Jose with all three points.

The final whistle confirmed a 3–2 defeat for Bay FC—its third consecutive loss by a single goal. Five yellow cards were issued, three to Seattle and two to Bay FC, while neither side received a red card.

Coates described the result as disappointing and frustrating, pointing to Bay FC’s slow start as the central lesson from the match. By the end, her team had shown enough determination to recover from that opening, but the effort required to climb back left little room for one final mistake.

Bebar gave Bay FC a way back. Barry completed the comeback. Silkowitz made the saves necessary to keep it possible.

But after Bay FC spent most of the evening rebuilding the match, Fishlock entered late and changed the ending with one run, one finish and one final word.

Photo by Aiden Carranza Valencia / FLORENZA