Bay FC can’t solve Thorns’ defense, lose in Portland

Bay FC couldn’t match the NWSL’s top team Wednesday night as the Portland Thorns beat them 2-0.

Goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz kept Bay in the game early with an 11th-minute kick save on former Stanford star Sophia Wilson from the center of the box. After another save from Silkowitz on a Wilson attempt, though, Portland struck.

A series of headers off the ensuing corner kick led to a half-volley chance from just outside the box for Portland defender M.A. Vignola, who found the top left corner of the net to give the Thorns a lead in the 30th minute.

Portland had the best of the first half, but Bay (3-2-4, 11 points) made a push after halftime. Forward Karlie Lema’s driven shot from the right side forced a strong save from Portland (7-2-2, 23 points) keeper Mackenzie Arnold, then midfielder Claire Hutton had a shot that went over the bar. Bay defender Anouk Denton had a chance in the 76th minute on a header set up by Caroline Conti that also sailed high.

The Thorns iced the game with a quick strike a minute later: Arnold’s long goal kick was flicked on at midfield to Wilson running down the pitch, and she laid a pass off to Mallie McKenzie for her first professional goal.

“We tweaked a couple things in the second half, and I’m really proud of the way that we finished the game,” coach Emma Coates told reporters postgame. “I thought we had a couple of really big chances, it felt like we were going to score, and as I say, the second goal sort of took the wind out of our sails a little bit.”

Bay, now in 13th place on goal differential but just a single point behind Denver in eighth, is far from the only team to be shut down by the Thorns in Portland. The hosts set a record for longest home shutout streak in regular-season play, now at 594 minutes and counting. They haven’t given up a goal at Providence Park since September 2025, when Taylor Huff scored for Bay FC in a 2-1 loss.

“Portland has very good offensive threats but I honestly think we stifled their attack for the most part aside from transitions, which we were a bit sloppy on at times,” midfielder Hannah Bebar said postgame. “They’re just super quick. For the most part in the run of play, we dominated in the second half, but it’s those little slip-ups sometimes that will harm us and they capitalized on it.”

The loss is Bay’s first since Gotham FC beat them 3-0 on April 25, having tied their last two matches against Utah and Boston and beaten San Diego Wave FC.

Bay FC will host the Chicago Stars at PayPal Park on Sunday (2 pm., ESPN+), then visit the Orlando Pride next Friday, May 29 for their final game before the World Cup break.