Bay FC loses third straight as NWSL scoring leader Banda scores twice in Orlando’s 3-1 win

News service reports

Orlando’s Barbra Banda scored a pair of goals and added an assist to send Bay FC to a 3-1 defeat in Florida on Friday in its final contest before the June international break.

Bay FC answered an early goal from the hosts when midfielder Caroline Conti scored her first goal of the season in the 7th minute for a 1-1 tie that lasted the rest of the half.

However, two goals by Orlando in the first 10 minutes of the second half – Banda and Cori Dyke scored five minutes apart — proved to be the deciders, although Bay FC put the Pride on its heels as time ticked down.

“Obviously disappointed and frustrated with the outcome,” said Bay FC coach Emma Coates. “[I] thought was a game of two halves. This group, we’ve faced a lot of adversity over the last week, it’s been an intense week for us. I still stand by we’re making progress and headed in the right direction, and I’m confident that we’ll start getting points on the board in the, in the next block of games.”

After a weather delay pushed back the opening whistle for over an hour, a fast start saw both teams generate chances early in the match.

Orlando opened the scoring in just the fourth minute of play, as Banda ran onto a bouncing ball played forward and slotted it in with her first touch. Conti then netted her goal after a failed clearance by Orlando fell to her in space.

Conti’s goal was the first of her career in the run of play and first in regular season play in 2026. All three of her scores in 2025 came from the penalty spot, as did her penalty score in the club’s April friendly vs. Northern Super League side Ottawa Rapid FC.

Bay FC thought they had found the net for the lead at the 15-minute mark after the club built up the center of the pitch once again. Forward Racheal Kundananji ran onto a through ball on the right flank and served to defender Sydney Collins on the back post, who put it through on a header before the offside flag came up to nullify the score and keep the match even.

A fast start in the second half resulted in two scores for the Pride coming out of the break. Banda got out on the run from a ball played forward by substitute midfielder Summer Yates, scoring her second of the match in the 51st minute after winning the footrace towards goal.

Bay (3-6-2) has lost three straight matches. Goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz and defender Aldana Cometti served one-game suspensions after receiving red cards Sunday in a 1-0 loss to the Chicago Stars.

With the NWSL schedule set to pause to accommodate international play in June, Bay FC returns to the pitch next on July 5. The club will visit Boston Legacy FC in Providence, Rhode Island for the first of two straight road matches, before returning home to take on the North Carolina Courage July 18.