Monterey Bay F.C. Falls 2-0 to FC Tulsa, Eliminated from Playoff Contention in Inaugural Season

October 12, 2022 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – Monterey Bay FC News Release

TULSA, Oklahoma – Monterey Bay F.C. (12-17-4, 40 points) fell 2-0 to FC Tulsa (12-15-6, 42 points) at ONEOK Stadium in Oklahoma. With the loss tonight, the Union’s chances at sneaking into the Western Conference playoffs in their first season in the USL Championship came to an end.

FC Tulsa started the match quickly with a goal in the 7th minute by Marcus Epps to put the home side on the board first. For the next 15 minutes of the match, however, Monterey Bay F.C. dominated possession and earned six corners, pinning FC Tulsa back in its own half. The first corner resulted in a shot by Hunter Gorskie in the 13th minute, but his shot was saved by the goalkeeper at center frame. Despite the flurry of corner chances, the Union were unlucky to convert. In the 35th minute, Arun Basuljevic entered the match for James Murphy due to an injury. In the dying moments of the first half, Simon Dawkins looked to be taken down just inside or near the box on the left side, but it was determined not to be a foul and the sides entered the halftime break at 1-0.

Monterey Bay F.C. earned a corner 10 minutes into the second half. It was taken short to Walmer Martínez who dribbled it down the endline before crossing it into the six-yard box, but Kai Greene was unable to get his head onto the ball. The Union quickly earned their eighth corner of the match in the 57th minute, but the attempt was cleared away by the defense. In the 86th minute of the match, the Union earned a free kick from just outside the 18-yard box. Chris Cortez and Basuljevic both stepped up to the spot. It was Cortez who fired away, but his shot missed to the right and the match ended 2-0 in favor of the hosts, officially ending the Crisp and Kelps inaugural season playoff bid.

Up Next: Monterey Bay F.C. wraps up their inaugural campaign at H-E-B Park in Edinburg, Texas against Rio Grande Valley FC at 5:30 p.m. PT on Saturday, October 15 in their final match of 2022. The match can be streamed live on ESPN+.

Notes:

– Simon Dawkins donned the captain’s armband for the first time in the match.

– Jason Johnson made his return to the pitch as a second-half substitute for the first time since being sidelined with a quad injury he suffered in August.

– Christian Volesky returned to the bench for the first time since suffering a hamstring injury in late September in a match against Phoenix Rising FC.

– Missing the match due to…