Monterey Bay F.C. Falls on the Road to Loudoun United FC

May 18, 2024 – United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Monterey Bay FC News Release

LEESBURG, Virginia – Monterey Bay F.C. (4-4-3, 15 points) was defeated 3-0 by Loudoun United FC (3-6-2, 11 points) at Segra Field. Xavi Gnaulati and Anthony Orendain made their starting eleven debuts for the Crisp-and-Kelp in the match. Orendain’s start only lasted 38 minutes however, as he received two quick yellows and was dismissed from the match, leaving Monterey Bay down a man for the final hour.

Monterey Bay forced the first save of the night in the 8th minute of the match, but Chase Boone’s shot from the right side on the end of a counter with number was knocked away by the goalkeeper. Less than two minutes later, Loudoun United FC’s Riley Bidois managed to chip Antony Siaha after a miscommunication inside the box and the hosts took the 1-0 lead against the run of play. Boone looked to quickly erase the deficit with an opportunity nearly a minute later, but his shot was saved again. Morey Doner zipped a low and dangerous ball across the box in the 14th minute, but it was cleared by a defender with an outstretched foot. Bidois fired off a shot from just outside the box in the 25th minute, but it was popped up into the air and caught by Siaha. The Crisp-and-Kelp nearly found the equalizer in the 30th minute. Pulling the strings, Xavi Gnaulati played Walmer Martínez deep down the left sideline. Martínez then whipped the ball into the mix, but the snap header by Mobi Fehr missed just wide of the far post. Then 38 minutes into his first start for Monterey Bay, Anthony Orendain was shown a second yellow card for a high boot and was dismissed from the match, leaving the visitors with 10 men the rest of the way.

Eight minutes into the second half, Doner earned a free kick near the corner flag. The short corner was taken by Martínez towards the far post, but it was cleared out for a true corner on the far side – and that corner was caught by the goalkeeper. Kalil EdMedkhar doubled the lead for Loudoun United FC with a header in the 56th minute, bringing the match to a 2-0 scoreline. Immediately after, Loudoun United FC pushed ahead and scored another goal, but it was called back for offside. Then in the 79th minute, a botched save turned into an own goal and Monterey Bay found itself down 3-0 in Leesburg. The hosts looked to make it four in the first minute of stoppage time, but Siaha stone-walled the chance at the near post. In the final seconds, Jerry Ayon…