1. Back to winning ways out in California! The Orlando Pride came away with a massive 3-1 win over Bay FC to keep their playoff hopes alive as they head into the final stretch of the season.
2. The game started about as well as it possibly could for Orlando. Just two minutes in, Solai Washington got the ball outside the box and drove towards goal, pulling defenders with her and creating space. She played it back to Haley McCutcheon, who took a hit with her first touch, getting it over the goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz and in. It was McCutcheon's fifth of the season, but she wasn't done on the afternoon just yet.
3. It didn't stay that scoreline for too long however. Bay FC came right back in the 11th minute as Racheal Kundananji headed in a Claire Hutton cross to level things up after the Pride could not clear a corner kick.
4. From there, it was more defending from Orlando as they saw out the half. Bay controlled a lot of the possession, but the Pride defense kept things level as they got to halftime.
5. After the match, interim head coach Yolanda Thomas said that she got into it a bit with her players at halftime, making sure that they weren't giving the ball away cheaply and to capitalize on the way that they started the game. That talk seemed to light a fire under the Pride, because just two minutes into the second half, they scored again. Naturally, it was Haley McCutcheon once again finding the back of the net. After an Angelina cross from a corner found her in the box, the midfielder headed it in past Silkowitz to make it a 2-1 game. It was the second time this season that she has had a brace, with the last time coming all the way back in April against Angel City FC.
6. Once again the Pride defense was asked to step up, and they continued to do so as the match got into the later stages. Nine clearances from Cori Dyke, seven saves from Cosette Morché and a few lucky bounces that pinged off the frame of the goal helped the Pride to get into stoppage time with that one-goal lead.
7. With seconds remaining in stoppage time, Jacquie Ovalle stepped up to put the cherry on top. After Barbra Banda held up play in the midfield, she found Ovalle running into space. After driving into the defense that was still tracking back from pushing for an equalizer, she got to the top of the box and unleashed a shot with her weaker right foot, curling past Silkowitz and in, claiming all three points for the Pride on the road.
8. Thomas said after the game that the Pride's playoffs start now. With the win, Orlando is just seven points out of the final playoff spot, making every game from here on out essentially like a playoff match.
9. The Pride will now return home to Inter.co Stadium next Friday as they host the San Diego Wave. That game will kick off at 8:00 p.m. ET on Prime Video.
