Book it — the 2025 Racing Louisville FC team has made history, clinching the club’s first NWSL playoff berth on the league’s Decision Day.
It all came to fruition for Racing Sunday evening at Lynn Family Stadium, as two rookies — Katie O’Kane and Ella Hase — combined for the game’s lone tally to capture a well-deserved 1-0 result over Bay FC.
Racing, which hadn’t beaten Bay in three previous tries before Sunday, now heads off to face the No. 2 seed Washington Spirit at Audi Field next weekend in the NWSL Playoffs’ quarterfinal round. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. Saturday with broadcast coverage on CBS, Paramount+ and Sports Talk 790AM.
O’Kane found Hase via a through ball just minutes into the second half, and the former Duke Blue Devil did the rest. The result extended Louisville’s unbeaten streak to five games heading into the playoffs — its longest run since early 2024.
From the start of the season, this 2025 Racing side carried a different energy than teams of years past. That fresh spirit proved prophetic, as this tight-knit group lifted the club out of ninth place and into the postseason for the first time in franchise history.
“I am so incredibly excited for this group,” head coach Bev Yanez said. “… We’ve trusted the process the whole time and we believed that we really put our stamp on the season in regards to our identity, the character that we’ve shown … We really wanted to take this as not making the occasion bigger than the game itself and still continuing to trust that process, and they did just that today. Everything that we’ve built up (over) the past several months is what’s led into this opportunity. So we just needed to execute one more game.
“… I’m so proud of this group; they deserve it so much. As a club as a whole and all the staff, all the work that they’ve put in all season. All the work that the players have put in, they bought into it. They’re so together. They’re so special.”
The match’s only goal from Hase — the first of her professional career — was merited after a first half where the hosts outshot Bay by 15 and produced 27 penalty area entries compared to the visitors’ seven. Louisville did have chances to make it two, with Janine Sonis leading the chance creation charge. All that was needed, though, was one.
Albertin Montoya’s team barely had a sniff of the net all night. Led mostly by its effective high press, Racing made life difficult for Bay to manufacture much of anything going forward. The visitors, who will finish the NWSL campaign in 13th position, did not record a shot on target. It was the first time in Bay’s short history that it didn’t fire a single strike on frame.
Reflecting on being the one to seal the deal for Louisville, Hase said, “I think when you enter this league, you don’t really know what’s coming at you. Nothing can really prepare you for it. I love the girls so much; they’ve honestly made this transition seamless. I’m really proud, honestly, of the growth I’ve had over the past nine months, so it means a lot.”
The three points, plus a Gotham FC defeat, meant Bev Yanez’s team ended the 2025 regular season in seventh place, which allows it to avoid a quarterfinal date with the Shield-winning Kansas City Current.
Racing set club records all season, racking up 37 points and 10 wins. But beyond the numbers, this was a team that rewrote history — and they’re taking that fight straight into the playoffs.
“We had such a good mentality (this season), we had great players coming in and everyone played the role to exactly what they needed,” Lauren Milliet said. “Bev (Yanez) at the helm, we have a great staff, we really are a family. I know that’s kind of cliche to say, but we really do have each other’s backs regardless (of) win, loss, draw. We’ve always been bought into this system and to this team.”
Game Summary: Racing Louisville FC vs. Bay FC
Date: November 2, 2025
Venue: Lynn Family Stadium
Kickoff: 5:20 p.m.
Weather: 51 degrees, cloudy
Attendance: 6,574
Scoring
Racing Louisville FC (0, 1, 1)
Bay FC (0, 0, 0)
Goals:
Racing Louisville FC:
48’ Ella Hase (Katie O’Kane)
Lineups
Racing Louisville FC: 24 – Jordyn Bloomer; 16 – Janine Sonis, 3 – Arin Wright (c), 5 – Ellie Jean, 2 – Lauren Milliet, 26 – Taylor Flint, 8 – Ary Borges, 20 – Katie O’Kane (66’ 14 – Marisa DiGrande), 6 – Ella Hase (90’+4 88 – Bethany Balcer), 13 – Emma Sears, 9 – Kayla Fischer (66’ 42 – Sarah Weber)
Subs not used: 77 – Madison White; 11 – Courtney Petersen, 12 – Allie George, 17 – Maddie Pokorny, 32 – Avery Kalitta
Head Coach: Bev Yanez
Bay FC: 29 – Jordan Silkowitz; 24 – Maddie Moreau (46’ 20 – Alyssa Malonson), 22 – Brooklyn Courtnall, 16 – Sydney Collins, 3 – Caprice Dydasco (c), 41 – Hannah Bebar, 18 – Joelle Anderson (46’ 12 – Tess Boade), 15 – Caroline Conti (71’ 19 – Dorian Bailey), 5 – Karlie Lema, 7 – Taylor Huff, 55 – Penelope Hocking (46’ 21 – Rachel Hill)
Subs not used: 32 – Emmie Allen; 11 – Kelli Hubly, 14 – Jamie Shepherd, 17 – Catherine Paulson, 23 – Kiki Pickett
Head Coach: Albertin Montoya
Stats Summary: Racing Louisville FC / Bay FC
Shots: 24 / 6
Shots on Goal: 6 / 0
Expected goals: 1.50 / 0.35
Possession: 45.1% / 54.9%
Fouls: 12 / 11
Offside: 3 / 1
Corners: 10 / 4
Discipline Summary
Racing Louisville FC:
6’ Arin Wright (yellow)
57’ Taylor Flint (yellow)
66’ Ary Borges (yellow)
90’+1 Jordyn Bloomer (yellow)
Bay FC:
68’ Caroline Conti (yellow)
90’+1 Karlie Lema (yellow)
Match referee: Shawn Tehini
