TULSA, Oklahoma (Saturday, October 26, 2024) – Monterey Bay F.C. (8-16-10, 34 points) saw its 2024 campaign come to a close with a 2-1 defeat to Western Conference foe FC Tulsa (8-24-11, 35 points) at ONEOK Field. Diego Gutiérrez scored his first Crisp-and-Kelp goal with a second-half penalty kick, but it was not enough to earn a result on the road.
Monterey Bay created an early chance in the match with Gutiérrez slicing a low ball perfectly across the six from the right side, but it had just a bit too much pace and Ryan Dieter was unable to get his foot on it to tap it in at the far post. FC Tulsa responded with back-to-back attacks of their own while controlling possession in the Union’s half of the pitch. Initially, Monterey Bay fought off the immense pressure with a couple of blocks, including an impressive open-net, goal-line clearance by Alex Lara with his head. But in the 10th minute, FC Tulsa managed to breakthrough with a goal by Alex Souahy to bring the match to 1-0. The hosts then doubled their lead at the half hour mark with a right-footed shot by Andrew Booth to make it 2-0 in favor of FC Tulsa at the halftime break.
Halftime substitute Walmer Martínez saw an opportunity in the first few moments of the second half, but his low shot from the center of the box was blocked. FC Tulsa looked to make it three a minute later, but the shot missed wide to the left. Martínez created an even better look with a move down the left side of the box, but his shot was deflected slightly enough by a defender to go just wide of the right post. In the 58th minute, Gutiérrez flew down the left side of the pitch before crossing it into the box towards Dieter, but the pass was knocked down by the hand of an FC Tulsa defender and the referee pointed to the spot. Gutiérrez stepped up to the spot and buried it to the goalkeeper’s right to pull one back for Monterey Bay. From the 80th to 83rd minutes of the match, the Union made a strong push ahead for the leveler and looked likely, but were unable to convert one of several chances, including an impressive effort by Dieter to score with a midair side-volley, but the shot was saved. Monterey Bay then earned a slew of corners in stoppage time, culminating in one last opportunity for the Union that was taken short to Martínez, but his left-footed grass-burner missed just inches wide of the far post and the hosts scraped by to win 2-1…