Salmon Bay FC are 2026 USL W League Champions after Defeating Vermont Green FC in yet another penalty shootout

The Salmon Sisters have reached the mountaintop. In just their second year of existence, Salmon Bay FC have won the USL W League National Title. After a 1-1 match through 120 minutes, the Coho prevailed in their third penalty shootout in as many weeks, with 17-year old backup center back Kaya Singh burying the clinching penalty kick in the sixth round.

Another Morgan Manalili super-sub goal gave Salmon Bay FC a lead with less than 15 minutes to play in regulation, but a Vermont equalizer in stoppage time forced an extra 30 minutes which would not be enough to separate the two best teams in the nation. 

It is an achievement that has been brewing since the inception of the club in October of 2024, and it came in front of a record-setting crowd of 2,096 at Interbay Stadium. 

The first action on net came for the Green five minutes into the match when Sophie Reale rolled an angled shot into the safe hands of Elena Milam. 

Salmon Bay responded in the 12th with an inviting through ball towards newly-returned Ginny Lackey, but Vermont goalkeeper Olivia Shippee got off her line quickly to smother the chance.

The Green’s interplay through the midfield was effective at breaking Salmon Bay’s press, and the forwards Emily Mara and Reale looked dangerous running at the back line. Mara had a shot blocked by Alicia Barker, and Reale’s running kept the Coho uncomfortable in the opening 20 minutes.

Salmon Bay’s first shot on net would come from Ameera Hussen in the 19th, a tame effort saved and held by Shippee. 

Milam had to pull some heroics in the 28th when a long free kick bounced awkwardly over her head , forcing the Coho goalkeeper to turn and swipe it off the line.

A Lackey flick header flashed wide of the far post in the 32nd, and the Green responded in turn with a flicked header that went just wide a minute later. 

Vermont thought they had the opener in the 40th when Mara ran in behind and neatly finished off an entry pass, but an offsides flag kept the score at 0-0, where it would remain until the halftime whistle.

The hosts got off to a quick start in the second half, with Samiah Shell firing a shot which was saved by Shippee in the 49th.

Shippee had to deliver again in the 59th, tipping a long-range Juju Barker effort over the crossbar.

At the stroke of 60 minutes, Head Coach Malia Arrant made a quadruple change, among the new introductions was a familiar face off the bench, Morgan Manalili.

The quartet of Manalili, Caroline Studebaker, Mireya Grey, and Singh helped switch the momentum of the match as the hosts began to take control.

Manalili’s impact was felt, and Interbay Stadium shook as she drove a shot from 20 yards out into the bottom corner to give Salmon Bay a 1-0 lead in the 78th.

Just a minute after setting up the go-ahead goal, U’i Kaaihue rattled the crossbar with a shot of her own. Kaaihue would then have a shot blocked from six yards out.

A late injury to Olivia Shippee forced the Green #1 off the field to be replaced by the backup goalkeeper Sydney Slusser.

Salmon Bay FC thought they had taken the air out of the game, and were looking to see out the result, but a late burst ahead by the Green gave them a corner kick in the 93rd. The resulting corner would take a bounce in the box before being slammed home on the half volley by Louisa Thomsen, stunning the home crowd and sending the match to yet another extra time period. 

Riding the momentum of the equalizer, Vermont came out strong in extra time, possessing to a degree that they had not been able to in the second half. 

After a relatively uneventful 30 minutes, there would be one more moment of madness from open play. Following a corner kick, Kaaihue found an acre of space on the counter, and played a perfect switch to substitute striker Maya Courtenay with nobody but Slusser to beat. With the match on her boot Courtenay was unable to hit the target, pushing her shot narrowly wide of the near post and prompting a shootout to decide the national champion.

Neve Renwick would take the first shot for the Vermont Green, and fired her penalty straight and true into the twine.

Kaaihue responded with her 4th converted penalty of the postseason, sending Slusser the wrong way. 

Tess Barret stepped up for Vermont, and it would once again be Elena Milam to raise the volume at Interbay, producing her fourth penalty save of the playoffs.

With a chance to give Salmon Bay FC a lead, Courtenay had her low shot down the middle denied by the foot of Slusser.

Isabel Smith delivered a perfect 3rd round pen for Vermont, top bins to make it 3-2

Ameera Hussen evened things back up with her second penalty in as many matches.

Liv Grenda would shoot the opposite way of Milam to start the 4th round, putting pressure on Jodi Ülkekul, who played less than 30 minutes all season for Salmon Bay FC,

The ex-pro would show her calm class with a well struck penalty beyond the mitts of Slusser.

Chloe Gorman, the oldest player on Vermont, used all of her experience to score in the 5th round, meaning Manalili had no choice but to convert.

Manalili did just that, meaning it would be a sixth round of penalties for the second time at Interbay Stadium.

Substitute Anne Gnidula was the taker, and facing off with Milam, she put her effort over the crossbar.

Of all people to step up with the match to be won, it was Kaya Singh, the Kennedy Catholic High School student, after playing less than 90 minutes in the postseason. Not only did Singh get the job done, she rocketed the title-winning penalty into the top corner, capping off a gloriously heart stopping run to the USL W crown. 

Ui Kaaihue, after assisting the goal, converting her penalty, and bossing the midfield, was named MVP of the final. 

Match Facts:

• The Coho took 17 penalties on their run to the title, converting 13, a rate of 76%.
• Shooting against Salmon Bay, opponents converted 10 of 17, with Milam making four saves and forcing three misses.
• Salmon Bay winning a title makes Salmon Bay FC and Ballard FC the only brother and sister clubs to win USL 2 and USL W.
• Morgan Manalili finishes her debut season with four goals, all of which came as a second-half substitute.
• U’i Kaaihue picked up her 10th goal contribution of 2026, finishing the campaign with 6 goals and 4 assists. 
• Through 450 minutes of playoff soccer, Salmon Bay FC allowed just two goals, both of which came from dead-ball situations.
• 2,096 fans in attendance was a record not only for the club, but for Interbay stadium as a whole. 
• Salmon Bay FC are the 5th champion of USL W League, joining Tormenta FC, Indy Eleven, North Carolina Courage U-23 and Utah United.

Scoring Recap

78’ (SBFC): Morgan Manalili (4), assisted by U’i Kaaihue (4)

90+2’ (VER): Louisa Thomsen

Starting 11

Elena Milam, Maya Loudd, Anna Menti, Alicia Barker, Juju Barker, Jourdyn Curran, Maya Hindson, U’i Kaaihue, Ginny Lackey, Samiah Shell, Ameera Hussen

Subs Used

Caroline Studebaker, Kaya Singh, Morgan Manalili, Maya Courtenay, Mireya Grey, Jodi Ülkekul, Jaylee Reynolds

Written by Adam Race

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