July 3, 2026
WPSL 2026, San Francisco Nighthawks (photo by TJ Valenton)
By Nichole Singleton, WPSL Communications
The San Francisco Nighthawks soared through the club’s best regular season finish since 2019 en route to the Central Valley Division title, securing its place in the NorCal Conference championship with a playoff berth on the line.
The Nighthawks opened its 28th season in the WPSL in dominant fashion, setting the division on notice as a postseason contender. Just three matches in, the league’s co-founding members produced three shutouts led by three-time Goalkeeper of the Week for the West Region Addison Bowles, who has made a profound impact in her first WPSL season.
Offensively, the Nighthawks have turned up the heat this season, scoring 10 goals in those first three matches before averaging 2.4 goals per game the rest of the schedule off eight goalscorers. Nighthawks leading scorer Sulma Plancarte also led the division with seven goals while Week Five West Region Offensive Player of the Week Bella Flocchini recorded five and Chelsey Fang with three.
Despite having control of the division early on, the Nighthawks hit a bump in Week Six falling to Lamorinda in the two-game week, allowing the other Central Valley rivals to gain ground in the table. But the Nighthawks weren’t going to bow out quietly. In its final three games, the Nighthawks fought back to remain in the running of the division title race.
In Week Seven, facing NorCal newcomer and division contender Fuego Femenil on the road in a potential title decider, the Nighthawks got back on track with a big 2-1 win on a first-half brace from Sydney Grundland-Lanuza, who earned West Region’s Offensive Player of the Week for the performance, while Kelly Gerwitz collected National Defensive Player of the Week honors for her defensive heroics limiting Fuego’s prolific attack. .
The Nighthawks finished its final week in regular season with a win and draw to claim the top of the Central Valley table, finishing one point ahead in the three-team division battle.
Chapter 28 of the Nighthawks’ WPSL tenure continues Friday, June 3 as it plays for the NorCal Conference championship and a spot in the West Region Playoffs.
