A record-filled season for the Kansas City Current came to a crashing end when they became the first top-seed to fall in the NWSL quarterfinals, falling to Gotham FC 2-1 after extra time Sunday, Nov. 9 at CPKC Stadium.

Katie Stengel delivered the fatal blow to the Current, when she broke away from the line on a freekick from goalie Ann-Katrin Berger, then bounced her shot off the crossbar and into the far corner of the net in the 120th minute. Gotham took advantage of a Current squad missing forwards Temwa Chawinga and Michelle Cooper to injury, dominating possession early and eventually holding onto the ball for 58 percent of the game. Berger made three saves in the first half to keep the game scoreless.

Gotham struck first in the 67th minute, when Jaedyn Shaw outpaced Kayla Sharples to slide her shot past Current keeper Lorena. The Current pressed in response, struggling to get through a defense that allowed the second-fewest goals in the league. In the fifth minute of stoppage time, Ellie Wheeler delivered a liner from the left of the penalty area, catching Berger off her line to equalize and bring optimism back to the sellout crowd at CPKC Stadium.

That optimism would be tested in extra time, as Berger recorded another four saves, and the Gotham defense kept the Current from pressing through. After a foul by Ally Sentnor, Berger would set up the game-winning play from midfield, making Gotham just the second team to ever defeat the Current at CPKC Stadium.

This year’s Current recorded a 17-game undefeated streak and locked up the NWSL shield with seven weeks to spare, claiming a league-record 65 points and finishing the season 19 ahead of second-place. Entering the playoffs, KC had just allowed 13 goals all season. But instead of a semifinal matchup next week against defending champions Orlando, this year’s regular season champs find themselves looking back on what could have been.