SAN DIEGO (April 27, 2024) – San Diego Wave FC (2-2-1, 7 points) defeated Bay FC (2-4-0, 6 points) 2-1 at Snapdragon Stadium on Saturday night. 

Midfielder Makenzy Doniak opened the scoring for the Wave in the 13th minute, recording her first goal in her first start of the 2024 season. Midfielder Kimmi Ascanio began the attack with an ongoing ball to Doniak, who took a touch around her defender and cut inside before hitting a perfectly placed shot that found the back of the net. 

To start the second half, Bay FC immediately went on the attack as a cross was found in the box by Bay defender Kayla Sharples. Sharples’ header went off the crossbar and fell directly to the feet of forward Asisat Oshoala, who calmly slotted the ball to level the match in the 48th minute. 

In the 78th minute, midfielder Savannah McCaskill found the ball in the middle of the field and passed it out wide to second-half substitute Elyse Bennett. The forward hit a flawless pass to Jaedyn Shaw, who finished a close-range shot to earn her first goal of the season and secure the victory at home. 

Next on the schedule: San Diego Wave FC heads to Seattle to face the Reign on Friday, May 3 at Lumen Field. The match will be broadcast on Amazon Prime with kickoff slated for 7:00 p.m. PT. 

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Notes:

  • Kimmi Ascanio earned her first professional start. The 16-year-old assist made her the third-youngest player to record a goal contribution in a regular-season match in NWSL history. 
  • Ascanio (16 years, 3 months, 6 days) is the youngest player to start for San Diego in the regular season. The previous record holder was Jaedyn Shaw at 17 years, 8 months, 10 days. 
  • Forward Jaedyn Shaw scored her first goal of the season. With the goal, Shaw joins Alex Morgan as the only two Wave FC players to score 10 or more total goals as a San Diego player in regular season play. 
  • Midfielder Makenzy Doniak scored her first goal of the season.
  • Forward Elyse Bennett earned her fifth career regular-season assist on her goal to Shaw. 
  • The Wave made five changes to the starting lineup from the club’s last match in Orlando on April 20. Ascanio, Kyra Carusa, Makenzy Doniak, Mya Jones, and Kennedy Wesley all earned the start in tonight’s match. Ascanio, Carusa, Doniak, and Jones all earned their first start of the season. 
  • Forward Maria Sánchez made her Wave FC debut in the 69th minute. 
  • Forward Mya Jones made her Wave FC debut with a start, playing 69 minutes.
  • Prior to the match, defender Naomi Girma was honored by State Senator Catherine Blakespear. Blakespear presented Girma with a declaration, honoring the defender for being the 2023 U.S. Soccer Player of the Year. 

Box Score:
San Diego Wave FC 2:1 Bay FC 

Scoring Summary:
SD – Doniak (1) (Ascanio, 1) 13’
BAY – Oshoala (2) 48’
SD – Shaw (1) (Bennett, 1) 78’

Misconduct Summary:
SD – Colaprico 6’ (Caution)
BAY – Kundananji 83’ (Caution)

San Diego Wave FC: GK Sheridan, D McNabb, D Wesley, D Girma ©, D Lundkvist (Torpey 87’), M McCaskill, M Colaprico, M Ascanio (van Egmond HT), F Doniak (Sánchez 69’), F Carusa (Shaw ‘64), F Jones (Bennett 69’)
Subs not used: GK Beall, D Enge, D Westphal, F Ali

Bay FC: GK Proulx, D King, D Dydasco, D Menges, D Sharples, M Bailey, M Castellanos (Anderson 75’), M Boade, F Oshoala (Princess 68’), F Kundananji, F Camberos
Subs not used: GK Rowland, D Beattie, D Malonson, D Moreau, M Anderson, M Shepherd, M Conti

Stats Summary: SD / BAY
Shots: 13 / 22
Shots on Target: 5 / 2
Saves: 2 / 3
Corners: 4 / 9
Fouls: 11 / 9
Offsides: 1 / 1
Possession: 49% / 51%