SAN DIEGO (Sept. 1, 2024) – San Diego Wave FC (3-8-7, 16 points) came from behind to tie 1-1 with Washington Spirit (12-4-2, 38 points) on Sunday night at Snapdragon Stadium.

Washington took the lead in the 30th minute when San Diego defender Kennedy Wesley attempted to clear the ball that ricocheted off another Wave player and found the back of the net. 

Pulling all throughout the second half for an equalizer, the Wave would eventually level the score in the 68th minute when defender Kristen McNabb notched her first goal of the season. Attacking a corner kick from midfielder María Sánchez, McNabb beat her defender to the ball and connected on her second touch to place it in the lower corner. 

Goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan kept the score level in the 71st minute, after a short corner played to Spirit forward Trinity Rodman was crossed into the box. Midfielder Leicy Santos jumped up for the header to the back post, but Sheridan was able to parry it away for a corner kick. 

Next on the schedule: San Diego hosts North Carolina Courage at Snapdragon Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 8 with kick off slated for 5:00 p.m. PT. Tickets are available here and the match will be broadcast live on NWSL+ and streamed locally on FOX 5/KUSI.

Social: Twitter – @sandiegowavefc | Instagram – @sandiegowavefc | Facebook

Notes:

  • Defender Kristen McNabb earned her first goal of the season. The outside back last scored for the Wave on June 17, 2023, against LA. 
  • Midfielder Emily van Egmond made her 50th appearance for San Diego with a start in the match.
  • French international Delphine Cascarino earned her first start for San Diego after making her NWSL debut last weekend for the club. The forward signed with the Wave on July 24 from Olympique Lyonnais.
  • Defender Naomi Girma made her first appearance with the Wave since July 5. Girma was the only field player to play every minute for the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team that won gold in the Olympics. 
  • Wave FC hosted the club’s annual Military Appreciation Night, presented by PenFed Credit Union. As part of the night, the team walked out with children from Armed Services YMCA of San Diego, a member of the U.S. Coast Guard sang the national anthem, and the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar performed a flyover via a KC-130 aircraft that several players toured earlier this week (link here of previous assets). 

Box Score:
San Diego Wave FC 1:1 Washington Spirit

Scoring Summary:
WAS – McNabb (Own Goal) 30’

SD – McNabb (1) 68’

Misconduct Summary:
None

Attendance: 23,541 

San Diego Wave FC: GK Sheridan, D Lundkvist (Westphal 62’), D Girma, D Wesley, D McNabb, M Doniak, M van Egmond, M Barcenas (Jakobsson 70’), F Sánchez (Jones 90’), F Morgan © (Ali 70’), F Cascarino (Bennett 90’)

Subs not used: GK Beall, GK Messner, M Ascanio, M Colaprico

Washington Spirit: GK Kingsbury ©, D Krueger (Carle 79’), D Butel, D McKeown, D Metayer, M Santos, M M Sullivan, M Hershfelt (Brown 79’), F Rodman, F Sarr, F Kouassi (Morris 62’)

Subs not used: GK Barnhart, D Morgan, M Stainrook, F Silano, F Ratcliffe, F Hatch

Stats Summary: SD / WAS
Shots: 8 / 18
Shots on Target: 2 / 4
Saves: 4 / 1
Corners: 4 / 6
Fouls: 8 / 10
Offsides: 0 / 3
Possession: 53.7% / 46.3%