It would take a lot of failure for the San Diego Wave FC not to advance to the National Women’s Soccer League playoffs. Eight of the 14 teams get in. There’s 17 games left. A hot streak or two figures to advance San Diego to its third postseason in three years.
But the Wave have gone from being the league’s top road team of 2023 to one that’s winless through four road matches following Friday night’s 2-1 “come from ahead” loss to first-year Bay FC in San Jose.
That’s not a ticket to the final eight.
“It’s my responsibility to get results,” coach Casey Stoney said. “This loss is on me.”
Just as in the previous road match, May 3 at Seattle, the Wave’s Kyra Carusa provided a 1-0 lead by putting away a loose ball. This one came from 13 yards.
But as was also true at Seattle, the Wave failed to convert several scoring chances that followed, allowing their opponent to stay close. So when defender Christen Westphal’s injury created an open shot in the 55th minute, resulting in a goal, the score was tied despite the 15-yard liner being the first shot on goal the Wave allowed.
Stoney didn’t like how the Wave reacted to the goal, echoing her team’s balky response in Seattle.
The home team perked up, carried play and scored a tie-breaker in the 87th minute. Rookie defender Hanna Lundkvist couldn’t ward off a Bay FC forward near the goal mouth, resulting in an own-goal.
The outcome before an announced crowd of 16,930 ended Bay’s five-game losing streak, just as the Wave’s loss in Seattle ended the Reign’s five-game skid.
Stoney refused to blame the defeat on injuries that sidelined offensive leaders Jaedyn Shaw, Makenzy Doniak and Alex Morgan, plus Westphal’s setback.
She said each goal allowed was “preventable” and that the offense should’ve scored at least two goals in the first half.
“It’s not good enough,” the coach said. “We’ve got to start scoring goals.”
Stoney said her players need to make better decisions in the final third.
Defensively, the Wave allowed too much space to Bay midfielder Kiki Pickett. The 5-foot Stanford alum set up each goal with an impressive dribble drive.
“We’ve got to take the learnings from that game,” said Wave midfielder Emily van Egmond.
The Wave (3-4-2) play their next game Thursday against Angel City FC in Los Angeles. Thirteenth-place Bay FC (3-7-0) denied the Wave the series sweep.
