SAN DIEGO — San Diego Wave FC closed out their second regular season by securing the National Women’s Soccer League Shield on Sunday after a 2-0 win over Racing Louisville at Snapdragon Stadium.
The shield, which is awarded to the team with the best regular-season record, marks the first regular season title for San Diego and the second consecutive season where the winner was decided in the final weekend of play.
The Wave topped this year’s standings with a 11-7-4 record and is entering the playoffs in the No. 1 overall seed.
On Sunday, veteran striker Alex Morgan and 18-year-old Jaedyn Shaw made the goals that helped secure the club’s victory.
Morgan led the Wave in scoring with seven goals and four assists throughout the season. Shaw came close behind with six goals during regular play, setting a league record for the most goals by a teenager.
Meanwhile, goalkeeper Kailen Sheriden had a league-leading nine clean sheets to keep San Diego’s total goals allowed at 22 for the season — a record that is tied for the second-lowest mark in the league.
“Congratulations to San Diego Wave FC on this remarkable achievement,” NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman said in a release. “The 2023 regular season featured one of the tightest tables in league history, a testament to the unmatched parity that exists within the NWSL, and I commend the Wave for the grit, determination and skill they showed in their quest to win the regular season title in this incredibly competitive year.”
The accomplishment comes one week after the Wave clinched a top-two seed, securing a first-round bye in the playoffs and home-field advantage for a semifinal match-up.
It will be their second appearance in the postseason in as many years. During their inaugural season, the Wave made it to the semifinals, where they were eliminated in a 2-1 match against the Portland Thorns.
The Thorns, which were in the top seed heading into Sunday’s “Decision Day,” lost in a 1-5 match against Angel City Sunday evening, dropping the team down to the No. 2 spot.
The Wave’s semifinal match is set to take place on Nov. 5 at Snapdragon Stadium. Kick-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
Season ticket members will get first access to the presale tickets, and online sign-ups for early access tickets for non-season members are underway. General sale will begin at a later date that has not been announced.
More information about how to get tickets for the semi-final game can be found on the San Diego Wave’s website.
Their opponent will either be the No. 5 seed Angel City or No. 4 seed OL Reign, who will be playing each other during the quarterfinals on Friday.
