San Diego Wave FC clinched a house quarterfinal match as Melanie Barcenas and Trinity Byars scored in a 2-1 victory over the North Carolina Braveness on Saturday at First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park. The win assured San Diego a top-four end within the standings.
The Wave additionally closed the hole within the 2026 NWSL Protect race with two regular-season matches remaining. Gotham FC’s 1-0 loss to the Washington Spirit earlier Saturday trimmed San Diego’s deficit to at least one level for first place.
San Diego has gained 5 consecutive matches and improved to 17-3-8 with 54 factors.
Barcenas set the tone 4 minutes in with a formidable strike from exterior the field. Her right-footed shot hit the left put up earlier than discovering the again of the online for her seventh objective of the season and first on the street. Barcenas has essentially the most targets scored by a youngster in a single NWSL season.
Rookie midfielder Lia Godfrey assisted the opener and now has 12 objective contributions this season. Her six assists lead all rookies in 2026.
San Diego has scored 5 targets inside the opening 5 minutes of matches this season, essentially the most within the league.
Put up and in. Completely positioned. 🌊 Mel B with the early objective! https://t.co/1Sf1aISHha
— Nationwide Girls’s Soccer League (@NWSL) 6
Byars doubled the Wave's lead within the 52nd minute. Gia Corley despatched a by way of ball to the 23-year-old striker, who ran previous the final defender and chipped the ball over former Wave goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan and into the online.
She leads San Diego with 11 targets this season and has continued to offer a constant attacking risk.
Corley has additionally been lively within the assault over the previous month. She has 4 objective contributions in her final 5 matches, together with the help on Byars' objective.
SD’s Trinity Byars chips it and IT’S IN 💪 https://t.co/z0VVpLEmEj
— Nationwide Girls’s Soccer League (@NWSL) 6
North Carolina created extra stress late within the match and pulled inside one objective within the 83rd minute when Vilde Bøe Risa slipped a shot previous Wave goalkeeper Sandra Paños. The Braveness couldn’t discover the equalizer.
The groups mixed for 28 pictures, together with 15 on track. Regardless of the loss, North Carolina stays within the playoff race however has struggled in current weeks.
San Diego will return house to face Boston Legacy FC at Snapdragon Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 25. Boston has gained consecutive matches in opposition to Portland and Louisville however has already been eradicated from playoff rivalry. Amanda Gutierres and Aissata Traoré lead the Legacy with 10 targets every this season.