Last weekend’s draw with the Kansas City Current combined with wins elsewhere in the league have knocked the San Diego Wave from first place to third in the National Women’s Soccer League standings.
They’ll have a chance to get right Sunday afternoon, when the Wave (9-5-2) return to Snapdragon Stadium to face the Seattle Reign (5-7-2).
San Diego became the first team this season to leave Kansas City with points after the Current entered the match with a perfect 6-0-0 home record.
“It’s a tough place to come to,” Wave coach Jonas Eidevall said. “Given how the game sort of lives its own life, and us coming back late in the game. We’re quite content with getting the point, and then being able to build on sort of all the positive things that were there in the performance.”
A big reason for the result was the play of forward Trinity Byars, who scored six minutes into the match. After Kansas City answered with two goals, Byars rescued a point with a goal in the 90th minute.
“Both the goals, such as scores against Kansas City, also come from some really clever striker movement where she’s able to beat her defender twice,” Eidevall said. “That’s both starting positions, anticipation, reading the moment, staying in a positive mindset in those situations. I think there is a lot to like about her performances at the moment.”
Byars has made a significant offensive impact this season since making her NWSL regular-season debut on April 25 against the Denver Summit.
Three games later, Eidevall gave Byars the start against the Washington Spirit. In the sixth minute, she combined with Kimmi Ascanio moving up the field before the ball deflected back to her near the top of the penalty area. Byars curled a shot into the back of the net for her first NWSL goal in her first career start.
“I couldn’t have imagined a better first goal being it so early in the half and in my first start,” Byars said. “I was just the emotions were there. I was really excited, just really grateful to honestly just be back on the field.”
It has been a long road back for Byars after tearing her ACL during her senior season at the University of Texas. The injury came five games into her final collegiate season after she had already scored five goals.
It was the first major injury of her career, bringing plenty of challenges.
“I think it’s really hard,” Byars said. “Just the whole rehab process in general for anyone, any athlete that is out for that long. I think it’s definitely a mental game. I mean, most days you don’t even want to get up and do the rehab, but just being able to look at the end of the tunnel and know that you’re doing this for the sport that you love is what really got me through it.”
Byars noticed that after the injury, much of the interest she had received from teams began to fade. One club never wavered.
San Diego remained committed to Byars, and she signed with the Wave on November 7, 2024.
“They were just the team that continued to stay interested in me,” Byars explained. “After I tore it, the teams were kind of going away with my offers and interests, but they stuck by me. People always say go where you’re wanted, so that’s why I decided to sign with them.”
She completed her rehabilitation in San Diego after leaving her home state of Texas for the first time. Before committing to the University of Texas, Byars nearly went to Europe after receiving strong interest from Atlético Madrid and Manchester City.
Byars admitted the opportunity was tempting, but her family valued education, and she didn’t feel it was the right time to move to another country.
“I was pretty young,” Byars said. “I don’t think I was honestly ready to be with a professional team at that age. I think I had a lot more growing to do, so I decided to take the college route. I don’t regret it at all.”
Since scoring her first goal against Washington, the goals have continued to come. She has scored six times in her last seven matches.
“I feel like coming off that injury, I had a lot more motivation and drive,” Byars said. “I think that’s what’s driven me to be successful.”
During the international break, the Wave lost leading scorer Dudinha to an ACL injury. Eidevall said it would take time for the club to figure out how to replace her offensive production.
Byars has helped fill part of that void. She moves well with and without the ball, consistently finding open teammates before making runs into dangerous areas to become another scoring option.
“She’s done unbelievable,” defender Kristen McNabb said. “I’m so so happy for her. I think you know it was a tough go last year recovering from injury and her conversion rate this year has been unreal with the amount of minutes and games she’s played to goals. She doesn’t need much space.”
The Wave will need her to maintain her recent form. Her offensive production has helped keep San Diego near the top of the NWSL standings.
The Wave are 1-1-1 since the international break and will look to pick up more points against Seattle as they sit just one point behind first place.
“Tactically, we see they change formations and tactics quite a lot during the games as well,” Eidevall said. “So, it’s going to be an interesting matchup for sure.”
San Diego Wave (9-5-2) vs. Seattle Reign (5-7-2)
When: 2 p.m. Sunday
Where: KUSI, Snapdragon Stadium
TV: Fox, CBS Sports Network