![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Lia-Godfey_042926.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThe San Diego Wave sit in second place in the National Women\u2019s Soccer League standings heading into Saturday night\u2019s match against Bay FC at Snapdragon Stadium.<\/p>\n
The club\u2019s emergence in 2026 is in large part to the play of rookie midfielder Lia Godfrey, who has added another scoring threat to a team that already featured several playmakers.<\/p>\n
Two months into her career, Godfrey has broken the Wave rookie record for most goals in a season (four and counting), has been named NWSL Rookie of the Month and earned a spot on the NWSL Best XI of the Month for March.<\/p>\n
\u201cA dream start for me, honestly,\u201d Godfrey said. \u201cI never would have thought that this is how I would have started my career in the NWSL.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gofrey showed her talent in the first start of her career, a March 22 game against the Utah Royals.<\/p>\n
The match was tied in the 87th minute. Midfielder Kimmi Ascanio was cutting across the pitch trying to find a teammate and found captain Kenza Dali. The veteran midfielder stayed patient as she watched Godfrey make her move behind the defense. Once she did, Dali delivered the perfect pass; Godfrey turned and fired in the game-winning goal in a 2-1 victory that started a winning streak.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone dreams of this moment as you\u2019re growing up, whether you\u2019re coming from high school or from college, and my parents were there, too,\u201d Godfrey said. \u201cI was really happy to share that moment with them.\u201d<\/p>\n
After scoring, Godfrey immediately ran over to Dali, who told her something she will never forget.<\/p>\n
\u201cI say I\u2019m a part of history because I assisted her in her first goal and Perle (Morroni) as well,\u201d Dali said. \u201cSo, it\u2019s really good to be there. Never forget about me, and that\u2019s a good thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Godfrey laughed when thinking about that moment.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll never forget it,\u201d Godfrey said.<\/p>\n
The young midfielder wants to learn everything she possibly can from Dali. There was one piece of advice Dali said Godfrey took and ran with it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI said to her, the most difficult thing is the first one,\u201d Dali said, adding she told Godfrey \u201cto keep scoring, and she kept doing that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Three days later, Godfrey scored her second one. The Wave and Portland Thorns were tied 1-1 in the 27th minute. The ball was recovered in the Thorns\u2019 box after a shot was blocked, falling to Dudinha. She sent a pass across the box to an open Godfrey, who kicked it into the back of the net for the go-ahead goal.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think she has a composure element to her game like you see with her finishing,\u201d Wave head coach Jonas Eidevall said. \u201cIt\u2019s very composed finishing. On target with the right timing.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
San Diego Wave FC<\/p>\n
The San Diego Wave\u2019s Lia Godfrey attempts a shot during Wednesday\u2019s 2-0 loss to the Portland Thorns at Providence Park in Portland, Ore. (San Diego Wave FC)<\/p>\n
Godfrey\u2019s most impressive goal came in the following game against Chicago, when she received a pass that led her into the box. As a defender closed in, she left the ball behind her back, then fired a shot between two defenders and the goalkeeper to give San Diego a 1-0 lead. The Wave went on to win 2-0 after a late goal by Melanie Barcenas.<\/p>\n
Godfrey\u2019s fourth goal came against Denver with the Wave trailing 2-0 coming out of halftime and needing a difference-maker to wake them up. She passed the ball to Ascanio at the top of the box, then made her run. Ascanio stayed patient, waited for Godfrey to slice through the defense and sent her a nice pass for the goal. That started the comeback, and the Wave won 3-2.<\/p>\n
Ascanio calls Godfrey \u201ca really special player.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s a great person off the field, too, and I think she\u2019s given us a lot,\u201d Ascanio said. \u201cI mean, scoring consistently is one of the hardest things to do, and the way she\u2019s able to do that is incredible, and puts us in a really good position.\u201d<\/p>\n
A year ago, Godfrey was at the University of Virginia, playing soccer and going to class. She signed with San Diego in part because of Eidevall, who runs a similar formation to what Godrey played in college.<\/p>\n
Still, pro soccer was an adjustment. Godfrey immediately noticed that everyone on the team knew exactly where to go, how to train and where to position themselves.<\/p>\n
There was also the intensity of practice and the reality of soccer becoming a full-time job.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was definitely like I got smacked in the face like, \u2018OK, yeah, we\u2019re starting, we\u2019re here, I\u2019m ready to go,\u2019\u201d Godfrey recalled.<\/p>\n
She adjusted quickly.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s very game intelligent, so she\u2019s a quick learner,\u201d Eidevall said. \u201cShe absorbs new situations quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite the individual stats, Godfrey considers herself a team-first player. She praised her teammates for being \u201ccreative minds\u201d and \u201csmart, high-IQ players.\u201d<\/p>\n
The same goes for Godfrey, who has been a spark behind the Wave\u2019s blazing start.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s already really important,\u201d Dali said. \u201cShe has so much potential, so I can\u2019t wait to see her develop here.\u201d<\/p>\n
San Diego Wave (5-2-0) vs. Bay FC (2-3-0)<\/p>\n
When: 4 p.m. Sunday<\/p>\n
Where: Snapdragon Stadium<\/p>\n
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