Jaedyn Shaw started her NWSL career with a bang, scoring the game-winner in her first start with the San Diego wave Saturday.
The 17-year-old star put her name on the scoresheet in the 27th minute, finishing off a cross from Katlyn Johnson to put her side up 1-0 over the Chicago Red Stars.
☑️1st NWSL game ☑️1st start ☑️1st goal ☑️17 years-old What a @sandiegowavefc debut for @jeymar10s 👏 pic.twitter.com/PEsUmwJDC8— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) July 31, 2022
☑️1st NWSL game ☑️1st start ☑️1st goal ☑️17 years-old What a @sandiegowavefc debut for @jeymar10s 👏 pic.twitter.com/PEsUmwJDC8
Shaw joined the San Diego Wave in July via the NWSL’s discovery process. Her rights were acquired by the Wave despite Shaw training with the Washington Spirit during the preseason.
“I want to thank the Washington Spirit for providing me a professional training environment for the past six months,” said Shaw of her signing. “I am very grateful for their support. I also want to thank the NWSL for facilitating a pathway for me to join the league and start my childhood dream of becoming a professional soccer player.”
Shaw’s first-half goal held until the final whistle, with San Diego reclaiming the top spot in the NWSL standings from the Portland Thorns.
“I believe in them, every single one of them. I believe in them to go out there and do a job. They believe in each other. We work a lot on the cohesion and dynamics in our environment, and we brought great characters into our dressing room,” said Wave head coach Casey Stoney. “They fought so hard tonight. They never gave up. It’s definitely my proudest moment as a head coach of this team because you saw how much fight they had and how much they were willing to work for each other.”