Sixteen-year-old Kimmi Ascanio and Kennedy Wesley made their NWSL debuts for San Diego Wave FC Saturday in a 0-0 tie with Racing Louisville.
Ascanio, signed offseason to a three-year contract, came in as a substitute in the second half. On the international stage, Ascanio has been a mainstay since 2022 with the U.S. Youth national teams.
Wesley, 23, was drafted with the Wave’s first-round draft pick (13th overall) in the 2024 NWSL Draft.
Star defender Naomi Girma was unavailable for the game following a thigh injury in international play against Japan last week.
Wave head coach Casey Stoney praised both new player after the match, saying she thought Wesley played with “maturity and creativity. … I’m gonna play her because she’s good enough to play. I think if you’re good enough you’re old enough.”
“She’s such a fantastic player overall,” Stoney said of Wesley. “I’m really proud of Kennedy coming in and filling those (Girma) shoes… I thought she stepped in brilliantly.”
The Wave (1-1-1, 4 points) earned one point in its first road trip of the season.
Louisville (0-0-4, 4 points) nearly scored when former Wave player Taylor Kornieck Flint hit the ball into the net, but the goal was called back because of an offside Louisville player.
Wave goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan made the biggest save of the night in the 87th minute when Louisville’s Emma Sears hit a cross into the six-yard box that found Racing substitute Ary Borges. The Brazilian’s header required a diving save from Sheridan to deny the opportunity and earn her fourth save of the 2024 campaign.
Wave forward Sofia Jakobsson had a good but unsuccessful attempts on the net in the 9th and 61st minutes.
Jakobsson received a ball inside the box and hit a curving shot to the far post that went just wide.
Wave dominated possession in the first have but waned somewhat in the second.
“We looked tired,” Stoney said. “It just didn’t quite work tonight.”
Stoney added that playing at Lynn Family Stadium is a “difficult” pitch.
The Wave remain on the road as the club travels to Orlando to face the Pride on Friday, April 19, at Inter&Co Stadium. The match kicks off at 5 p.m. on Amazon Prime.