Last season, San Diego Wave FC became the first expansion team to make the playoffs, host a playoff game, and win a playoff game. This year, they became the first second-year team to win the NWSL Shield since the league’s second year and they continue their quest for more firsts; hopefully, eventually finishing it off with a first championship win next Saturday, November 11.

“I think it’s a really exciting game for us, something that we’ve been preparing a lot for. Recently and all year,” Jaedyn Shaw said. “Obviously, Reign is a tough opponent, and yeah, we’re just really excited to just get out there, play in the Snap, and get a win.”

Handling OL Reign has been too difficult a task previously for the Wave, and if they want to host its first championship game, they’ll have to win more than just their first semifinal match, but have to get their first win against OL Reign in club history as well.

In eight overall competitions between the two west coast clubs, OL Reign has won six of them and two have ended in draws. In two matches this year, they’ve scored one goal to Seattle’s three. Including two more Challenge Cup games, the Wave have been outscored 7-1 this year.

​​“I don’t know if there’s anything, like, specific that just makes them good. I think they’re just a tough opponent to play against and we’re really excited to just get out there and I think that we’re ready,” Shaw said.

She added: “I think that, you know, us not winning against them beforehand, I think just adds a little bit of a motivation and a little bit of a chip on our shoulder going into this game.”

OL Reign has also had great success in their last few games, including a 1-0 home shutout of Angel City FC to clinch the semifinal matchup with Wave on Sunday.

Their back line cemented itself as one that can shut down entire offenses when it matters most in their final two games of the season. They went into the final two weeks of the season on the outside of the playoff race looking in, but a pair of shutouts led them to host a home playoff game for the third straight season.

Following their win against Angel City in the quarterfinal, they haven’t allowed a goal in three games and only allowed three goals in their last six games since the start of September.

“I don’t really think that matters,” Shaw quickly answered. “I think we’re going to go out there and do what we know how to do. And obviously, they’re a good back line, but we’re also good too. So I think that we’re just going to go out there and play our game and execute the game plan and finish our chances and get the dub.”

It all comes down to finishing as Wave look to become the first team since 2019 to play a championship game in their home stadium, when North Carolina Courage became the last team to win the NWSL Shield and championship in the same season.