Morgan’s peak form bodes well for Wave

As Alex Morgan exited stage left, coach Casey Stoney began her own news conference Saturday night following the San Diego Wave’s 4-0 victory.

Nice try, coach.

Cue young girls, beseeching Morgan.

“Alex! Alex! Alex!” they screamed.

“I can’t hear you over the shouts of Alex, which is fair,” Stoney told reporters.

Morgan had just scored four goals at the University of San Diego in the Wave’s home opener to their first season in the National Women’s Soccer League.

So at 32, Morgan is in peak form.

That’s great for the Wave (2-0).

And, it’s bad for the national teams that aspire to dethrone the United States in the 2023 Women’s World Cup, qualifying for which begins in July.

Citing good timing, Morgan said the Wave’s lengthy preseason preceded by a long offseason for many national players have prepared her to assist the expansionist Wave and rejoin the U.S. team in pursuit of a third consecutive World Cup title.

“I feel 90 minutes game fit, I feel in form,” she said after becoming the third

author of four goals in an NWSL game. “I definitely feel like I’m doing what I need to do to help this team to be successful, and I’m hopeful that I’ll be back with the national team soon. That’s ultimately my goal — to put back on that jersey and create success with two teams.”

Morgan has eight goals through eight games. Three were via penalty kicks, two coming Saturday.

“She’s been playing well all season, Alex,” said Stoney, “but, tonight, she went to another level again.”

Morgan specified a big part of the Wave’s overacrching plan: transform San Diego into one of the NWSL’s toughest stops for visiting teams.

“I want to win games, especially at home, hold down the fort here, represent this city well,” the Cal alum said after joining teammates for a victory lap while waving to a crowd of 5,000.

The intent is to “absolutely dominate at home” and feed off fans’ energy.

“We want to make sure we do this every single game that we’re here,” she said. “We expect nothing less next week, too.”

“The thing that made me smile,” Stoney said, “was just seeing (players) enjoy themselves out there, use the ball in such a way that controlled the game, and players coming off the bench and making a real difference in terms of our game changers.”

Experts at defense and offense, respectively, Stoney and Morgan lead a Wave club that has outperformed its expansionist status in posting two shutouts, both with Kaelin Sheridan in goal and smooth rookie defender

Naomi Girma furthering her national team potential.

Twenty games remain, starting Sunday at USD with a 2 p.m. contest against Chicago. Can the Wave handle success? Morgan was a gracious winner Saturday, hugging the poor Gotham FC goalkeeper, who had no good chance against any of the four shots.

As for the vigilant Englander in charge, she went Belichickian soon after the final whistle.

“It’s on to the next game,” said the coach.