Seattle Reign FC 1
North Carolina Courage 0
August 25, 2024
Lumen Field – Seattle, WA
NWSL Regular Season

The Seattle Reign FC hosted North Carolina Courage on Megan Rapinoe jersey number retirement night at Lumen Field on Sunday night. Rapinoe’s 15 was retired and the city of Seattle had been host to a number of events and tributes over the weekend, culminating in the ceremony Sunday evening at the match.

The final stretch of the season has a sense of urgency for the Reign, as they enter the match bottom of the table. With a ten match run in, there is still time to get hot and make up a few games and get to the final playoff spot, but there is no real margin for error at this point for a club that was in the championship match last year and won the shield the year prior.

North Carolina entered the international break playing well and are above the playoff line, so continuing to play as they have been and finish strong will set them up for a shot at a title match.

The hosts made several roster moves in recent days; including trading away Bethany Balcer and bringing in two internationals and Jaelin Howell.

Right out of the gate it looked like the Courage were going to take it to the Reign, pushing and nearly breaking through in the opening minutes. Seattle would weather the early storm, getting a few looks themselves. In the 14th minute North Carolina broke through behind the Reign defense but was unable to convert. This early end to end pace would be the way of things throughout much of the half. Carolina especially seemed to be pushing up their right flank, challenging the left side of the Reign defense.

As Carolina continued their pressure, the Seattle defense continued to bend and hold their shape. The Reign took a few counter opportunities forward as the half progressed, finding opportunities on goal few to come by. With the exception of some chances on corners, the Courage defense also held their ground.

Jessica Fishlock nearly broke open the scoring near the end of the first half. After getting on the end of a through ball the shot was smothered by Courage keeper Casey Murphy.

The half would end goalless.

The Courage continued to have the better of possession, but both clubs came out in the early stages of the second half with their metaphorical foot on the gas. It looked like the Reign were going to break through, but much as the story of 2024 has been, the opportunities were stopped or went over the bar. Murphy smothered what looked like a certain goal in the 58th minute as Tziarra King put in from close range to no avail.

Howell would come on in the 74th with Nérilia Mondésir to make their Reign debuts With Ana-Maria Crnogorčević in the starting eleven, all three new additions found the field Sunday evening.

There was a spark in the Reign offense as the match wound down, but Murphy continued to be difficult to get past. The Courage found the possession balance shift in the final minutes, as the Reign could not afford to simply settle for a draw and a point and put on a late push.

The stoppage time winner would come six minutes into stoppage time. Emeri Adames would sneak a header past Murphy, a cathartic moment for the Reign. The official ruling is own goal on Murphy as the ball spun off the post into her and into the goal.

A festive night and a crowd of 16,598 was loud and raucous throughout the celebratory evening. The crowd would go home after witnessing an exciting match and three potentially season saving points.

The match was also the 100th regular season win for Laura Harvey, the first coach to reach that milestone in the NWSL.

Lee Pate Photos

BOX

NCC (4-3-3): Casey Murphy; Dani Weatherholt, Malia Berkely, Kaleigh Kurtz, Ryan Williams; Denise O’Sullivan ©, Narumi Miura, Ashley Sanchez (Victoria Pickett – 77’); Tyler Lussi (Olivia Wingate – 63’), Cortnee Vine (Meredith Speck – 87′), Manaka Matsukubo (Riley Jackson – 87′)
Subs Not Used: Marisa Bova, Haley Hopkins, Brianna Pinto, Felicitas Rauch, Charlotte McLean

SEA (4-3-3): Claudia Dickey, Shae Holmes, Phoebe McClernon, Jordyn Bugg, Sofia Huerta, Ji So-Yun (Olivia Athens – 89′), Jess Fishlock (Jaelin Howell – 75’), Quinn, Ana-Maria Crnogorcevic (Nérilia Mondésir – 75’), Jordyn Huitema (Emeri Adams – 89′), Tziarra King (Veronica Latsko – 66’)
Subs Not Used: Angharad James-Turner, Julia Lester, Ainsley Mccammon

Score:
NCC: 0
SEA: 1

Goals:
NCC: –
SEA: C. Murphy – 90+7′ (OG)

Yellow/Red:
NCC: –
SEA: –

Attendance: 16,598

MATCH DAY 1

Seattle Reign FC 2
Utah Royals FC 1
July 19, 2024
Lumen Field – Seattle, WA
NWSL X LIGA MX Femenil Summer Cup

The first NWSL X LIGA MX Femenil Summer Cup kicked off for Seattle and Utah on Friday night. The two clubs find themselves at or near the bottom of the table going into the Olympic break, the Summer Cup possibly providing an opportunity to take a crack at a trophy in 2024.

With internationals not available or just returning from duty, it is also an opportunity for many in each squad to grab some playing time.

Utah’s return to NWSL play has been a slow start, already resulting in a coaching change.

Reign FC have had a rough 2024, but are looking for a late season run in. In both 2022 and 2023 late season shifts in form led to a Shield and a championship appearance.

Both sides came out with pressure, pushing for an early goal or to create a mistake. As a result, the early stages was a pretty wide open field.

The hosts managed a set piece header just a few minutes in. The visitors forced Reign keeper Laurel Ivory into a tricky save in the 13th amidst a period of pressure.

Cup matches with squad rotation often provide a glimpse into possible futures of clubs. For Seattle, the mix of rotation regulars also included a look at Maddie Mercado, Sam Meza, and Julia Lester. Rookie Emeri Adames was provided an opportunity to start, a long with McKenzie Weinert on the front line.

The two sides had recently played to a 1-1 draw in Seattle just before the international break. The two starting elevens that took the field for the cup match looked nothing like those line ups.

The flow of play in the first half was fairly open and end to end, but not the sometimes near frantic like pace and pressure of league matches. Both found a few opportunities, but the defenses held as the first half progressed.

Olivia Athens would open the scoring in the 43rd minute, converting from the spot from a foul on Weinert. The goal would not carry into the interval. Utah forward Paige Monaghan nearly had leveled in stoppage time on a counter, but the Reign defense held, to hold the one nil scoreline.

Moments later however, the match would be leveled when Cameron Tucker was left open on the far post and blasted a volley past Ivory.

The open play and pressing continued into the second half. Both sides continued to create the odd chance, but neither keeper was especially tested.

in the 77th minute Sofia Huerta would get a head on a far post cross from Tziarra King, nabbing the second goal and putting the Reign back in the lead 2-1. Seattle has moved towards not merely overlapping with their outside backs, but in pushing them up into midfield wings on transition as 2024 has progressed. The eventual game winner was an example of how that approach pushes their forwards up higher, a move which bought King the time to set up the goal and Huerta the space to get to the far post.

The Royals would push for the late equalizer, creating a number of chances in the waining minutes.

The 2-1 margin gives Seattle the early advantage in the group phase of the Summer Cup.

Ainsley McCammon would debut in the 90th minute for the Reign, her signing having been announced earlier in the day with Jordyn Bugg.

BOX

Scoring Summary
SEA: Athens – 43’, Huerta – 76′
UTA: Tucker – 45+5’

Discipline
SEA: Stanton (Caution – 50′), Meza (Caution – 63′)
UTA: Betfort (Caution – 75′)

Lineups

SEA: GK Ivory, D Holmes, D Brown (Huerta 46’), D McClernon, D Lester, M Stanton, M Athens (McCammon 90’), M Mercado (Meza 57’), F Adames (King 65’), F Weinert (Balcer 65’), F Latsko Unused substitutes: GK Dickey, D Perez, D Bugg, D Cook

Total Shots: 9 (Balcer, Weinert – 2)
Shots on Goal: 4 (Four tied with – 1)
Fouls: 8 (Weinert – 3)
Offsides: 0
Corner Kicks: 6
Saves: 2 (Ivory – 2)

UTA: GK Roque, D Del Fava (Merrick 46’), D Tejada, D Burns, D Pogarch (O’Brien 88’), D Riehl, M Foederer (Boren 86’), F Mozingo, F Monaghan (c) (Murison 86’), F Tucker, F BetfortUnused substitutes: GK Haught, D Smith-Griffitts, M Nyberg, F Vasconcelos

Total Shots: 11 (Monaghan, Pogarch – 3)
Shots on Goal: 3 (Three tied with – 1)
Fouls: 12 (Tejada – 4)
Offsides: 3
Corner Kicks: 6
Saves: 2 (Roque – 2)

Referee: Elijio Arreguin
Assistant Referee 1: Elijio Arreguin
Assistant Referee 2: Eric Krueger
4th Official: Dion Coxe-Trieger

*****

MATCH DAY 2

Seattle Reign FC 2
Club Tijuana 3
July 28, 2024
Lumen Field – Seattle, WA
NWSL X LIGA MX Femenil Summer Cup

Club Tijuana visited Seattle on Sunday afternoon for a Summer Cup match with Seattle Reign FC. The group phase match was the second for both sides, with a chance for Seattle to take hold of the top of the table on the line.

Tijuana took it right at the hosts.  A quick exchange and a nice touch by Aisha Solorzano with Reign keeper Laurel Ivory out of her box put the guests up one nil in the second minute.

The early goal immediately upped the pace of the match and gave the visitors a boost.  They nearly doubled their lead a few minutes later but the post saved the Reign from a tough early deficit.

Seattle began to get their feet under them, creating some chances and getting McKenzie Weinert through on a number of occasions, but the goalpost also helped Tijuana in the 21st minute, preserving the early lead.

As the opening half progressed, the bulk of the play would move more into the Tijuana half. The Reign would begin to assert themselves, creating more and more chances, but not breaking through the level the match.

Solorzano would double the lead for Tijuana in the 40th minute, somehow getting clear of the Reign defense and drilling a low shot from top of the box past Ivory. The Guatemalan had only had a few chances and touches in the first half, but had made the most of it with two excellent touches for a first half brace.

Coming off a five goal loss to Portland, Tijuana found themselves up by two at the half in Seattle

Seattle came out of the break on their front foot, needing to grab the next goal.

Emeri Adames would in fact cut the lead in the 47th minute, finding her way through a number of defenders and launching a left footed blast just under the bar from the top of the box. Much as both of Tijuana’s goals had been moments of excellent touch, Adames’ goal was a moment of class.

Maddie Mercado would get her first professional goal in the 63rd minute, leveling the match at two. Mercado’s goal was a case of following up a play and making the most of a one touch opportunity.

With the match level, a number of Reign regulars came on with about 25 minutes to grab a winner.

Solorzano would complete her hat trick instead, grabbing the lead back for Tiuana in the 84th minute with a left footed near post blast. 

Squad rotation for the Reign was in full effect. Jordyn Bugg made her debut.  Sam Meza got her first start.  Alana Cook is now with KC and no longer with the club.  Laurel Ivory was captain.

Seattle would throw everything forward in the waining minutes and stoppage time. A number of late chances just did not convert into goals.

The 3-2 margin is a big win for Club Tijuana, especially after conceding the lead to grab the late winner.

Squad rotation for the Reign was in full effect. Jordyn Bugg made her debut.  Sam Meza got her first start.  Alana Cook is now with KC and no longer with the club.  Laurel Ivory was captain.

BOX

Scoring Summary

SEA: Adames – 47’, Mercado – 62′
TIJ: Solórzano – 2’, 40’, 84’

Discipline

SEA: James-Turner (Caution – 69′)
TIJ: Pelayo (Caution – 89’)

Lineups

SEA: GK Ivory (C), D Bugg, D Woodham, D Lester, M Stanton (Huerta 46’), M Meza (Ji 67’), M Athens, M Mercado (Latsko 67’), M James-Turner, F Adames (King 87’), F Weinert (Balcer 67’)
Unused substitutes: GK Perez, D McClernon, D Holmes, M McCammon

Total Shots: 17 (Adames – 5)
Shots on Goal: 9 (Adames – 4)
Fouls: 7 (Seven tied with – 1)
Offsides: 3
Corner Kicks: 11
Saves: 1 (Ivory – 1)

TIJ: GK Gonzalez, D Diaz, D Martinez (Villalobos 77’), D Alvarado, D Fong, M Herrera (Fernandez 68’), M Pelayo, M Martinez (Cox 68’), M Hernandez (C) (Izaguirre 77’), F Marroquin (Espinosa 62’), F Solorzano
Unused substitutes: F Carrandi, F Munguia, D Mora, GK Gutierrez

Total Shots: 6 (Solorzano – 4)
Shots on Goal: 4 (Solorzano – 4)
Fouls: 13 (Pelayo – 5)
Offsides: 2
Corner Kicks: 0
Saves: 7 (Gonzalez – 7)

Referee: Jaclyn Metz
Assistant Referee 1: Sharon Gingrich
Assistant Referee 2: Melissa Beck
4th Official: Kelsey Harms

Reign v Tijuana Photos by Lee Pate

Seattle Reign FC 1
Utah Royals FC 1
July 7, 2024
Lumen Field – Seattle, WA
NWSL Regular Season

Reign FC and Utah Royals met Sunday afternoon in Seattle in the final regular season NWSL matchday prior to the Olympic break. Both clubs find themselves looking up from the bottom of the table, but a little run of a few matches could jump a side up near that playoff line.  Three points was essential.

The Utah return to NWSL play has been a rough start, with a coaching change in the middle of this first season. Jimmy Coenraets will serve as interim head coach for the Royals.

Seattle finally caught a break nabbing a late point from a stoppage time ownb goal last week at Gotham FC. Many more breaks are needed to claw back up the table. Late season runs have been a thing for the Reign in recent seasons.

The first half was a hard hitting affair. Both sides contested loose balls and passes with the intensity of teams that needed the result.

Seattle was able to get in front of the Utah goal a number of times in the early stages, but the Royals were defending well in numbers. Pushing the ball up either flank with overlapping outside backs, the Reign were getting the ball into the dangerous places.  Utah managed to congest the front of their goal and converged, blocking lanes.

The attacks were creating chances, but few really good looks on goal for either side as the half wound down. Bethany Balcer saw a good chance go wide in the 36th minute. Utah hit the crossbar from range after a bad Reign giveaway in stoppage time.

The match would go into the half level and scoreless.

VAR would come into play early in the 2nd half. Seattle would find the back of the net, but in the sequence leading in there was a collision in front of the goal with the Utah keeper. The review would pull the goal back and leave the match goalless.

Much of what was happening in the first half continued well into the second.  Each team was moving the ball, sometimes getting it into dangerous positions, but ultimately unable to get many good clear chances in front of the goal before team defending mucked up the works.

On the artificial surface in the unusual Seattle heat, the subs came on in waves, both coaches trying to get fresh legs on. Even so, the pressing by both teams continued, but the field seemed more spread.  Under these conditions it was not a surprise when a giveaway in the defense led to a goal.

Ally Sentnor would take her chance and get Utah their goal in the 67th minute, gaining possession in the Seattle third and managing to hold off defenders and getting the ball past Reign keeper Claudia Dickey.

Seattle would get their goal in the 75th minute to bring matters level. Veronica Latsko would get in behind the Utah defense and left foot a volley home. The goal brought the energy back to both sides in the sweltering conditions, breathing life back into the pressing.

Points have been at a premium for both Seattle and Utah in 2024. Even though one point would be something, both really needed three.  Play would get more and more direct in the waining minutes and stoppage time, with both taking risks forward, but with fewer numbers.

This was a match where the team defenses ultimately clogged up the chances enough to keep the score low.  Each side grabbed a goal and therefore a point, but in the end it isn’t what either club needs to push up the table this season.

The clubs and the league now enter the Olympic break with the draw. After a brief respite, the same two teams square off in two weeks in Seattle in the NWSL X Liga MX Femenil Cup on July 19th.

BOX

Scoring Summary

SEA: Latsko – 75’
UTA: Sentnor – 67’

Discipline

SEA: None
UTA: None

Lineups

SEA: GK Dickey, D Huerta, D Brown (Holmes 59’), D McClernon, D Cook, M Fishlock (c) (James-Turner 59’), M Quinn (Athens 90+1’), M Ji, F King (Adames 90+1’), F Balcer (Latsko 64’), F Huitema Unused substitutes: GK Ivory, D Woodham, M Mercado, M Stanton

Total Shots: 20 (King, Latsko – 4)
Shots on Goal: 6 (King – 3)
Fouls: 4 (Four tied with– 1)
Offsides: 4
Corner Kicks: 5
Saves: 7 (Dickey – 7)

UTA: GK Haught, D Del Fava, D Burns, D Pogarch, M Foederer, M Nyberg (Flynn 46’ (Merrick 8`’)), F Mozingo, F Monaghan (c) (Tucker 81’), F Sentnor, F Betfort (Onumonu 77’)Unused substitutes: GK Roque, M Gray, D Riehl

Shots: 15 (Sentnor – 7)
Shots on Goal: 7 (Sentnor – 7)
Fouls: 8 (Betfort, Tejada – 2)
Offsides: 2
Corner Kicks: 2
Saves: 5 (Haught – 5)

Referee: Matt Thompson
Assistant Referee 1: Darren Bandy
Assistant Referee 2: Matt Trotter
4th Official: Kelsey Harms
VAR: Alexandra Billeter
AVAR: Kaili Terry

Lee Pate Photos

Seattle Reign FC has officially announced the sale of the club to a group including Seattle Sounders FC ownership and global investment group Carlyle.

The transaction completion brings to an end one era and begins another.  However, the ownership sale has been long acknowledged as in progress and today’s announcement finally gives players, supporters, and the city a chance to move forward.

The group includes Carlyle’s Head of Private Credit, Alex Popov along with Sounders FC Owner Adrian Hanauer.  Maya Mendoza-Exstrom will be Chief Business Officer and joins General Manager Lesle Gallimore and Head Coach Laura Harvey as the women led leadership team.

Seattle Reign FC 0
Portland Thorns FC 0
June 16, 2024
Lumen Field – Seattle, WA
NWSL Regular Season

When the NWSL began in 2013 there was hope amongst supporters and the Cascadia clubs that the regional rivalry could become something more than merely regional.  In over a decade both clubs have won trophies, played dramatic matches, and seen the rivalry actually develop across multiple competitions.  The Sunday match in Seattle is the 40th match between the two sides and a real rivalry has emerged. Both rosters have had long tenured players and coaches embrace the rivalry.  Traveling supporters have added atmosphere to matches.  The games have had consequences. Just over a month ago, the Thorns dropped four on the visiting Reign in Providence Park in a match that went sideways for the Reign late.

Since the match in Portland, the Thorns have maintained their spots near the top of the table. The hosts Reign have seen their usually stingy defense suddenly giving up goals in bunches and a season looking like it could slip away. Sophia Smith would not be available due to a red card suspension.  Sam Coffey, Olivia Moultrie, and Morgan Weaver were also out for the Thorns due to injury, while the Reign came in reasonably healthy. Claudia Dickey returned from injury in goal for the Reign, getting her first start in several weeks.

The Cascadia derbies have often been intense and physical affairs.  The level of intensity matching the level of the rivalry as it has grown.  It did not take long for the intensity to manifest in the form of a yellow card.  The first booking came a mere three minutes in to Portland’s Janine Beckie for a foul on Reign midfielder Jessica Fishlock. 

The first half would play out in waves of pressure. The early stages seemed as though both sides were poking and prodding, looking for any advantage that did not come.  As the middle of the half progressed, the hosts seemed to have the better of the ball and possession, but the Thorns counter was dangerous.

Eventually, both would get some good looks and set pieces, creating moments of danger in front of both goals.  Neither would break through.  Late in the half it appeared as though the Reign might grab a first goal, but the Portland defense handled Jordyn Huitema getting in behind.  The first half would end goalless.

Coming out of the interval the intensity ramped up.  Only a few minutes into the half and Reign defender Ryanne Brown would be booked for a foul on Christine Sinclair.  The physical play continued with several hard fouls causing a number of stoppages.

Seattle would find some good chances on goal in the middle third, but chips from Brown and a shot from Bethany Balcer  would go high.

Portland did not hold back attacking, even with so many injuries, but their forays forward tended towards counters and the defense stayed home.

The final stages of the match was a continuation of the pressure and physical intensity that had been the story of the match. All the stoppages led to significant added time, giving both clubs a chance to throw forward a few more attacks.

The goalless draw at least was a point for the Reign and clean sheet, given the 15 goals they had conceded over the previous four matches.  The single point for Portalnd was a well deserved grinded out road point given the circumstances.

The home side might rue the draw, given several really dangerous chances, but the point was their first since a similarly hard fought goalless home draw with Kansas City in May.

With this draw, the NWSL Cascadia derby has now run 40 matches.

Photos by Lee Pate