Monthly Archives: April 2025

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NWSL Cascadia Derby 42, and the answer is …?

Seattle Reign FC 1
Portland Thorns FC 0
April 18, 2025
Lumen Field – Seattle, WA
NWSL Regular Season

Portland headed up the highway to Seattle for the Reign’s 2025 home match of the NWSL Cascadia derby on Friday evening.

Forty-two times now these two clubs have met in official competitions, a rivalry that has only grown since the inception of the NWSL in 2013. The Thorns held a single match all-time advantage in the series prior to the match.

Reign rookie Maddie Dahlien opened the scoring in just the fourth minute. Taking the ball at the top of the box, Dahlien placed a low diagonal drive to the far post past a diving Bella Bixby for the early lead.

The early goal really opened up the end to end play in the early stages of the match. Olivia Moultrie nearly leveled the match moments later, but her low drive went just wide.

The 2025 version was played with many old familiar faces either no longer around or not available. The younger players all seemed intent on matching the intensity of those who have blazed the trail.

Lynn Biyendolo broke free in the 35th minute, but her near post short went just wide. The Thorns attack poked and prodded and also got through a few times in the first half to test Dickey in the Seattle goal, but the early single goal was the margin going into the interval.

Both clubs have gone through a good deal of change in recent months. The young players have been stepping up in the early stages of 2025. Both also have those veterans like Sam Coffey and Lu Barnes on the pitch to create a balance.

The second half remained a fairly end to end affair. Both clubs seemed intent on utilizing their speed to get in behind the other’s back line.

The Thorns nearly leveled several times late and in stoppage, striking the crossbar and putting Claudia Dickey under constant pressure.

The hosts got a scrappy three points. For a Seattle side eager to build a new identity in 2025 and end the conversations about 2024, these points and results are essential. Though still a work in progress, the Reign look to be a side that will not be an easy out for anyone.

Portland was unlucky to go down early and not equalize. The late run of opportunities will feel like at least a point was available and missed. But, there is a lot to build on and around.

The Seattle win levels the series at 16 wins each with 10 draws.

Lee Pate photos

BOX

SCORING SUMMARY

SEA – Maddie Dahlien (Lynn Biyendolo) 4’

MISCONDUCT SUMMARY

POR – Reyna Reyes (caution) 17’
POR – Kaitlyn Torpey (caution) 45+1’
POR – Jayden Perry (caution) 77’

LINEUPS & STATS

Seattle Reign FC – Claudia Dickey; Lauren Barnes © (Shae Holmes 86’), Phoebe McClernon, Jordyn Bugg, Madison Curry; Angharad James-Turner, Sam Meza; Lynn Biyendolo (Emeri Adames 80’), Maddie Dahlien, Jordyn Huitema (Ana-Maria Crnogorčević 86’), Nérilia Mondesir (Ji So-Yun 65’)
Substitutes not used: Cassie Miller, Hanna Glas, Emily Mason, Ainsley McCammon, Olivia Van der Jagt

Total shots: 9
Shots on goal: 5
Fouls: 8
Offside: 2
Corner-Kicks: 0
Saves: 4

Portland Thorns FC – Bella Bixby; Reyna Reyes (Pietra Tordin 83’), Sam Hiatt, Kaitlyn Torpey (Mallie McKenzie 45’), Jayden Perry; Hina Sugita (Deyna Castellanos 65’), Olivia Moultrie (Mimi Alidou 78’), Sam Coffey ©, Jessie Fleming; Payton Linnehan (Caiya Hanks 65’), Reilyn Turner
Substitutes not used: Mackenzie Arnold, Isabella Obaze, Sophie Hirst, Alexa Spanstra

Total shots: 13
Shots on goal: 4
Fouls: 14
Offside: 1
Corner-kicks: 7
Saves: 4

Referees: Jeremy Scheer
Assistants: Jennifer Garner, Sharon Gingrich
Fourth Official: Dion Coxe-Trieger
VAR: Corbyn May
Attendance: 7,609
Weather: 61 degrees and sunny

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Reign host Pride in Seattle

Seattle Reign FC 0
Orlando Pride 0
April 12, 2025
Lumen Field – Seattle, WA
NWSL Regular Season

Lee Pate photos

NWSL Champions Orlando Pride crossed the country to the chilly Pacific Northwest for a Saturday tilt against Seattle Reign FC. With nine of nine possible points, the Pride are off to a roaring start.

The host Reign have looked a different side than in 2024, earning four points through gritty play. Looking to return to the normalcy of playoffs and contending with some early momentum will go a long way towards reducing supporter angst after the 2024 campaign. Seattle are looking to really get their 2025 going with points against the champs.

Orlando quickly showed the class they have. A third minute push down the right flank led to a dangerous near post drive that Reign keeper Claudia Dickey did well to smother. Much of the first half was a continuation of this as the Pride offence would pick and poke from different angles. The Reign defense did well to bend and scrap and fend off the Pride attacks.

Seattle would get a number of chances on the counter. Forwards Nérilia Mondesir and Jordyn Huitema were frequent targets of the Seattle midfield, looking to utilize their speed to get over or around the Pride defense.

Dickey would face several first half challenges. Reign defenders did well to restrict the Orlando chances much of the half. Orlando’s dangerous attack would eventually get through. The visitor’s would break through with a Barbra Banda left-footed close range goal off a low cross from Summer Yates. Yates would come off after the play with what appeared to be an injured ankle.

Orlando remained up a goal at the half. Seattle had good moments, but their scrappy defense had let one in.

Seattle had to feel unlucky to have conceded late in the half, but they came out fighting to open the second. The Reign would push, bringing on the Reign debut of Lynn Biyendolo. Biyendolo would act as a target, giving the Reign both a target striker type and playmaker up top.

The Reign pressed for much of the second half, creating many chances but not breaking through.

The young Seattle midfield managed to hold back much of the Pride attack up the middle. The Reign would find opportunities up to the end, taking shots from range and having a few dangerous set pieces. In the end, banda’s goal would hold and the Pride move to twelve points from four matches.

Orlando is the defending champions and did enough to win. They got their goal and then defended well enough to take the points.

Seattle may not have scored or grabbed the points, but this was a different type of match and loss than what plagued the club in 2024.

A very young line up and some debut performances with several veterans unavailable could have been a disaster for Coach Laura Harvey’s side. The young Reign took it right at the champions and were not rewarded with an equalizer. They will have to take the performance momentum with them with the home half of the Cascadia Derby on Friday at home against the Thorns.

BOX

Referees: Greg Dopka
Assistants: Seth Martin, Peter Hanson
Fourth Official: Kelsey Harms
VAR: Katja Koroleva

Attendance: 7,721
Weather: 53 degrees and partly cloudy

SCORING SUMMARY
ORL – Barbra Banda 41’

MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
None

LINEUPS & STATS

Seattle Reign FC – Claudia Dickey; Lauren Barnes © (Ana-Maria Crnogorčević), Phoebe McClernon, Jordyn Bugg, Madison Curry (Emeri Adames 79’); Maddie Mercado (Shae Holmes 69’), Ainsley McCammon (Angharad James-Turner 69’), Sam Meza; Maddie Dahlien, Jordyn Huitema (Lynn Biyendolo 45’), Nérilia Mondesir
Substitutes not used: Cassie Miller, Emily Mason, Sally Menti, Olivia Van der Jagt
Total shots: 13
Shots on goal: 5
Fouls: 8
Offside: 1
Corner-Kicks: 3
Saves: 3

Orlando Pride – Anna Moorhouse; Kylie Nadaner, Emily Sams, Cori Dyke (Oihane 61’), Kerry Abello (Viviana Villacorta 75’), Haley McCutcheon, Summer Yates (Angelina 43’), Ally Lemos, Marta © (Prisca Chilufya 61’), Ally Watt (Carson Pickett 75’), Barbra Banda
Substitutes not used: McKinley Crone, Morgan Gautrat, Brianna Martinez, Zara Chavoshi
Total shots: 7
Shots on goal: 4
Fouls: 10
Offside: 1
Corner-kicks: 4
Saves: 5