Monthly Archives: September 2026

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Record setting evening for Reign FC on Friday

Seattle Reign FC 2
Boston Legacy FC 0
September 25, 2026
Lumen Field – Seattle, WA
NWSL Regular Season

Boston Legacy FC traveled to Seattle for the first time on Friday night to play the Seattle Reign FC at Lumen Field.

The Reign came in after a disappointing week where they dropped all six points on the road and fell down the table to ninth.

Lee Pate Photos

Much of the first half was back and forth. Boston looked to press, but was generally unable to create much in the final third.

Seattle tends to be on their front foot, especially at home, so the play moved back and forth down the field.

The story of the first half though came in the 23rd minute. Jessica Fishlock launched a 25 yard long range shots that skipped past Boston Keeper Casey Murphy and grazed the post for the first goal of the match.

With the goal, Fishlock tied fellow Reign Original Megan Rapinoe at 51 goals in league play with the club. With a few matches left in the season, the club all time goals record is within reach. If not, the tie atop that list seems appropriate.

Or, just until the 65th minute. Fishlock would again strike a long range shot from top of the box and made it two nil for the home side.

The 52nd league goal means Fishlock will retire as the clubs leading scorer at the end of the season.

Boston continued to press, looking to equalize. the Legacy managed the majority of the possession and could foray into the Seattle defensive third, but were unable to break through. Their expansion season may not end up in the post-season, but there are interesting things happening there.

The Reign FC defensive effort saw out a league record fifth consecutive clean sheet at home and nabbed them three very important points. After dropping points and below the playoff line, the win bumped them back up above it on the night. Later results over the weekend will determine where they actually are with four matches remaining.

The historic goals and defensive effort were in the end the stories of the match. The text exchange tonight between Reign OG’s will be one for the ages.

BOX

SCORING SUMMARY

SEA – Jess Fishlock 23’
SEA – Jess Fishlock (Maddie Dahlien) 64’

MISCONDUCT SUMMARY

BOS – Deja Davis (caution) 18’

LINEUPS & STATS

Seattle Reign FC – Claudia Dickey; Sofia Huerta, Phoebe McClernon, Ryanne Brown (Madison Curry 77’), Jordyn Bugg; Jess Fishlock © (Sally Menti 68’), Ainsley McCammon, Sam Meza (Angharad James-Turner 85’); Maddie Mercado, Maddie Dahlien (Nerilia Mondesir 84’), Mia Fishel (Brittany Ratcliffe 77’) – Substitutes not used: Cassie Miller, Emeri Adames, Holly Ward, Emily Mason

Total shots: 15
Shots on goal: 5
Fouls: 6
Offside: 1
Corner-kicks: 5
Saves: 2

Boston Legacy FC – Casey Murphy; Jorelyn Carabalí, Nicki Hernandez, Deja Davis (Lilly Reale 56’), Bianca St-Georges ©; Annie Karich, Barbara Olivieri (Amanda Gutierres 75’), Alba Caño; Samantha Smith (Ella Stevens 75’), Aïssata Traoré, Sarah Schupansky – Substitutes not used: Laurel Ivory, Kaká, Josefine Hasbo, Amanda Allen, Aleigh Gambone

Total shots: 8
Shots on goal: 2
Fouls: 11
Offside: 1
Corner-kicks: 6
Saves: 3

Referee: Elton Garcia
Assistants: Christian Clerc, Logan Reeves
Fourth Official: Robert Vincze
VAR: Amin Hadzic
Attendance: 7,116
Weather: 57 degrees and mostly cloudy

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Reign FC 2-0 over Bay FC in the Seattle rain

Seattle Reign FC 2
Bay FC 0
September 12, 2026
Lumen Field – Seattle, WA
NWSL Regular Season

The NWSL playoff run-in is in full swing in September. Bay FC traveled up the coast for a match against Seattle Reign FC at Lumen Field on Saturday evening.

The Reign have been on a streak at home for the past month, with three consecutive one nil victories.

Bay FC are looking up the table, but are getting close to mathematical elimination for 2026.

Lee Pate Photos

The first half started off with the hosts a bit on the front foot. Seattle would create several interesting and dangerous chances on goal in the early going.

Reign FC was having particular luck early down the left flank, but over the course of the half Bay would adjust and slow that down. Still, Seattle managed a number of good looks that simply did not lead to a goal.

Bay FC found their footing as the first half progressed, but were unable to capitalize on the chances they got. A few of the offensive forays would simply lead to long range shots that would travel over the bar.

A goalless first half would conclude and head into the lockers.

With rain beginning to fall Seattle would get the first break of the second half. Nerilia Mondesir would draw a penalty in the 50th minute along the end line. Sofia Huerta stepped up and converted to give Reign FC the first goal of the match and the lead.

Jenna Nighswonger sent a left foot volley with movement that challenged Reign keeper Cassie Miller. Moments later another Bay shot would be deflected by Miller into the post, keeping the Reign lead intact.

The match was pretty tense down the stretch and the official would hand out a few late yellows. The single goal margin would double in stoppage time as Brittany Ratcliffe would get behind the Bay defense and score to the near post from close range. A fourth consecutive home clean sheet and win suited Seattle.

The three points for the Reign moved them four points above the playoff line in the eighth spot.

BOX

SCORING SUMMARY

SEA – Sofia Huerta (penalty) 52’
SEA – Brittany Ratcliffe 90+2’

MISCONDUCT SUMMARY

BAY – Keira Barry (caution) 60’
SEA – Mia Fishel (caution) 88’

LINEUPS & STATS

Seattle Reign FC – Cassie Miller; Sofia Huerta ©, Phoebe McClernon, Ryanne Brown (Madison Curry 67’), Jordyn Bugg; Angharad James-Turner, Sally Menti (Mia Fishel 67’), Sam Meza; Maddie Mercado (Jess Fishlock 79’), Maddie Dahlien (Holly Ward 89’), Nerilia Mondesir (Brittany Ratcliffe 89’) Substitutes not used: Elena Milam, Emily Mason, Shae Holmes, Ruby Hladek

Total shots: 15
Shots on goal: 6
Fouls: 11
Offside: 1
Corner-kicks: 4
Saves: 4

Bay FC – Jordan Silkowitz; Heather Gilchrist, Joelle Anderson, Maddie Moreau, Jenna Nighswonger; Taylor Huff (Alex Pfeiffer 80’), Claire Hutton, Hannah Bebar (Agostina Holzheier 90’); Racheal Kundananji, Cristiana Girelli (Caroline Conti 81’), Keria Barry (Karlie Lema 67’)
Substitutes not used: Camryn Miller, Kelli Hubly, Sydney Collins, Dorian Bailey, Aldana Cometti

Total shots: 11
Shots on goal: 4
Fouls: 14
Offside: 2
Corner-kicks: 3
Saves: 4

Referee: Lauren Aldrich
Assistants: Alicia Messer, Darren Bandy
Fourth Official: Kelsey Harms
VAR: Promise Adebayo-Ige
Attendance: 8,191
Weather: 66 degrees and cloudy

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Reign host San Diego Wave FC in Seattle

Seattle Reign FC 1
San Diego Wave FC 0
September 6, 2026
Lumen Field – Seattle, WA
NWSL Regular Season

The calendar turning to September means the NWSL run in has begun. Playoff positioning was on the line Sunday evening in Seattle as Reign FC hosted San Diego Wave FC at Lumen Field.

Seattle needed points to get back up above the playoff line. San Diego had the opportunity to move into home hosting playoff position.

Lee Pate Photos

The visitors came out of the gate matching Seattle on the front foot. Wave FC looked to have the best of the play the first ten or so minutes.

However, Mimi Van Zanten was sent off after a VAR review of a foul on Maddie Dahlien and the complexion of the game changed very early.

It would take a while and banging on the door with a number of shots, but Seattle would finally break through in the 29th minute on a header from Maddie Mercado. Dahlien managed a cross from near the goal line and the far post runner Mercado headed it inside the near post.

For Mercado, it was her team leading eighth goal of the season.

With a goal and a player down San Diego could not sit back and did not. As the half progressed, they would push forward and create a number of dangerous chances.

The single goal would be the margin at the interval.

San Diego would continue to press throughout the early stages of the second half. Seattle played patient with the goal lead and player advantage.

The Wave created a number of dangerous chances, but as the match progressed, they simply did not get past Reign keeper Claudia Dickey. Dickey would come off in the 85th as a concussion sub and Cassie Miller would see out the match in goal.

The single goal would hold up. The three points for Seattle pushed them back up into the 8th spot in the table. San Diego would remain in the fifth spot with the result.

BOX

SCORING SUMMARY

SEA – Maddie Mercado (Maddie Dahlien) 29’

MISCONDUCT SUMMARY

SD – Mimi Van Zanten (ejection) 13’
SEA – Jordyn Bugg (caution) 59’
SD – Jonas Eidevall (caution) 82’
SEA – Phoebe McClernon (caution) 90+1’

LINEUPS & STATS

Seattle Reign FC – Claudia Dickey (Cassie Miller 85’); Sofia Huerta ©, Phoebe McClernon, Ryanne Brown (Madison Curry 86’), Jordyn Bugg; Angharad James-Turner, Sally Menti (Jess Fishlock 64’), Sam Meza; Maddie Mercado (Brittany Ratcliffe 90+6’), Maddie Dahlien (Nerilia Mondesir 86’), Mia Fishel (Holly Ward 64’) – Substitutes not used: Emily Mason, Shae Holmes, Ruby Hladek

Total shots: 9
Shots on goal: 4
Fouls: 17
Offside: 1
Corner-kicks: 2
Saves: 6

San Diego Wave FC – Sandra Paños; Kennedy Wesley, Kristen McNabb (Tatum Wynalda 90+6’), Mimi Van Zanten, Perle Morroni; Melanie Barcenas (Brooklyn Courtnall 14’), Kimmi Ascanio (Laila Harbert 71’), Kenza Dali ©, Lia Godfrey (Gia Corley 46’); Trinity Byars (Adriana Leon 89’), Ludmila – Substitutes not used: Didi Haracic, Laurina Frazer, Nya Harrison, Gabi Portilho

Total shots: 13
Shots on goal: 6
Fouls: 7
Offside: 1
Corner-kicks:4
Saves: 3

Referee: Abdou Ndiaye
Assistants: Eric Krueger, Laura Chambers Waliski
Fourth Official: Dion Coxe-Trieger
VAR: Jamie Padilla
Attendance: 9,104
Weather: 70 degrees and sunny