Seattle Reign look to conclude Spokane residency with three straight wins
Apr. 3—With ongoing renovations at their home stadium, Lumen Field, which will be a host site in Seattle for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, NWSL club Seattle Reign made a brief three-game stand in the Lilac City to kick off their new season.
Following a shutout loss at Portland on March 20, Seattle rolled to consecutive victories over No. 13 Kansas City Current, and 15-ranked Racing Louisville in their first two matches in Spokane last Wednesday and Saturday.
They will defend their temporary home turf for the final time against expansion Denver Summit FC on Saturday at ONE Spokane Stadium at 5:45 p.m. The match will be broadcast on Ion.
Seattle has shown its various strengths, and depth on every part of the field relying on its high-powered offense to shut out the Current 3-0, and its back line to prevent a second-half rally from Racing.
Against the Current, Angharad James-Turner, Brittany Ratcliffe , and Maddie Mercado each netted a goal in a 15-minute span in the first period. Defender Sofia Huerta had two assists. The Reign's defensive unit tallied 35 clearances, 22 interceptions, and 19 tackles, and held Kansas City to just six shots — three on target — for the match. Center back Phoebe McClernon had eight clearances, five interceptions and four tackles to lead the Reign. Seattle had 15 shots and finished with a 1.61 expected goals rate.
Three days later, Mercado notched her second goal in as many games in the 11th minute, Haitian midfielder Nerilla Mondesir got her first of the season late in the half, and Seattle used its staunch defense to secure a 2-1 victory against Louisville. Racing outshot Seattle 8-3 in the first half, but Seattle was efficient needing just two attempts to jump to a 2-0 advantage at intermission.
Louisville heavily tested Seattle's defense with 30 touches in the Reign's penalty box and 12 second-half shot attempts, but Seattle keeper Claudia Dickey had five saves and defender Emily Mason recorded a team-high seven of Seattle's 27 clearances as the Reign denied Racing a rally until a late goal in 90+5' by Macy Blackburn.
If Seattle hopes to extend its winning streak and go 3-0-0 in the Lilac City, it will have to slow down Denver's leading scorer, striker Melisa Kossler, who has three goals, and Natasha Flint, who is on loan from the Gainbridge Super League's Tampa Bay Sun. Flint scored against Gotham.
Denver, which is unbeaten in its last three games and has posted back-to-back clean sheets, will face a streaking Seattle team for the first time. Summit FC earned its first-ever victory against the defending NWSL champions Gotham FC 2-0 last Wednesday, and played Washington Spirit to a scoreless draw last Saturday.
They will contend with Seattle's league-leading attack — led by Mercado and Ratcliffe's two goals apiece — which has the second-most goals (seven), behind only undefeated Angel City. The Reign have scored two or more goals in all but one match. Five have come in Spokane.
Huerta — who earned NWSL Best XI of the Month honors after a 15-tackle and two assist performance in March — will look to continue to add to her assist total, and contribute defensively. She will look for help from Texas native Samantha Meza, who had an assist last Saturday, and averages a team-high 4.8 tackles and 2.7 interceptions per 90 minutes.
Dickey was recently named to the U.S. Women's National Team for a three-game friendly series against Japan in the middle of the month.
Following Saturday's match, Seattle will have a three-week break before its true home opener April 26 against Utah Royals at Lumen Field at 5 p.m.
