SEATTLE, WA. – Seattle Reign FC closed out NWSL regular season competition with a 3-2 loss against the Orlando Pride at Inter&Co Stadium on Saturday evening. Ally Watt, Kerry Abello and Marta scored for the home side while Jordyn Huitema and Maddie Mercado tallied goals for the Reign.
Orlando was on the front foot early, nearly scoring the opening goal in the 2nd minute of the match, but Barbra Banda’s Cruyff into the back of the net was called offside.
The Reign had an opportunity to take the lead in the 6th minute when Ji laid it off to Tziarra King who crossed the ball into the box, but nobody was there to finish the shot.
Orlando got the go-ahead just three minutes later when a Summer Yates switch to the right flank put Ally Watt in position to dribble into open space toward goal and rocket the ball past Claudia Dickey.
Seattle responded quickly just one minute later, when a cross from King landed in the feet of Huitema who finished one-time to level the score.
The home side took the lead again in the 26th minute after Watt beat Hannah Glas 1-v-1 down the right flank and crossed the ball in for Abello to toe-poke past Dickey.
Seattle had potential to tie up the score in the 45th minute when Ji was in point blank range to get a shot off, but Abello was there to block the attempt.
The second half continued in Orlando’s favor when Marta extended the lead even further in the 57th minute. The Brazilian international found space to dribble down the center of the pitch and into the 18-yard box to strike the ball near post.
The Reign had a chance to score in the 65th minute off a Veronica Latsko corner kick, but Huitema’s redirected header from deep in the six skied over the net.
Then in the 84th minute, Latsko’s cross into the box found Maddie Mercado’s head to cut the deficit to one.
The Reign continued to battle it out in search of another goal during the final moments of the match but were unable to surpass Orlando and finish the night with points on the road.
KEY TAKEWAYS:
- SAME STARTERS: For the first time in the 2024 season, a duplicated starting XI was listed for the Reign. Today’s lineup was featured in the club’s most recent match on October 18, a 2-1 win over the Houston Dash. .
- DECIDED BY ONE: Among the Reign’s 26 regular season games this season, 17 have been decided by one goal.
- JORDYN HUITEMA: Forward Jordyn Huitema scored in 10th minute to level the game, 1-1. The goal marks Huitema’s third of the 2024 season and first since she recorded a brace against the Kansas City Current on June 9. Huitema finished the match with a team-leading two shots and three chances created.Huitema closes out the season tied for the most goals on the team and now has 10 regular-season goals since entering the NWSL in 2022.
- TZIARRA KING: Forward Tziarra King connected with Huitema to level the score, 1-1, and earn her first assist of the season.
- MADDIE MERCADO: Midfielder Maddie Mercado scored in the 84th minute to close Orlando’s lead to one. The goal marks her first regular-season goal of her NWSL rookie campaign, although she scored her first professional goal in the NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup against Club Tijuana.
- SERIES: The loss brings the all-time series between Reign FC and the Pride to 7W-4L-7D.
MATCH SUMMARY
2024 NWSL Regular Season
Seattle Reign FC 2–3 Orlando Pride
Date/Time: Saturday, November 2, 2:00 p.m. PT
Location: Inter&Co Stadium, Orlando, Florida
Weather: 82, light rain
Scoring Summary
SEA: Huitema – 10′, Mercado – 84′
ORL: Watt – 9′, Abello – 25′, Marta – 57′
Discipline
SEA: None
ORL: Marta (Caution – 45+4′)
Lineups
SEA: GK Dickey, D Barnes (c), D Bugg, D Glas (McClernon 58′), M Ji, (James-Turner 89′) M Athens, M Mondésir (Howell 58′), F Latsko, F Huitema, F Adames (Crnogorčević 58′), F King (Mercado 77′)
Unused substitutes: GK Ivory, D Lester, D Stanton, D Holmes
Total Shots: 7 (Huitema, Ji – 2)
Shots on Goal: 4 (Ji – 2)
Fouls: 9 (Latsko, Mondésir – 2)
Offsides: 1
Corner Kicks: 2
Saves: 5 (Dickey – 5)
ORL: GK Moorhouse, D Strom, D Sams, M Dyke, M Abello, M Villacorta (Angelina 45′), M McCutcheon (Gautrat 74′), F Marta (c) (Adriana 61′), F Banda, F Watt (Duljan 90+4′), F Yates (Lemos 74′)
Unused substitutes: GK Crone, D Lawrence, D Jiménez, D Martínez
Total Shots: 24 (Yates – 5)
Shots on Goal: 9 (Banda – 2)
Fouls: 8 (Banda – 2)
Offsides: 2
Corner Kicks: 6
Saves: 2 (Moorhouse – 2)
Referee: Melinda Homa
Assistant Referee 1: Ben Rigel
Assistant Referee 2: Salma Perez
4th Official: Alejo Calume
VAR: Danielle Chesky
AVAR: Tom Felice
