SEATTLE, WA. – In the final home match of the 2024 NWSL season, the Reign held down Houston by a score of 2-1. The chilly night in Seattle saw each team score one goal in the first half, but Nérilia Mondésir found a second half goal, her first NWSL goal, to win the game.
The Reign started the match on the front foot in front of a home crowd on Fan Appreciation night. Forward Jordyn Huitema notched the first shot of the match just four minutes in as Seattle worked the ball around the field, looking to break down the Dash. The team held on to over 70% of possession in the first 15 minutes of the half, making Houston chase the ball.
Midfielder Olivia Athens opened the scoring in the 22nd minute of the match. The play started with a corner kick served into the box by forward Emeri Adames, which was cleared only to the top of the box, where Athens was waiting to strike – and strike she did as she one-touched the ball with power into the back of the net.
The Reign didn’t hold onto the lead for long as Houston earned a penalty kick on the opposite end of the field just minutes later. Bárbara Olivieri stepped up to take the kick and slotted it into the lower left of the goal to level the score.
After the visitors found the equalizer, the Reign took time to regain control of the match. Goalkeeper Claudia Dickey was called on to make an important save in the 27th minute and was up to the challenge, keeping the score 1-1. The Reign earned four more shots before the end of the half, Mondésir finding one on target, but the scoreline remained the same going into halftime.
Once again on the front foot as the second half began, the Reign set the tone for the rest of the match. The game winning goal was scored in the 65th minute of the match, but Mondésir. After a bit of chaos in the box as Houston attempted to stop midfielder Ji, the ball popped free and Mondésir was there to clean it up and score her first NWSL goal.
The squad locked in for the rest of the match, never wavering, to seal the deal for the final home match of the season.
KEY TAKEWAYS:
- 25 DIFFERENT XIs: The Reign have listed a different starting XI through all 25 games this season. Only two players on the Reign have appeared in all 25 games – midfielder Ji So-Yun and defender Phoebe McClernon.
- DECIDED BY ONE: Among the Reign’s 25 regular season games this season, 16 have been decided by one goal.
- OLIVIA ATHENS: Midfielder Olivia Athens opened the scoring in the 22nd minute to give the Reign a 1-0 lead. Tonight’s goal marks the second of the 26-year-old’s career in regular season play and first since the 2022 season.
- NÉRILIA MONDÉSIR: Forward Nérilia Mondésir scored the game-winning goal in the 65th minute, marking her first NWSL goal since entering the league this past August. Mondésir finished the match with two shots, two chances created and four duels won.
- Mondésir, who became the first Haitian-born player in NWSL history, is now the first Haitian-born goalscorer in league history.
- SERIES: The win brings the all-time series between Reign FC and the Dash to 18W-5L-4D.
UP NEXT: The Reign play one final match in Orlando against the Pride on Friday, November 2 at 2:00 p.m. PT.
MATCH SUMMARY
2024 NWSL Regular Season
Seattle Reign FC 2–1 Houston Dash
Date/Time: Friday, October 18, 7:00 p.m. PT
Location: Lumen Field, Seattle, Washington
Weather: 54, cloudy
Scoring Summary
SEA: Athens – 22′, Mondésir – 65′
HOU: Olivieri (P) – 25′
Discipline
SEA: None
HOU: Chapman (Caution – 51′)
Lineups
SEA: GK Dickey, D Barnes (c) (McClernon 81′), D Bugg, D Glas (Holmes 89′), M Ji (Stanton 81′), M Athens, M Mondésir, F Latsko, F Huitema (Lester 90+6′), F Adames (Crnogorčević 73′), F King (Mercado 81′)
Unused substitutes: GK Ivory, GK Perez
Total Shots: 12 (Adames – 3)
Shots on Goal: 5 (Mondésir – 2)
Fouls: 8 (Mondésir – 3)
Offsides: 1
Corner Kicks: 2
Saves: 3 (Dickey – 3)
HOU: GK Campbell (c), D Chapman (Jacobs 85′), D Lima, D Nielsen, D Harris, M Schmidt, M Puntigam (Matthews 85′), M Gareis (Briede 66′), M Patterson, F Nagasato (West 77′), F Olivieri
Unused substitutes: F Ordóñez, GK Hinz, D Ayson, GK Mckinney
Total Shots: 10 (Gareis, Puntigam– 2)
Shots on Goal: 4 (Gareis – 2)
Fouls: 9 (Olivieri – 3)
Offsides: 3
Corner Kicks: 5
Saves: 3 (Campbell – 3)
Player of the Match – Nérilia Mondésir
Referee: Brad Jensen
Assistant Referee 1: Seun Yinka-Kehinde
Assistant Referee 2: Eric Krueger
4th Official: Kelsey Harms
VAR: Alexandra Billeter
AVAR: Rhett Hammil
