Van Der Jagt’s game winner in stoppage time gives Reign victory over Wave in home opener
By Charles Hamaker
Seattle, WA – In their 2023 home opener, the OL Reign left the fans at Lumen Field with a smile on their faces as they exited the building thanks to midfielder and University of Washington alumni Olivia Van Der Jagt’s game winner in the 90 +5-minute mark of the match. Although there was only one goal to decide this contest, the Reign hemmed the Wave into their own half for most of this match and controlled the flow. Reign goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce was stellar in net, warding off San Diego’s few dangerous chances that popped up after the halftime break. The match also set a home opener attendance record for the Reign, at 9,219.
Rough & Tumble owner Jen Barnes, pictured with Royal Guard support group member Gen Williams, is honored as the OL Reign legend prior to kickoff (Photos by Liz Wolter)
Locals do it better
Washington state native, Washington Husky alumni, and now OL Reign midfielder Olivia Van Der Jagt has continued to cement herself as a key figure in the club since she was a late round draft pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft. Ever since her selection in that draft, Van Der Jagt has impressed Harvey, her teammates, and the NWSL with her play. It all really took off for the former Husky with a header goal late in a Challenge Cup match around this time last year, shooting her name into Reign fans minds and beginning a solid 2022 campaign that saw her command some solid minutes throughout the course of the season. In an eerily similar fashion, it may have been an injury to Rose Lavelle (leg injury, more so precautionary as she was listed as questionable) that gave Van Der Jagt that start and the opportunity to make her mark.
Getting the start next to veteran Emily Sonnett, Van Der Jagt played a solid match throughout the course of the 90 minutes. But, like her teammates, she wasn’t able to make the play in those first 90 that could flip the script and get a lead. It took us to stoppage time, when a little chaos in the box opened the door for a hero to step through and punch home a winner. In the 95th minute, Megan Rapinoe’s corner caught Bethany Balcer’s head in glancing fashion, bounce back out away from goal. With the ball careening through the air, teammate Alana Cook sent it back via header for a reset. Outside back Sofia Huerta then took a shot, only for it to be blocked, the ball bouncing right towards Van Der Jagt who was planted firmly at the top of the box. Without hesitation, she fired away and beat Sheridan far corner, catching her out of position. With under a minute left in stoppage time, San Diego had been washed away in the dying moment.
Two celebrations: First, the moment after Van Der Jagt’s goal. Second, the moment the final whistle blew (Photos by Liz Wolter)
Phantastic Phallon
Goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce continues to impress, making sure that any doubters or naysayers know that her 2022 campaign was no fluke or beginners' luck. The New York native has been rock solid to begin the year, with a little help from the impressive backline of Barnes-Cook-Hiatt-Huerta, but her play in tonight’s match emphasized her importance to the club. Despite the Reign largely keeping the Wave within their own half, San Diego was able to find some attacking aggression after the halftime whistle.
Fresh out of the locker rooms, in the 46th minute, San Diego had an excellent through ball from Makenzy Doniak find Alex Morgan blazing through the Reign defense. With Alana Cook bearing down on here, Morgan (last year's golden boot winner in the NWSL) fired a left footed shot on goal. Tullis-Joyce had come off her line and made herself big and reacted in time to stop Morgan’s shot to somehow keep this match scoreless. The rebound had made its way back out to San Diego, having fully caught up to the attack, when the Wave found Amirah Ali all alone in the center of the box. Tullis-Joyce had to make an incredible effort to get back, lunging to make the stop for the second impressive stop in a row. In the 87th minute, the Marine Biologist had to make another critical, gritty stop on Alex Morgan and was up to the task, closing space and blocking another shot at the top of the box.
Reign keeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce comes out onto the field for warmups (Photo by Liz Wolter)
Megan makes an instant impact
Worldwide icon, USWNT hero, and OL Reign forward Megan Rapinoe began this match as a substitute as she’d been on a minute's restriction, building her strength back up from an injury. In the late stages of the match and with Tziarra King running out of gas at the left forward spot, Rapinoe subbed on in quick haste as head coach Laura Harvey called for her and provided an instant impact. A minute into her time on the pitch, Rapinoe (pink her and all) fired off a shot from the top of the San Diego box that keeper Kailen Sheridan had to make a leaping effort for. Sheridan, having just made an extension like a gymnast, even had a sly grin on her face after making the save as if to acknowledge Rapinoe. While the club still must get better about its finishing, having a fully geared up Rapinoe should solve some of those issues, as we saw from her second half of the season run in 2022.
Reign forward Megan Rapinoe’s match through pictures (Photos by Liz Wolter)
Seattle shows out
The Reign used the hashtag #ShowUpSeattle to encourage fans and soccer lovers in the Pacific Northwest to turn out for the Reign home opener and give the club good vibes for the rest of the season. While the fight to get the Reign more and more exposure and support continues, with many around the area still surprised to find out the World Class players are here at Lumen, the showing today by the fans was encouraging. Despite a few events taking place in the near vicinity and general area (Mariners across the street, concert next door at WAMU, Thunderbirds playoff game in Kent amongst others), the match was able to draw 9,219 fans to Lumen Field and set a home opener attendance record for the club. The concourse was bustling, and lines were long at concession and merchandise stands (that’s an issue and topic for a different article on a different day), which is an encouraging sign that there is a lot of interest in the club and that adjustments must be made to accommodate the growing fanbase.
The TIFO raised by the Royal Guard support group as kickoff commenced (Photo by Liz Wolter)
Quick notes
The announced attendance for the match was 9,219, a club home opener attendance record.
OL Reign continues to dominate at Lumen Field, going unbeaten in 11 of 12 regular season games at home (since the 2022 season).
OL Reign is the only this season to concede one goal or less through three games played, making them the only team to record two clean sheets. Additionally, OL Reign has not conceded in the second half to San Diego in all five meetings across all competitions.
Defender Emily Sonnett made her third consecutive start for the Reign, making her 100th regular season appearance all-time.
Goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce tied the club record for clean sheets all-time with her 11th-career clean sheet tonight. The goalkeeper joins former Reign goalkeepers Haley Kopmeyer, Hope Solo and Lydia Williams in the club’s record book.
Tullis-Joyce has two clean sheets and only one goal allowed this season in three games played, which ranks first in the league in both categories. The goalkeeper finished the match with three saves.
Midfielder Olivia Van der Jagt scored her first-ever regular season goal tonight in stoppage time to secure the win.
Van der Jagt finished the match with one goal, three shots, a team-high 14 duels won and three tackles.
This win brings the all-time series to 3-0-2 between the Reign and San Diego Wave FC, keeping OL Reign undefeated against the Wave across all competitions.
What’s next?
Following their thrilling victory against the Wave in their home opener, the Reign will only have three days of turnaround time before their next contest. The Reign will head back out on the road as they’ll battle another California team, taking on Angel City FC for the first time this season. Angel City has seen a very middling start to the season with a record of 1-1-1 and an equal number of goals for compared to goals allowed. Kickoff for the match at BMO Stadium is at 7PM PST, and the match will be streamed on CBS Sports. This match against Angel City is also the first Challenge Cup match the Reign will play this season.