Reign right the ship, survive late Current comeback for 2-1 victory
By Charles Hamaker
Seattle, WA – The OL Reign returned to action after their doubleheader loss to the Portland Thorns, with a sort of mini-avenging of last year's NWSL Semifinal loss as they defeated the KC Current by a score of 2-1. The Reign were able to handle all that the injury-riddled Current threw at them, as fullback Sofia Huerta played a role in both goals that the club scored while making a great case for why she should be on the USWNT roster for this year's World Cup. The Reign backline largely handled the Kansas City attack, mitigating any sort of through ball that the club was trying to get in-behind, before a late goal from Izzy Rodriguez made things a little tense. After holding on for the victory, the Reign now sit at fourth in the NWSL table, just a point outside of first amongst a hotly contested top six seeds.
“I thought just overall in the game, we had moments of really good stuff and it probably outweighed the times when we didn’t do that. Again, I think you look at last week’s game to this week’s game, I said last week, we lacked a bit of quality when we needed it, tonight, we had it. To me, that was the difference in the game. Disappointed to concede late, that’s something that has now happened in two games and that’s not who we are, so we need to solve that. But, I thought that, obviously, losing (forward Megan Rapinoe) Pinoe so early was disappointing and yeah, I was like, wow, for (defender) Alana (Cook) and (defender Emily) Sonnett to get booked so quickly, we were thinking about how we might have to get one or both of them out of the game. But, I think it just says a lot about the group that the belief that they have when we score goals is so evident and that’s why last week, even though we were so disappointed to lose to Portland, we always will be, we’re disappointed to lose at home, I knew it wasn’t like a catalyst moment, it couldn’t be because the game wasn’t that way and tonight, when we had moments of quality, we took them more than we did last week. That’s how unforgiving this league is, you have to take those chances when you get them and we did.”
Pre-match sights and scenes ahead of the OL Reign win over the Kansas City Current on June 10th, 2023 (Photos by Liz Wolter)
Keeping up with Kansas City
For the large majority of the match, the Reign were able to limit anything that Kansas City was trying to generate. The Current attempted to slip balls through the Reign back four, but failed to do so or were shut down nearly immediately. Although injuries are numerous with this Kansas City squad, the Current still have dangerous players who can finish if given enough time and space. The Reign were able to certify that such space and time were not given to those dangerous-on ball players, with their own skill and a little bit of luck. Throughout the course of the match, the Reign dominated the offensive statistics and generated a ton of pressure to keep the Current on their heels and defending for most of the game, eliminating most chances that Kansas City would have to strike.
“I think the defensive response the last couple years have been really great with this team. I think, on the field today, from the first minute, I didn’t feel like we were losing that game no matter what happened. I think we had that mentality. Like (defender Sofia Huerta) Sof said, we just talked about how important this game was. History, milestones are always so fun to be a part of, so there’s just that extra drive for us as well in these games and I think that helped us today – you have the crowd, we have the atmosphere and then we got to have something a little bit special within the group as well. So yeah, I could never see us walking away without winning that game today. ”
OL Reign fullback buries a penalty in the first half to give the Reign an early lead (Photos by Liz Wolter)
Huerta heats up
Fullback Sofia Huerta brings an offensive presence as a defender, and her ability to get the ball into the box is nearly unmatched. Huerta’s crosses have become a staple of the Reign’s attack since the club moved her position of right outside back in 2021 when Laura Harvey returned, taking over for the disgraced Farid Benstiti. Since being moved from an outside forward spot to that outside back spot, Huerta has excelled and her crossing ability has shined bright, particularly finding Bethany Balcer and Jordyn Huitema for headers in the opponent's box. Tonight, Huerta contributed to both goals that the Reign scored while helping the defensive backline line hold the Current scoreless for most of the match.
“I’m trying hard not to think about it too much. I think my priority is definitely the Reign. It obviously is stressful, but I just had to focus on the Reign and my performances and ultimately, it’s kind of out of my control at this point. I mean, obviously, I hope (USWNT head coach) Vlatko (Andonovski) and the staff selects me for the World Cup, but just trying to focus on the day and stay present and do the best I can and whatever is supposed to happen will happen.”
Despite all the praise that I just gave Huerta for her passing ability, the first of two contributions on the night came in the form of a goal as a penalty was assessed to the Reign as a Current defender was called for a handball in the box. You could say that Huerta had a factor in that penalty being called, as it was her ball on a corner kick that midfielder Olivia Van Der Jagt tried to volley into the Kansas City goal. With the club’s main penalty takers out of the match (Rapinoe, Lavelle, Fishlock), Huerta decided to take action and assert herself as the kick taker. Slotting that ball into the bottom corner to her left-hand side, Huerta got the Reign on the board early and gave them a nice start against a Current side that while injured remained dangerous.
The rest of OL Reign fullback Sofia Huerta’s night through pictures (Photos by Liz Wolter)
After VAR took a goal off the board for Kansas City, the Reign pressed aggressively in search for a second goal to ensure that there wasn’t going to be any sort of blown lead. Emily Sonnett found Huerta streaking up the right side of the field all alone as the Reign look to pounce on the vulnerable Current, before passing inside to Veronica Latsko. Allowing their teammates to get up field and join the attack, Latsko found Huerta back on the outside, finding her target and firing away on a ball that dropped right in the lower middle of the box in a perfect position for Jordyn Huitema to high-point the ball and score the second goal of the match. A perfectly placed ball, and a perfectly struck header had put the Reign into winning position with insurance.
OL Reign forward Jordyn Huitema heads home a cross from Sofia Huerta for the second goal of the night for the club (Photos by Liz Wolter)
Megan misses most of the match
Reign superstar forward Megan Rapinoe had to leave this match after just the first minute, as it appeared that the University of Portland graduate suffered a calf injury of sorts. Rapinoe, after leaving play, headed straight into the Reign locker-room to switch into a sweatsuit before heading to the club's bench for the rest of the match. A few things factor into why Rapinoe may have played things cautiously as opposed to “gutting it out,” and they’re very reasonable and plausible. One, the World Cup is coming up here next month, and Rapinoe is searching for one more run to finish out her international career. Two, she’s already dealt with a calf injury earlier in the season, so why try and play through it if there’s a solid chance you could reaggravate it? Third and last, the Reign have depth at the forward position and could afford to bring on another attacker with Rapinoe down. Megan didn’t show any signs of a limp at Sue Bird’s jersey retirement ceremony the next day, so signs point to it being a precautionary measure.
“I mean, I think we have such depth on the bench, that’s something (head coach) Laura (Harvey) always talks about. (Forward) Veronica (Latsko) obviously just got player of the match, scored two goals a few games ago, so we have confidence in anyone who’s called upon. It was unfortunate that we lost (forward Megan Rapinoe) Pinoe, of course, but I think Veronica was ready to take on the chance she was going to get, which obviously you saw in the game. So yeah, just the depth and the preparation that Laura does with the team throughout the week obviously makes people feel confident when they’re called upon.”
“And just the pure focus of the girls, it doesn’t matter if you’re starting every single game or not, you are so important and valued in this team and I think that just goes to show how important that is today.”
OL Reign forward Megan Rapinoe went down with an apparent calf injury early and never returned to the match (Photos by Liz Wolter)
Quick notes
The win brings the all-time series to 5-3-0 between the Reign and Kansas City Current
Defender Sofia Huerta became the ninth player on the team to score in the 2023 regular season. OL Reign has the second-most players with a goal in the league this season.
Tonight’s 2-1 victory is the team’s fifth win at home in the 2023 regular season. No other team in the league has more than three wins at home this season.
Captain Lauren Barnes made her 200th regular-season appearance, becoming the first player in NWSL history to reach the milestone. Since entering the league in 2013, Barnes has played in 200 of the club’s 214 matches (not including the club’s forfeit win in 2021). The defender has been a part of 58 of the club’s 62 clean sheets.
Defender Sofia Huerta scored the opening goal in the 36th minute from the penalty spot, her first penalty-kick goal since 2018. The defender assisted the second goal of the match off a cross to forward Jordyn Huitema in the 68th minute, Huerta’s first assist of the season. Huerta has 35 regular-season goals and 30 assists all-time. Huerta ranks 17th in goals and second in assists in league history.
Forward Jordyn Huitema scored in the 68th minute off her head, extending the team’s lead, 2-0. The Canadian has scored in four of the team’s last seven matches in the regular season. Huitema finished the match Huitema has a team-leading four goals this season, with a league-leading three from her head.
What’s next?
Following the last four of five matches taking place at home, the Reign head back out on the road in their next match on Saturday, June 17th, for a battle in Houston against the Dash. Their second clash of the season, the Reign battle the Dash with a kickoff time of 5:30PM PST at Shell Energy Stadium. The Reign aim to continue their climb into the top three spots in the NWSL standings, while Houston tries to launch themselves back into the playoff picture as they’re just on the outside looking in. Since the last time these two clubs battled (May 6th), the Dash have won three of the four that they’ve played, including a tight victory over the Portland Thorns.
