Reign FC host Orlando Pride in Seattle

Seattle Reign FC 0
Orlando Pride 1
April 12, 2025
Lumen Field – Seattle, WA
NWSL Regular Season

NWSL Champions Orlando Pride crossed the country to the chilly Pacific Northwest for a Saturday tilt against Seattle Reign FC. With nine of nine possible points, the Pride are off to a roaring start.

The host Reign have looked a different side than in 2024, earning four points through gritty play. Looking to return to the normalcy of playoffs and contending with some early momentum will go a long way towards reducing supporter angst after the 2024 campaign. Seattle are looking to really get their 2025 going with points against the champs.
Paul Kahl Photos

Nate Koppelman Photos

Seattle Reign FC vs Orlando Pride FC

Orlando quickly showed the class they have. A third minute push down the right flank led to a dangerous near post drive that Reign keeper Claudia Dickey did well to smother. Much of the first half was a continuation of this as the Pride offence would pick and poke from different angles. The Reign defense did well to bend and scrap and fend off the Pride attacks.

Seattle would get a number of chances on the counter. Forwards Nérilia Mondesir and Jordyn Huitema were frequent targets of the Seattle midfield, looking to utilize their speed to get over or around the Pride defense.

Dickey would face several first half challenges. Reign defenders did well to restrict the Orlando chances much of the half. Orlando’s dangerous attack would eventually get through. The visitor’s would break through with a Barbra Banda left-footed close range goal off a low cross from Summer Yates. Yates would come off after the play with what appeared to be an injured ankle.

Orlando remained up a goal at the half. Seattle had good moments, but their scrappy defense had let one in.

Seattle Reign FC vs Orlando Pride FC

Seattle had to feel unlicky to have conceded late in the half, but they came out fighting to open the second. The Reign would push, bringing on the Reign debut of Lynn Biyendolo. Biyendolo would act as a target, giving the Reign both a target striker type and playmaker up top.

The Reign pressed for much of the second half, creating many chances but not breaking through.

The young Seattle midfield managed to hold back much of the Pride attack up the middle. The Reign would find opportunites up to the end, taking shots from range and having a few dangerous set pieces. In the end, banda’s goal would hold and the Pride move to twelve points from four matches.

Orlando is the defending champions and did enough to win. They got their goal and then defended well enough to take the points.

Seattle may not have scored or grabbed the points, but this was a different type of match and loss than what plagued the club in 2024.

A very young line up and some debut performances with several veterans unavailable could have been a disaster for Coach Laura Harvey’s side. The run Reign took it right at the champions and were not rewarded with an equalizer. They will have to take the performance momentum with them with the home half of the Cascadia Derby on Friday at home against the Thorns.

BOX

Referees: Greg Dopka
Assistants: Seth Martin, Peter Hanson
Fourth Official: Kelsey Harms
VAR: Katja Koroleva

Attendance: 7,721
Weather: 53 degrees and partly cloudy

SCORING SUMMARY
ORL – Barbra Banda 41’

MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
None

LINEUPS & STATS

Seattle Reign FC – Claudia Dickey; Lauren Barnes © (Ana-Maria Crnogorčević), Phoebe McClernon, Jordyn Bugg, Madison Curry (Emeri Adames 79’); Maddie Mercado (Shae Holmes 69’), Ainsley McCammon (Angharad James-Turner 69’), Sam Meza; Maddie Dahlien, Jordyn Huitema (Lynn Biyendolo 45’), Nérilia Mondesir
Substitutes not used: Cassie Miller, Emily Mason, Sally Menti, Olivia Van der Jagt
Total shots: 13
Shots on goal: 5
Fouls: 8
Offside: 1
Corner-Kicks: 3
Saves: 3

Orlando Pride – Anna Moorhouse; Kylie Nadaner, Emily Sams, Cori Dyke (Oihane 61’), Kerry Abello (Viviana Villacorta 75’), Haley McCutcheon, Summer Yates (Angelina 43’), Ally Lemos, Marta © (Prisca Chilufya 61’), Ally Watt (Carson Pickett 75’), Barbra Banda
Substitutes not used: McKinley Crone, Morgan Gautrat, Brianna Martinez, Zara Chavoshi
Total shots: 7
Shots on goal: 4
Fouls: 10
Offside: 1
Corner-kicks: 4
Saves: 5