Match Recap: Reign FC Downs Bay FC to Earn Third Consecutive Win

To close out the club’s homestand, the Reign defeated Bay FC 2-0 at Lumen Field, fueled by a penalty kick from Sofia Huerta and a stoppage time strike from Brittany Ratcliffe. 

Though Bay started the match with a quick attack on the Reign, it only took until the second minute for Maddie Dahlien to speed forward and beyond Bay FC’s backline. She found Maddie Mercado, a connection that has proven fruitful for the Reign, but the team opted to recycle the ball and keep possession. 

Angharad James-Turner dominated the midfield and made an important recovery to stop a promising Bay FC attack, aided by Huerta in the seventh minute of the match. Just two minutes later, James-Turner won possession on the other side of the field and took her space, dribbling uncontested to the top of the 18-yard box before unleashing a shot that went wide of the goal, but sent warning sign to Bay FC. 

In the 15th minute of the match, the ball swung through the midfield and out to Dahlien on the left. The forward played a ball to the back post looking for Nerilia Mondesir, but the cross couldn’t quite be directed into the back of the net. 

Ryanne Brown challenged Bay down the right side of the field in the 24th minute, connecting with Mondesir ahead of her. The Haitian attacker did well to beat the visitors to the ball and cut it back across the box to Mercado who was holding her run, but her shot went wide. 

In the 36th minute, Bay FC won a corner kick and Jenna Nighswonger served a dangerous ball into the middle of the box, but Cassie Miller was there to snatch it out of the air and clear the danger. 

The half came to a close without either team finding the back of the net, leaving everything on the table in the final 45 minutes of the match. 

To start the second half, the rain began to come down in Seattle, setting the scene for an intense matchup. 

It only took six minutes for the Reign to open the scoring in the second half. Mondesir led the attack, navigating into the box with the ball at her feet and challenging Nighswonger one-on-one. The Bay defender brought Mondesir to the ground, resulting in a penalty kick for the Reign. Huerta stepped up to the spot to take the kick and made no mistake as she shot the ball low and hard beyond Jordan Silkowitz. 

On the other end of the pitch, Miller was once again called upon to make a save, this time on a shot from Claire Hutton in the 62nd minute. The goalkeeper dove to push the ball just wide enough, off the post and out of immediate danger. 

Just after the 80 minute mark, it looked as though Bay FC may have leveled the score, but substitute Karlie Lema was firmly whistled for a foul as she barreled through the back of Jordyn Bugg in her pursuit for goal. 

As the match was coming to a close, Brittany Ratcliffe, who subbed onto the field in the 89th minute of the match, put a cherry on top of the win, doubling the Reign’s lead. With her fresh legs, Ratcliffe got on the end of a ball down the line from Mia Fishel and carried it all the way into the box and calmly slotting it past Silkowitz to close out the match. 

UP NEXT: Reign FC hits the road for a midweek matchup against Angel City FC in Los Angeles, California. Fans can tune in to the match on NWSL+ or join the club for a watch party at Madrona Arms. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS: 

CAPTAIN HUERTA: Sofia Huerta notched the game-winning goal from the penalty spot in the 52nd minute of the match. The goal marked her 40th NWSL regular season goal and her second of the season. She is the 16th player in league history to reach the 40-goal mark. 

MAGNIFICENT MILLER: Cassie Miller made four saves in the match, officially surpassing the 100 career save mark. With this shutout, the Reign have now recorded four consecutive shutout wins at home for the first time since May 25-July 1, 2022.  

RESILIENT RATCLIFFE: Brittany Ratcliffe subbed onto the field in the 89th minute of the match and put the game away in stoppage time, scoring her third goal of the season. The goal marks her 13th NWSL goal and her 6th goal as a substitute – tied for the 2nd most substitute goals by a player in NWSL history