NWSL Returns: Reign FC Squad Ready for Second Half of the Season

After over a month off of regular season play, Seattle Reign FC is ready to return to action and begin the second half of the season – and with momentum on their side. The team is unbeaten in five games across all competitions, including two friendly fixtures in July and three road matches in the month of June.

Prior to going on break, the team was hitting its stride, recording two or more goals in three back-to-back matches for the first time all season and doing so with an array of players on the pitch, from rookies to veterans.

Head Coach Laura Harvey has rarely repeated a lineup this season, highlighting the depth of the squad. Now, with additions like forward Mia Fishel and the return of defender Sofia Huerta, the roster continues to strengthen.

“Honestly, picking rosters and starting elevens in the second half of the season is going to be really challenging. But that's credit to the players because they're stepping up and showing the potential or the ability that we always believed they had. I think it's probably the deepest roster I've ever had, 1 to 26,” shared Harvey.

Not only does having a deep roster allow the team to find success against opponents on the pitch, but it fosters a healthy sense of competition, in turn helping players grow and improve as they fight for their spot in the starting lineup.

“The difference between who is the best player in the position versus the one that maybe isn't in the best form...I think it's really close. I think that really helps with competition and that's another reason why we're on a on a good momentum shift, because I think everyone knows and believes that they've got a chance of playing. If they if they play well, they play and if someone's playing better than them then they might lose their spot. And I think that we don't often get that. So, I think that's been a really good positive thing for us that we need to take into the second half of the season.”

Playing two friendly matches against top quality opponents gave Harvey and the Reign an opportunity to get minutes on the field, while also having the freedom to try new things and piece together the puzzle a deep roster presents.

“I thought it was a great test,” Harvey said of the match against Portland. “Obviously, they are always good games against each other. We wanted to try a couple of different things, so it'll be good to review that. We obviously come back down here in two weeks, so to not give too much away on what we want to do then, but I thought overall the players tried to put in the performance we wanted. I think there's some things we could have been a little bit better at, but I think we excelled at quite a few things, too, which was good.”

Now, as August quickly approaches, the Reign are locked in, ready to hit the ground running as the season resumes. Though the friendly matches provided some valuable experience for the team, all eyes have shifted back to the regular season and what is sure to be an exciting 13-match run.

“We've been able to get a lot of people in with minutes that needed them, Mia [Fishel] and Sofia [Huerta] especially, try and get them back on the same page as everyone else. Giving our internationals who've been away a bit of a breather, so not having to rely on them has been fantastic. It sets us up now for the start of what's going to be a really difficult 12 weeks.”

Get tickets to see Reign FC at Lumen Field on Friday, August 1 as the team takes on Angel City FC in its annual Pride Match presented by The Starbucks Coffee Company.