SEATTLE (June 3, 2018) – Orlando Pride (4-3-4, 16 points) picked up its fifth straight point away from home on Sunday night, drawing Seattle Reign FC (5-2-3, 18 points) 0-0 at Memorial Stadium. In her first start of the season, goalkeeper Haley Kopmeyer earned her first clean sheet of the year and the Pride’s fourth of 2018.
The draw was the fourth straight against the Reign, with the previous three meetings all ending with a 1-1 scoreline.
“It was a tough game; coming over here is always difficult, particularly with the bounce of the field and the size of the field. So it was the kind of game we expected. A very competitive one,” Pride Head Coach Tom Sermanni said. “I thought Seattle had the better of the first half. They came out of the blocks quicker than us, they dictated how the game was played in the first half. But I thought we came back into the game very strongly in the second half. If you look at it, overall, a draw was probably a fair result. We probably had the two best chances of the game but in saying that, I think it was a pretty fair result.”
The two sides entered the half at 0-0, with Sydney Leroux having the best opportunity over the opening 45 minutes. Orlando earned a free kick midway through the half and Carson Pickett sent a clean ball into the penalty area, where Alanna Kennedy - wearing the captain’s armband for the first time this season - headed the ball past Lydia Williams off the crossbar. Leroux was open for the rebound but nodded the ball wide of the near post.
Shortly after the start of the second half, Poliana nearly deceived Williams with a waist-high half volley but the goalkeeper was able to recover to make the save.
On the ensuing play, Kopmeyer came up with a game-saving stop, diving to make an acrobatic save on Nahomi Kawasumi to keep the game level. The sixth-year veteran, who earned her first start against her former team, finished the night with five saves.
In the 74th minute, Emily van Egmond found the ball 10 yards out and fired a shot on frame but her Australian teammate, Williams, came up with a kick save to deny the midfielder of her first goal of the season.
The Pride were without four players on Sunday, as Alex Morgan and Ashlyn Harris were on duty with the U.S. Women’s National Team, while Marta and Rachel Hill were ruled out due to injury. Seattle also played without U.S. WNT allocations Megan Rapinoe and Allie Long.
The Pride will see two weeks until their next match due to a break for international play. The team returns to Orlando City Stadium on June 16 to host Sky Blue FC at 7:30 p.m. ET
NWSL Match Report
Match: Seattle Reign FC vs. Orlando Pride
Date: June 3, 2018
Venue: Memorial Stadium
Kickoff: 9 p.m. ET
Attendance: 5,251
Weather: Overcast and Rainy
Lineups:
Orlando Pride: Haley Kopmeyer; Poliana, Monica, Shelina Zadorsky, Carson Pickett; Dani Weatherholt (Christine Nairn 76’), Emily van Egmond, Alanna Kennedy ©; Kristen Edmonds, Sydney Leroux, Chioma Ubogagu (Danica Evans 76’)
Substitutes Not Used: Sarah Shimer; Lotta Okvist, Toni Pressley; Abby Elinsky
Seattle Reign FC: Lydia Williams; Theresa Nielsen, Kristen McNabb, Lauren Barnes, Christen Westphal; Jessica Fishlock ©, Beverly Yanez, Rumi Utsugi; Nahomi Kawasumi (Elizabeth Addo 62’), Jodie Taylor, Kiersten Dallstream (Jasmyne Spencer 62’)
Substitutes Not Used: Michelle Betos; Maddie Bauer, Alyssa Kleiner; Morgan Andrews
Stats Summary: SEA / ORL
Possession: 52.6% / 47.4%
Shots: 15 / 12
Shots on Goal: 5 / 2
Saves: 2 / 5
Corner Kicks: 2 / 1
Fouls: 16 / 10
Offside: 2 / 0
Misconduct Summary:
SEA - Jasmyne Spencer (Yellow Card) 70’
ORL - Shelina Zadorsky (Yellow Card) 79’
Officials:
Referee: Danielle Chesky
Assistant Referee 1: Jennifer Garner
Assistant Referee 2: Dan Stupca
Fourth Official: Jeff Arthurholtz
