Match Recap: Late Goal Secures Home Win for OL Reign
OL Reign (2-1-0, 6 points, 4th place) picked up a massive win in their 2023 home opener against San Diego Wave FC (2-1-0, 6 points, 3rd place). In front of another record-breaking crowd, midfielder Olivia Van der Jagt scored a stoppage time game winner to push the Reign ahead of the Wave.
In the first half, OL Reign started strong, opening the shooting of the match in just the fourth minute. In an electric environment, the Reign continued to build pressure on San Diego, doing incredible work on both ends of the field.
Captain and defender Lu Barnes had a standout performance, making many quality challenges to keep the Reign on the front foot. On the other end of the field, defender Sofia Huerta was putting in hard work, attempting more crosses and creating more opportunities than any other player on the pitch.
At halftime, the score remained 0-0 with OL Reign recording six shots and one on target, while San Diego only managed half as many shots, with none on target.
In the second half, goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce was immediately called on to step up for the Reign. In the 49th minute, she made a game-changing save, denying what looked like the opening goal for San Diego. The action continued back and forth through the second half as the teams battled to take control of the match.
In the 73rd minute, momentum shifted in clear favor of the Reign once more, when Reign original forward Megan Rapinoe subbed onto the field after missing the Reign’s first two matches with an injury. Rapinoe found a shot on goal just a minute later, not quite finding the back of the net, but reenergizing the Reign and the crowd at Lumen Field.
As time was running out in the match, Tullis-Joyce came up huge for the Reign once again, when she made another save, stopping forward Alex Morgan from getting in on goal. It looked like the match would end goalless until five minutes into stoppage time, when an OL Reign corner kick caused chaos in and around the 18-yard box.
The initial ball was served into the box, but popped out after several blocked opportunities, to the feet of Van der Jagt, who smashed the ball into the back of the net and securing three points for the Reign in front of their first home crowd of the 2023 season.
Key Facts:
· With tonight’s attendance of 9,219, OL Reign set a new club attendance record for a home opener.
· OL Reign continues to dominate at Lumen Field, going unbeaten in 11 of 12 regular season games at home (since the 2022 season).
· OL Reign is the only this season to concede one goal or less through three games played, making them the only team to record two clean sheets. Additionally, OL Reign has not conceded in the second half to San Diego in all five meetings across all competitions.
· Defender Emily Sonnett made her third consecutive start for the Reign, making her 100th regular season appearance all-time.
· Goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce tied the club record for clean sheets all-time with her 11th-career clean sheet tonight. The goalkeeper joins former Reign goalkeepers Haley Kopmeyer, Hope Solo and Lydia Williams in the club’s record book.
· Tullis-Joyce has two clean sheets and only one goal allowed this season in three games played, which ranks first in the league in both categories. The goalkeeper finished the match with three saves.
· Midfielder Olivia Van der Jagt scored her first-ever regular season goal tonight in stoppage time to secure the win.
· Van der Jagt finished the match with one goal, three shots, a team-high 14 duels won and three tackles.
· This win brings the all-time series to 3-0-2 between the Reign and San Diego Wave FC, keeping OL Reign undefeated against the Wave across all competitions.
UP NEXT: OL Reign is on the road again, this time for a 2023 UKG Challenge Cup match against Angel City FC on April 19.
MATCH SUMMARY
2023 NWSL Regular Season
OL Reign 1-0 San Diego Wave FC
Date/Time: Saturday, April 15, 7:00 p.m. PT
Location: Lumen Field, Seattle, Washington
Weather: 50, Light rain
RGN: Van der Jagt – 90+5’
SD: None
Discipline
RGN: None
SD: Hill (Caution – 90+4’)
Lineups
RGN: GK Tullis-Joyce, D Barnes, D Hiatt, D Cook, D Huerta, D Sonnett (Quinn 79’), M Fishlock, M Van der Jagt, F King (Rapinoe 73’), F Balcer, F Huitema (Bennett 87’)
Unused substitutes: GK Ivory, M Stanton, M Athens, D Brown, F Latsko, D Holmes
Total Shots: 16 (Fishlock – 5)
Shots on Goal: 5 (Rapinoe – 2)
Fouls: 12 (Four tied with– 2)
Offsides: 3
Corner Kicks: 4
Saves: 3
SD: GK Sheridan, D McNabb, D Girma, D Riehl, D Westphal, M Kornieck (Jakobsson 79’), M Colaprico (Briede 64’), F Shaw (Hill 87’), F Doniak, F Morgan, F Ali (Turnbow 64’)
Unused substitutes: M Enge, D Pogarch, D Gyau, GK Brzykcy
Total Shots: 10 (Morgan – 3)
Shots on Goal: 3 (Morgan – 2)
Fouls: 10 (Doniak – 3)
Offsides: 1
Corner Kicks: 3
Saves: 4 (Sheridan – 4)
Player of the Match: Phallon Tullis-Joyce
Referee: Tori Penso
Assistant Referee 1: Brooke Mayo
Assistant Referee 2: Katarzyna Wasiak
4th Official: Corbyn May
Var: Christopher Spivey
Avar: Tyler Wyrostek