Match Recap: OL Reign Earns Second Consecutive Draw

OL Reign (1-0-1, 4 points) battled to a 0-0 draw against Angel City FC (0-1-1, 1 point) in their second UKG NWSL Challenge Cup match of the year. Two games into a three-game week, the Reign’s heavily rotated squad earned a clean sheet and remains undefeated in Challenge Cup play this year.

The Reign started the match playing heavy defense against Angel City. OL Reign’s backline – captain Sofia Huerta, Sam Hiatt, Shae Holmes and Ryanne Brown, along with goalkeeper Laurel Ivory did well to contain Angel City’s attack.

In the eighth minute of the match, Angel City thought they had bagged the opening goal of the night, but forward Katie Johnson was whistled offside, keeping the score level at zeroes. Immediately after the play, the Reign launched an attack of their own, ending with a shot off the foot of forward Tziarra King, but the rocketed ball was kept out of the back of the net by the far post.

Play continued from end to end throughout the first half. Defender Sam Hiatt came up with a huge challenge in the 23rd minute of the match, going to ground to stop Angel City’s attack and keep possession of the ball. To close out the half, OL Reign was on the attack once again. King was close to finding the back of the net for the second time in the match, but Angel City did just enough to keep the ball out of the back of the net and maintain the 0-0 scoreline into the break.

After halftime, the game was still deadlocked, both teams battling to keep the other off the scoresheet. Midfielder Olivia Athens notched OL Reign’s lone shot on target in the 48th minute of the match, but Angel City FC goalkeeper Brittany Isenhour was there to collect. On the other end of the field Brown continued to show her skill on the backline, coming up with an important goal line save in the 63rd minute when she headed the ball off the line on an Angel City corner kick.

Toward the end of the match, Ivory was called on to make some great saves in goal. Displaying her excellent skill in the net, she managed to save a curled shot from Angel City midfielder Savannah McCaskill, stretching to clear the immediate danger and maintain OL Reign’s clean sheet.

At the final whistle, the game ended scoreless, both teams splitting the points in their second UKG NWSL Challenge Cup meeting of the year.

Key Facts:

·       SERIES: The draw brings the all-time series to 5-0-1 between the Reign and Angel City FC.

·       CLEANING UP THE CUP: With tonight’s clean sheet, OL Reign holds the record for all-time clean sheets in the UKG Challenge Cup with nine. The Reign have earned a clean sheet in half of their Challenge Cup games all-time (nine of 18).

·       Additionally, OL Reign is the only team in the league to have three different goalkeepers with a clean sheet in 2023 across all competitions.

·       PICTURE PERFECT: OL Reign continues to dominate against Angel City FC across all competitions. The Reign remain undefeated in all six meetings against Angel City (5-0-1), outscoring the second-year team 11-4.

·       LAUREL IVORY: Goalkeeper Laurel Ivory made her NWSL debut tonight, recording two saves to help the Reign earn their second clean sheet of the 2023 UKG Challenge Cup.

·       VERONICA LATSKO: Forward Veronica Latsko extended her league record for all-time appearances in the UKG Challenge Cup to 20 games. The forward has played in nine Challenge Cup games with the Reign and 11 games with the Houston Dash.

UP NEXT: OL Reign has another match this Saturday, May 6 at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington. The team is set to take on the Houston Dash at 7:00 p.m. PT. Tickets are available HERE.

MATCH SUMMARY

2023 UKG NWSL Challenge Cup

OL Reign 0 – 0 Angel City FC

Date/Time: Wednesday, May 3, 7:00 p.m. PT

Location: Lumen Field, Seattle, Washington

Weather: 67, Sunny

Scoring Summary

TEAM

OL Reign 0 - 0 Angel City FC

RGN: None

ACFC: None

Discipline

RGN: None

ACFC: McCaskill (Caution – 79’)

Lineups

RGN: GK Ivory, D Huerta ©, D Hiatt, D Holmes, D Brown (Barnes 70’), M Canales (Fishlock 66’), M Stanton, M Athens (Huitema 75’), F Latsko (Balcer 46’), F Bennett, F King (Rapinoe 70’)

Unused substitutes: GK Dickey, D Cook, M Luany, D Malonson

Total Shots: 5 (King – 2)

Shots on Goal: 1 (Athens – 1)

Fouls: 6 (Six tied with– 1)

Offsides: 5

Corner Kicks: 2

Saves: 2 (Ivory – 2)

ACFC: GK Isenhour, D Spencer © (Weatherholt 74’), D Reid, D Nielsen (Gorden 59’), D Vignola (Riley 46’), M Hammond, M Nabet, M Le Bihan (McCaskill 63’), F Camberos, F Johnson, F Endo (Emslie 59’)

Unused substitutes: GK Haracic, GK Anderson, F Thompson

Total Shots: 9 (Endo, Gorden – 2)

Shots on Goal: 3 (Three tied with – 1)

Fouls: 7 (Johnson – 3)

Offsides: 3

Corner Kicks: 6

Saves: 1 (Isenhour – 1)

Player of the Match: Ryanne Browne

Referee: Adam Kilpatrick

Assistant Referee 1: Chris Canales

Assistant Referee 2: Christian Clerc

4th Official: Aidan Velasco

VAR: Chris Penso

AVAR: Joe McKell