UKG Challenge Cup Semifinal Preview: OL Reign’s Record-Breaking Group Stage
Tomorrow, Wednesday, September 6, OL Reign is set to take on Racing Louisville FC in the UKG NWSL Challenge Cup Semifinal. In the group stage of the tournament, OL Reign went undefeated, earning four wins and two draws. The team took on each of their west coast foes twice, earning at least one win against each of them (Angel City FC, Portland Thorns FC and San Diego Wave FC).
Through this excellent group stage run, OL Reign broke the record for the most shutouts in Challenge Cup history, bringing their total to 13 in the tournament all-time. Goalkeepers Claudia Dickey and Laurel Ivory split OL Reign’s group stage matches, starting in three apiece and earning a clean sheet in each match.
OL Reign earned their biggest margin of victory in the 2023 tournament against San Diego Wave FC on May 31st. In a heated battle that featured seven yellow cards, defender Ryanne Brown, midfielder Olivia Athens and forward Jordyn Huitema all scored, securing a comfortable 3-0 win for the Reign on San Diego’s home field.
With another 1-0 victory over San Diego, a 2-0 win over Angel City and a 1-0 win over Portland, as well as two scoreless draws, the Reign finished the group stage at the top of the West Division with 14 points – six points above any other team in the west. Beyond that, the Reign finished as the No.1 seed across the entire tournament, also managing a goal differential of seven, with seven goals scored and zero goals conceded.
With heavy roster rotation throughout the tournament, OL Reign was one of just three teams in league to have at least 24 different players appear in two or more game and is the only team in Challenge Cup history to not allow a single goal during group play. OL Reign forward Veronica Latsko holds the league record for most Challenge Cup appearances all-time (24), having played in all 13 Challenge Cup games for the Reign since joining the club in 2022.
With everything on the line tomorrow, OL Reign remains focused on the match ahead. The winner of the match moves on to the 2023 UKG NWSL Challenge Cup final, slated to kick off Saturday, September 9, at 12:30 p.m. ET against the winner of the other semifinal match, which features the Kansas City Current and North Carolina Courage. The Championship match will air live on the CBS Television Network and stream on Paramount+ for fans in U.S. NWSLSoccer.com for fans outside of the U.S.
This year’s edition of the Challenge Cup is historic, as it has the largest prize pool in league history, thanks to the title sponsor of the 2023 UKG NWSL Challenge Cup, UKG – a leading provider of HR, payroll, and workforce management solutions for all people. The $1.1 million prize pool represents a significant step toward achieving pay parity with the U.S. men’s game and also inspired record bonus pool increases for the 2023 NWSL season.
Join us at Lumen Field as OL Reign battles to punch their ticket to the 2023 UKG NWSL Challenge Cup Final! Tickets are available here for just $10!