May 24, 2024 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL)
Seattle Reign FC News Release
SEATTLE, WA. – At Audi Field in Washington, D.C., Seattle Reign FC fell 3-2 to the Washington Spirit. After going down 3-0 in the first 45 minutes of the match, the Reign found one goal back in stoppage time of the first half, from the head of forward Veronica Latsko. The second half of the match nearly went scoreless, but rookie forward Emeri Adames found her first professional goal on the last play in stoppage time, bringing the final score to 3-2.
The Reign began the match fast and furious, applying pressure to the Spirit almost immediately. Seattle earned three shots within the first ten minutes of the match before Washington took hold of the match and notched the opening goal.
In the 21st minute, Spirit midfielder Andi Sullivan took possession of the ball and found forward Kate Wiesner out wide. Wiesner headed the ball into the middle of the field, finding the feet of forward Ouleymata Sarr, who in turn fed the ball through to midfielder Croix Bethune. Bethune took one touch before hammering a left-footed shot into the back of the net.
17 minutes later, Washington was awarded a penalty kick after goalkeeper Laurel Ivory battled for the ball against Washington forward Trinity Rodman. Sullivan stepped up to the spot and converted the kick, doubling the lead for the home side.
The Spirit’s final goal of the match was scored in the 45th minute of the match. Sullivan played a ball into space on the outside for Bethune, who crossed the ball into the middle of the Reign’s six-yard box, where Sarr was waiting to head it into the back of the net.
Before the half was over, the Reign pulled one goal back. Midfielder Ji and forward Tziarra King combined to find defender Phoebe McClernon out wide. McClernon, poised on the ball, played a perfectly placed cross into the box, where forward Veronica Latsko darted across Washington’s defense to get her head on the end of it and narrow the Spirit’s lead just before the halftime whistle sounded.
The second half of the match saw the long-awaited return of Seattle forward Jordyn Huitema in the 60th minute. The Canadian forward immediately made an impact in the match, pushing the Reign offensively. Nine minutes after coming onto the field, Huitema directed a shot toward goal, but the post saved the Spirit from conceding.
In the dying minutes of stoppage time, the Reign recorded a second goal. With the final play of the match, defender Sofia Huerta…