Cassie Miller Shines, Reign Top Thorns 2-0 to Split Cascadia Series
The Seattle Reign came into Sunday's rematch with their vaunted rival Portland Thorns at 4-6-2 and losers of four of their last five games.
But records never matter in the biggest grudge match in the NWSL, and Seattle proved it by delivering the Thorns their only shutout loss of the season to place Portland at 8-4-3 in a 2-0 win. Seattle moved up to 10th place with the win, still three points out of a top-eight playoff spot with a game in hand over the Orlando Pride.
Reserve keeper Cassie Miller, in for the second straight week for injured star Claudia Dickey (ankle), had the game of her life to earn the clean sheet. Miller tabbed nine saves in front of nearly 15,000 fans - Seattle's fourth-highest attendance figure in any match. It marked the full circle of a story for the 31-year-old that featured a leg injury which forced her to miss most of the 2025 season.
Also rounding out a comeback story was right back Ryanne Brown. Brown tore her ACL during the 2024 season, prompting her to miss all of 2025 and play just 22 minutes total in 2026 in the lead-up to Sunday.
She earned her first start with typical starter Madison Curry (ankle) out with an injury, and scored an incredible long distance goal to open the scoring. Maddie Mercado doubled the advantage later in the first half while Miller endured 10 shots on frame to seal a 2-0 win.
Head coach Laura Harvey, who hasn't had much to smile about on the field lately, put this game up there with any of Seattle's performances in 2026.
"It was probably the closest to the best 90-minute performance that I can probably remember since (the 2-1 win) over Orlando (in March)," Harvey said. "Really proud of the group."
Chants of "Build a bonfire, build a bonfire, put the Thorns on the top!" rang out as time wound down on a picture perfect day - one that could turn Seattle's season around.
Reign Collapse Late, Drop First Game Back vs. Courage
If the Seattle Reign drew up their picture-perfect return to play after over a month away from playing, it certainly wouldn't have played out like Saturday night's 3-1 loss to the North Carolina Courage.
While the Reign (4-6-2, 11th in NWSL) got off to a solid start thanks to an impressive run from striker Mia Fishel leading to a Sally Menti goal, three questionable concessions left Seattle deflated by the end of the night.
North Carolina winger Ashley Sanchez continued her nine-goal campaign with a brace, scoring in the 22nd and 71st to bookend a feel-good home outing for the Courage (6-3-3, 7th). Riley Jackson buried a penalty kick in the 64th to give the Courage the lead in an opportunity conceded by a mishandled Madison Curry tackle.
On a blistering and humid 95-degree night in Cary, head coach Laura Harvey simply saw her team run out of the juice that had propelled it to scoring first — something her struggling offense has done rarely in 2026.
"We got a little bit tired and we got a little bit stretched and ended up chasing the game," Harvey said. “It wasn’t like they had loads and loads of chances… it was just those slight little moments.”
Analysis: Key Questions for Reign FC’s Offense Ahead of Season Restart vs. Courage
The Seattle Reign came into 2026 looking to build on a leap from 13th to 5th in 2025. Instead, they've taken a step backwards thus far, sitting at 4-5-2 during this international break and occupying 10th place midway through the 30-game season.
Maybe the June international break came at a good time for Seattle, as the team got a few weeks away to see something other than demoralizing results. But the time for recuperation is over, as the Reign are back to action at the 5-3-3 North Carolina Courage on July 4.
A road date may be better for the Reign to come back to, as they're currently 0-3-0 at their home Lumen Field and truly look more lethal away from Seattle this season.
That said, the Reign's offense has been among the worst in the league regardless of where they've played, as they are just one of four NWSL squads to average less than a goal per 90 minutes.
So when Seattle takes the pitch next, there will be a few questions to answer before fans can truly regain confidence in their team.
WATCH: How Can Reign Climb Back Into NWSL Contention?
Emerald City Spectrum reporter Qasim Ali breaks down the trends that are making teams successful in the NWSL right now and how the middling Seattle Reign (4-5-2, 10th in NWSL) can apply those ideas to get back in the fight. The Reign are back in action on July 4 against North Carolina as the current World Cup/CBA-mandated break continues.
WATCH: Recapping an Up-and-Down Start for Reign in 2026
Emerald City Spectrum reporter Qasim Ali breaks down a rocky start to the Seattle Reign’s 2026 season. Seattle is 4-5-2 at the World Cup/CBA break with 19 games to play, leaving the Reign in 10th place in the NWSL and out of playoff positioning — down from a fifth-place finish in 2025. Seattle has managed a win in just one of its final seven games before the break.
Seattle’s offense is tied for the second-least productive group in the league, while the defense is tied for the fourth-fewest goals allowed as head coach Laura Harvey's young squad struggles to find consistency in the face of key injuries and growing pains. Still, with such a young squad, the Reign can’t be counted out yet.
Reign Scoreless Streak Hits Five, Seattle Falls to Gotham at Home
SEATTLE, Wash. — After the Seattle Reign failed to score in their fourth straight game in a 1-0 loss to Washington last Sunday, defender Madison Curry said goals would pour in if they could make it rain once.
Five days later, Seattle didn't even manage a drizzle, losing 2-0 to defending champion Gotham FC to drop to 3-4-2. Gotham (5-2-3) notched its fifth straight result as Jaedyn Shaw scored in the 24th, while Tierna Davidson scored in the 57th on Friday night.
Unlike in its last few showings, Seattle didn't create many real chances until late in the game, when veteran substitute Brittany Ratcliffe had a 1-on-1 chance that was kick-saved by Ann-Katrin Berger, and Maddie Dahlien was tripped up in the box with no penalty call.
Outside of those chances in the 85th and stoppage time, the Reign didn't threaten the defending champs on a 0.8 expected-goal night.
Meza, McCammon Shine For Reign as Products of Texas Youth Club Solar SC
Sam Meza and Ainsley McCammon have become a staple in the Seattle Reign's midfield this season. The duo has started three of four games for the upstart Reign (3-1-1), who have notched nine or more points over their first four games for the third time in club history (per OptaJack) in 2026.
Meza, 24, and McCammon, 18, however, are at very different points in their career. For one, Meza had a decorated four-year collegiate career at North Carolina, reaching as far as the NCAA tournament's quarterfinals in her All-American career. McCammon, on the other hand, decided to go pro at just 16 years old, passing on a collegiate career with the University of Virginia.
But the duo, as different as their paths and current situations have been, both joined the Reign in 2024, and both have become integral pieces to the future of a young organization. Through five games in 2026, the Reign are hitting their stride going into the current three-week international break, with Meza and McCammon bringing stability to a team dealing with injuries to stars like defender Jordyn Bugg.
Beyond joining Seattle at the same time, they share a background in both being from the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area and both spending time with the youth organization of Solar Soccer Club.
Reign Close Spokane Fixture Trio with Draw to Expansion Denver
The Seattle Reign stayed perfect in their Spokane closer on Saturday, tying expansion side Denver Summit FC 0-0 on Saturday night to move to 3-1-1.
The Summit, fresh off their home opener, which drew over 60,000 fans in Colorado, have built a reputation of being tough to break down. Paired with a true scorer on the left wing in Melissa Kössler and a chance generator in striker Yazmeen Ryan, Denver was always on Seattle coach Laura Harvey's mind as a threat.
Indeed, the Summit burdened Seattle with 18 shots, but the Reign's active backline pressured many of those attempts. In the end, Denver produced just three shots on target and 1.2 expected goals on a day where the teams shared possession almost evenly.
Reign Continue Spokane Success with 2-1 Win Over Louisville
The Seattle Reign have found themselves quite a home east of the Cascades.
The team, set for three straight games in Spokane while Lumen Field finishes World Cup renovations, finished the second fixture of that stand with a 2-1 win over Racing Louisville on Saturday afternoon. Maddie Mercado struck first on a keeper error in the 10th minute before Nerilia "Coco" Mondesir turned a smooth team play into the team's second goal right before the half.
Although a late stoppage-time Louisville goal spoiled a would-be clean sheet, Claudia Dickey and the Seattle defense were superb in shutting down a Racing side missing one of the league's brightest stars in Emma Sears. With the result, the Reign improved to 3-1-0, with all their contests coming away from the Emerald City as the team is just under a month away from returning to its home pitch in SoDo.
By the end of Saturday’s match, however, those two first-half chances for Seattle outweighed anything Louisville could produce despite 19 shots by the final whistle.
"I think it might be a conversation about moving (to Spokane)," Reign head coach Laura Harvey joked postgame.
Maddie Mercado Among Young Reign Players Looking to Reignite Offense in 2026
The Seattle Reign returned to practice on Thursday with 22 players rostered from the 2025 campaign, looking to build on a strong season with several young players aiming to take a big step forward.
Reign Roundup: Harvey Inks Extension, Reign Send Five to USWNT, World Cup Sends Three Matches to Spokane
The Seattle Reign won't start NWSL play for another two months, but had a busy week as they extended longtime coach Laura Harvey, sent a quintet to the USWNT, and announced some World Cup-driven venue changes.
Young Reign Roster 24 Players After Personnel Decision Announcement
The Seattle Reign announced their post-2025 roster decisions on Tuesday morning as the franchise values youth moving forward.
Reign Draw with Pride in Decision Day Thriller, Set Up First Round Rematch
The No. 5 Seattle Reign rode a late Jordyn Bugg equalizer to a 1-1 Decision Day draw with the No. 4 Orlando Pride on Sunday, meaning the two squads will play a first-round game in Orlando in a week's time.
WATCH: Critical Decision Day Awaits Reign FC vs. Orlando
The No. 4 Seattle Reign will take on the No. 3 Orlando Pride on the road on Sunday to decide where Seattle finishes in the playoff race on Decision Day, as they could end up anywhere from the third seed all the way down the seventh.
Reign FC Notebook: Barnes Speaks on Retirement, Seattle Receives Seven Call-Ups
It was a busy news week for the Seattle Reign, who saw seven players receive senior national team call-ups and multiple players announce career transitions, including Lauren Barnes' retirement from the NWSL at the end of the season and Jess Fishlock stepping away from international soccer.
Takeaways: Reign Steal a Scoreless Draw Against Gotham, Remain in Fourth Place
The Seattle Reign weathered plenty of opposing opportunities on the road to play to a 0-0 result against Gotham FC on Sunday afternoon.
Reign Face Gotham with Chance to Leap into Third Place
The No. 5 Seattle Reign will head to New Jersey on Sunday to face No. 3 Gotham FC with a chance to move up in the postseason race. How do they stack up with their late-season opponent?
Reign Leap to No. 4 Seed with Comeback Win Over North Carolina
The Seattle Reign (9-7-6, 33 points, fourth in NWSL) overcame a disallowed goal and a one-goal deficit to take down the North Carolina Courage in a crucial game for playoff seeding on Sunday night.
Reign FC Looking to Hold Off Courage in Crucial Sunday Clash
The North Carolina Courage are just two points behind the Seattle Reign in the NWSL table with five games to play as each team fights for postseason seeding, making Sunday’s matchup a critical one for both squads.
Reign Face Biggest Test Yet in Juggernaut KC Squad
The 16-2-2 Kansas City Current will be the 8-6-6 Seattle Reign's biggest test as Seattle fights for playoff positioning.
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