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Jess Fishlock Saves Reign From Bay FC Comeback Bid

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The Seattle Reign crowd midfielder Jess Fishlock (10) after her game-winning goal against Bay FC on Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026 at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif. (Tia Lee / Reign FC Communications) [/caption]

She did it again.

With precious seconds ticking off a blown lead and a 2-2 ball game in San Jose against expansion Bay FC (5-9-3, 14th in NWSL) on Saturday night, veteran midfielder Jess Fishlock, in her final season for Seattle Reign, took the field.

A team marred by streaky performances in terms of holding onto leads put their faith in the 39-year-old to bring what they had been unable to attain in 2026: A goal past the 80th minute of play.

THERE'S NO ONE LIKE JESS FISHLOCK 🐉 pic.twitter.com/5CmxeZRNsK— Seattle Reign FC (@reignfc) August 2, 2026

Mere seconds into her time on the field, Fishlock scored off a fast-break opportunity to cap off a 3-2 win in which winger Maddie Dahlien scored, and striker Mia Fishel found her first goal in the run of play for Seattle. The result places Seattle at 7-7-2 and ninth in the NWSL — tied with their next opponent in Angel City for the final playoff spot at the midway point of the season.

3 Goals in 14 Minutes

For the fourth straight game, the Reign took a 2-0 lead to start a game. Both goals were about as cathartic as they could possibly be for an offense finding its identity.

Dahlien worked the left side in the fifth minute to get to the endline — something she did well in the 3-2 loss Seattle took against Gotham after going ahead 2-0 in that one as well. She delivered a cross to the near post, which Fishel sprang free to tap in.

Maddie Dahlien ➡️ Mia Fishel 🤌

Maddie Dahlien perfectly serves it up for Mia Fishel to finish it off into the net 👏 pic.twitter.com/j6qKWoSVxG— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 2, 2026

It was Fishel's first goal in the run of play in her year of being a Reign player, as Seattle fans were treated to watching their starting nine score a true striker’s goal for the first time.

Five minutes later, a misplayed deep ball by Bay FC sprung Dahlien open on the left side. After a season full of indecision at times for the second-year winger, Dahlien wasted no time beating the recovering Bay defense to the left endline.

Maddie Dahlien gets a goal of her own! 💪

The Seattle Reign is up 2-0! pic.twitter.com/dfEupbdybX— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 2, 2026

Face to face with a solid keeper in Jordan Silkowitz, Dahlien saved her best for last with a rolling shot to the far post to make it 2-0 before either team truly even settled into the game.

"She's been frustrated at herself actually that she hasn't taken some of the chances she's had in recent weeks," Reign head coach Laura Harvey said of Dahlien. "So we were all really so happy for her when we saw the goal at the back of the net."

Dahlien continued to attack that left side through the rest of the first half, drawing a foul at the edge of the box and delivering another great cross to Fishel 10 yards away from goal, though the shot went wide right.

But Bay FC took the momentum back with a 14th-minute screamer from Hannah Bebar.

Bebar was able to work her way to the top of the box unmarked, and launched a piercing strike at the top right corner to make a save impossible for star keeper Claudia Dickey.

Nine minutes later, a Dorian Bailey goal in a chaotic moment where Seattle couldn't clear the ball was overturned as she started her run back toward the ball in an offside position, preserving the lead. The Reign were able to use that draining moment against the home team, holding Bay off the board well into the second half.

But substitute Keira Barry broke through for the home squad in the 75th. On a set piece from about 25 yards out, Barry peeled off the left wing and just barely stayed onside to receive a pass unmarked. She launched a rolling shot to the far post, just out of the outstretched arms of Dickey to equalize, leaving Seattle wondering how it surrendered another 2-0 lead.

Captain Jess Saves the Day

Three months ago, it looked like Jess Fishlock's career was over.

Wheeled off the pitch in Seattle with an air cast on her leg, it looked like her self-stated final season would come to a close in April.

But after X-rays came back negative, it was clear Fishlock would return in the summer. A star her whole NWSL career, Fishlock embraced the role of super substitute last season and scored multiple game-deciding goals late for Seattle as the Reign finished fifth in the table.

So when Fishlock trotted on in the 84th minute, Seattle fans weary of their team letting up another lead put all their hopes in the 39-year-old midfielder from Wales.

It didn't take long for their prayers to be answered, as Seattle won the ball at midfield moments after Fishlock came on. The savvy vet, observant of the high line that Dahlien had exposed on the left side all night, immediately streaked at the middle of Bay FC's defense to find a high through ball from substitute winger Emeri Adames.

"When I saw the ball go over the top and Jess had got a half a yard in front, I was just like 'yeah this is either a goal or a penalty," Harvey said. "She's that type of player."

With Silkowitz as the lone defender to beat, Fishlock curved a right-footed shot to the left corner to send an ailing Reign into a frenzy as they mobbed their veteran.

Fishlock would come up limping later on with what looked like a hamstring injury in stoppage time. Harvey, without the benefit of any type of diagnostics postgame, suggested the veteran could miss time going forward.

Takeaways: Seattle Must Figure Out How to ‘See Games Out’

The Reign haven't been the best defensive squad since their 2-0 win over Portland earlier this month.

Seattle gave up three to Gotham on the road before shutting out San Diego last week, but Dickey definitively saved the Reign at multiple junctures with eight saves. Tonight, Seattle forced some of the same longer shots Dickey was able to keep out against Gotham, but the quality from Bay FC was just better.

This is a valuable win in the fact that Seattle took some punches and used their ace in Fishlock to punch back, but allowing eight goals in five games (3-2-0) since returning from the June break isn't a recipe for sustained success.

"We've had two-nil leads, we've given them up, and then when we haven't, we've obviously got the points," Harvey said. "So today will be a big growth area for us… for the opponent to equalize and then for us to get the winner, I think that just shows sort of the growth of what we're trying [to do]. I don't think we're there yet, but I think that's our growth area is how can we see games out?"

In terms of the offense, the Reign have scored 10 goals in five games as they work back toward a real identity on that end. It's clear that Seattle is at its best when Dahlien is finding the endline, and this one-goal, one-assist performance was something for the young forward to hang her hat on.

"Definitely one of my top performances," Dahlien said of Saturday night.

One thing's for sure in a game like this: Seattle is glad it has Jess Fishlock for however many more games she can lace up the boots.

"I saw Jess coming in, like it was a huge burst of energy from the bench and also the players, seeing her come on the field," Fishel said. "She instantly changes the game… we had full belief that she was going to do what she did in the game."