> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Reign Bounce Back with Rainy Road Draw in Houston - URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/seattle-reign-rainy-road-draw-houston-dash/ - Published: 2026-05-02T03:35:57.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-08T06:11:48.000Z - Author: Qasim Ali - Tags: News, Analysis, Reign, Laura Harvey, Mia Fishel, Maddie Mercado, Phoebe McClernon, Claudia Dickey \[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="3120"\] ![ Seattle Reign forward Mia Fishel holds up a Houston Dash defender with the ball during a match on Friday, May 1, 2026 at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston, Texas. (Steve Hamlin / Reign FC Communications) ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1d/f2/1df2f77b-83dd-4bc0-a6d2-6d1bb5df89a3/content/images/2026/10/credit-seattle-reign-fc-steve-hamlin_3-format-original.jpg) Seattle Reign forward Mia Fishel holds up a Houston Dash defender with the ball during a match on Friday, May 1, 2026 at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston, Texas. (Steve Hamlin / Reign FC Communications) \[/caption\] The Seattle Reign followed their worst loss of the season last Sunday with a 0-0 draw to the Houston Dash on Friday night. The result moved Seattle (fifth in NWSL) to 3-2-2 and marked the Reign's third straight game without a goal, despite 1.4 expected goals (xG) on 16 shots. The Reign were without the services of veteran Jess Fishlock, set to miss an extended period of time after a scary ankle injury in that [3-0 loss to Utah on Sunday](https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/home/seattle-reign-lose-jess-fishlock-pounded-utah-seattle-opener). They also had a flu bug run through the team throughout the week, as Nerilia "Coco" Mondesir had to sub on late as she was sick during the abbreviated week — Seattle held its only practice on Thursday in Houston. Despite it all, striker Mia Fishel had an up-and-down game while young wingers Maddie Dahlien and Emeri Adames powered the offense for much of the night. Spurring the clean sheet on was star keeper Claudia Dickey, who made five key saves, while facing multiple dangerous set pieces and five Houston corners. After a week in which the Reign gave up three first-half goals, two of which came directly off turnovers in their own half, head coach Laura Harvey was glad to see her team get back on track defensively. "After last week, we really wanted to make sure that we didn't give up anything sloppy or give them any opportunities," Harvey said postgame. "I don't think we did that." Still, it took a certain amount of pride for Seattle to turn around in five days and come out with a road result after such a home drubbing. "Really proud of the group, they responded in a way that we wanted them to," Harvey said. ### Reign Continue Theme of Missed Close Chances "I think attacking-wise, we were the better of the two teams," Maddie Mercado said after a two-shot game at the center attacking midfielder spot. "It comes down to now, this next week… It's just the final details in and around the goal." To that point, Seattle had 16 shots and hit the woodwork once on a deflected first-touch shot from center back Emily Mason in the second half. Fishel, who had some dynamic dribbles, found herself with a few chances to prove herself as Seattle's go-to striker in this one. In the 39th, Mercado slipped a pass to Fishel in the box, but her first-touch shot from 12 yards away just wasn't hit with pace as Dash keeper Jane Campbell (five saves) made easy work of the attempt. In the 56th, Fishel skied a shot, and three minutes later, she missed the ball completely, a mere five yards from the net with Campbell out of position. Mason's shot off the crossbar came immediately after and was followed by another underwhelming shot from Fishel. While Harvey thought that Fishel lost her footing on the soggy pitch on a stormy day in Houston, she acknowledged that the Chelsea transfer, still ramping up from injury, has work to do. "It's that final piece now with (Fishel) that when she gets into these goal-scoring opportunities, we want her to get that little monkey off her back to get that first goal," Harvey said. It wasn't all bad for Fishel, who led the game in successful dribbles with four (per [FotMob.com](http://fotmob.com/?ref=emeraldcityspectrum.com)) and was solid again in holding the defense up to let the rest of the offense overlap. Defender Madison Curry had two wonder-strikes in the first half that sent Campbell diving for highlight saves as the Dash struggled to clear the ball quickly at times. Harvey referred to those moments postgame as she believed her team generated plenty of chances to get the win. Harvey said she'd "be more worried" if her team went scoreless for three games without generating many chances. But the 2.5 xG in two games is keeping the NWSL all-time wins leader sane. "We're creating enough chances, and we need to be able to put one or two away. So that's on us," Mercado said. ### An Encouraging Sign Road wins are hard to come by in any competition, but the Reign had three points in sight all night. Fishel deserves grace considering her injury history, but Seattle needs finishing quality from its nine more than it needs dribbling, which it gets in boatloads from Dahlien, Adames, Fishlock (when healthy), Mondesir and Mercado. Harvey went all out at the end, putting Mondesir and an offensive-minded Sally Menti on the pitch to try and steal a late winner, but it wasn't meant to be. At any rate, the Reign were the most efficient offense last season with the fewest total chances generated. In this three-game span, they're creating opportunities at an average rate, but struggling to convert much of anything. McClernon noted that it's a long season and every game won't be perfect. But Seattle is close to showing the league what it can do if it can just get some quality in close. At the very least, the defense played for its pride and made the blowout to Utah look like the "fluke" that McClernon claimed it was. Emily Mason had another solid game in relief of star center back Jordyn Bugg while McClernon cleared the lines over and over again to keep Seattle in it. Sam Meza once again had the most tackles in the game with four while her midfield pairing in Ainsley McCammon had a few well-timed challenges. Captain Sofia Huerta continues to impress in duels at the right back, as the all-time assist leader put in multiple goal-worthy passes in this game. Harvey rued the turnovers last week because they put her defense behind the eight ball. Seattle held up just fine this time around with the ball in front of its capable backline. ### Up Next The Reign will have some time to recover from the flu bug that's going around the team as they prepare for Trinity Rodman and the Washington Spirit (3-1-3, third in NWSL) next Sunday at home on Mother's Day.