Claudia Dickey isn't exactly easy on herself.
As the Seattle Reign tumbled down the NWSL standings ahead of the June CBA break, winning one of their last six games, the starting goalkeeper took the blame for nine goals the team gave up in that stretch. A struggling Seattle offense went scoreless in five straight games, leaving itself vulnerable to attacks the other way and goals Dickey couldn't have prevented, but the 26-year-old knows the standard she's set for herself.
"I'm tough on myself," Dickey told The Spectrum over the phone on Wednesday.
This past year, Dickey has made four starts for the U.S. Women's National Team, becoming a regular call-up in the lead-up to the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil. Alongside another NWSL star in Utah's Mandy McGlynn, Dickey has been in a battle as the rights to start for the most high-profile women's soccer team in the world are on the line.
But in all the excitement of last year's June national team camp in Brazil, Dickey suffered what she thought was a muscle injury around her foot on day one of camp. She missed the U.S.'s opening loss to Brazil before returning days later to tab a clean sheet in a 1-0 win over the hosts.
When she got back to Seattle, however, she got a further scan of the injured region and found out it was a bone bruise on the top of her foot, The Spectrum learned Wednesday. She would be sidelined for Seattle's first three games back from the break, watching the Reign go 1-2-0 as reserve Cassie Miller made some spectacular saves in a 2-0 win over Portland.
Dickey, who didn't miss a single game in 2025 after becoming the definitive starter a few seasons after being drafted in the second round by Seattle in 2022, took on the challenge of her reserve shining.
"Being challenged every day in training, like the goalkeeper group we had… we're pushing each other to be the best," Dickey said.
She proved why she's under consideration for a starting spot with the USWNT this past Sunday, making her return to the field to the tune of a career-high eight saves vs. the San Diego Wave in a statement 2-0 win. Diving stops, reflex saves and a trot far beyond the 18-yard box to stop a Wave attack characterized what's come to be known as a typical Dickey performance.
The Seattle Sounders continued their tailspin on Saturday night, losing 1-0 to the last-place Philadelphia Union (3-10-4) on the road. The result extended Seattle's losing streak to five, the worst in MLS play under coach Brian Schmetzer.
The Sounders, who started the campaign at 6-1-1, now sit at 7-6-3 and in sixth place in the Western Conference with one more game before their Leagues Cup title defense begins on Aug. 5.
It was only the seventh meeting all-time between Philadelphia and Seattle, and the Sounders gave up a rare kind of goal in the 31st minute of Saturday's game. Union striker Milan Iloski scored his ninth of the season by running past a makeshift Seattle backline, which defended well all night, and floated a ball over keeper Andrew Thomas in an awkward moment for the first-year starter.
It's the first time since 2015 that the Sounders have lost five straight MLS games. Schmetzer started coaching the squad in 2016.
The 63-year-old skipper said he “isn’t killing” the players over this streak, as Seattle continues to try and survive missing at least five usual starters at once.
If you didn’t think it could get worse than a 5-1 loss to Portland, Wednesday was a stark reminder it truly can.
Emerald City Spectrum reporter Qasim Ali recaps the Seattle Sounders’ 3-1 loss at 14th-place Austin FC, in which the home team scored twice after the 85th minute. It was a 95-degree night in Texas full of frustration, boiling to All-Star center back Jackson Ragen picking up two frustration-fueled yellow cards to ensure he misses the next two fixtures, including an August 1 rematch with Portland.
RENTON, Wash. — Brian Schmetzer hasn't shaved.
The Seattle Sounders head coach since 2016, who has been a part of the organization as a player and coach since 1980 more or less, called last Thursday's 5-1 loss to team archrival Portland Timbers the "toughest loss" of his career.
"I know everybody's in a bad place," Schmetzer said of the atmosphere at the facility after Tuesday's training. "I haven't shaved, I don't eat anymore, this hurts."
We'll hope the comment about not eating is a joke, but what Seattle served up in its first game back from the June FIFA World Cup break certainly wasn't palatable.
The Sounders gave up three goals in seven minutes in the early second half, getting beat with ease down the touchlines to turn a 1-0 deficit into an inescapable hole.
By the third goal in the 60th minute, some fans started heading for the exits, an oddity so early in any Sounders game.
By the fourth three minutes later, completing a brace for Venezuelan U-22 striker Kevin Kelsy, fans left in droves. Many of those who remained booed their beloved Sounders.
"They have every right to demand better from us," All-Star center back Jackson Ragen said. "For us to come out like that, they have the right to ask for (better)."
The Seattle Sounders, fresh off six weeks away from MLS play for the FIFA World Cup, came into a Thursday night home bout with their archnemesis, the Portland Timbers, looking to start the summer run strong.
Not only did they not accomplish that feat, but the Sounders (7-4-3, 6th in Western Conference) lost 5-1.
It’s already being labeled the worst loss to Portland in franchise history, as striker Kevin Kelsy bagged a brace. Seattle midfielder Hassani Dotson scored off a set-piece header late with the game far out of reach.
The Timbers (5-8-2, 7th) worked the wide areas to death, scoring three goals in seven minutes early in the second half to completely demoralize Seattle. The nearly 36,000 fans in attendance, a franchise best this season, left in droves.
After the game, head coach Brian Schmetzer took accountability as his team, down key pieces like Cristian Roldan and Alex Roldan, was simply out-competed in the biggest derby game of the season. Players cleared out of the locker room quickly postgame, seemingly opting to process the stunning result on their own.
Emerald City Spectrum reporter Qasim Ali attempts to make sense of the landslide defeat.
The Seattle Sounders' luck just keeps getting worse.
Fresh off a five-game losing streak due in part to a rash of injuries, the Rave Green were looking to return standout center back Yeimar from a hamstring injury that's had him out since early spring.
But he and midfielder Hassani Dotson picked up new multi-week injuries at training this week, per coach Brian Schmetzer on Friday, to further dampen the spirits. Yeimar, who was coming off a hamstring injury and in line to return soon, picked up a calf injury to put him 4-6 weeks away from seeing the field
Seattle is 7-6-3 (eighth in Western Conference) as it heads into a rematch with a rival Portland Timbers side (6-8-3, 10th) this Saturday night at Providence Park.