
Reign FC Enter the Homestretch of 2017 Regular Season
With just eight matches remaining in the 2017 NWSL regular season, points and wins are becoming more crucial for Reign FC as they head into the final homestretch. Currently in the fourth and final playoff spot, Seattle is 6–4–6 with 24 points on the season.
As the season winds down, Seattle Reign FC head coach and general manager Laura Harvey says the focus is on wins at home and whatever points they can grab on the road. Seattle currently holds a 1–4–2 record on the road with all losses ending in shutouts. While no team in the league has a winning road record, teams in first through third on the table all have only three road losses this season.
“It comes down to points ultimately,” said Harvey. “We have to try to get as many points as we can on the road, and pick up wins at home. That’s crucial. For every point we drop at home, we’ve got to pick up on the road.”

Reign FC are just four points out of third place, and there are three teams, Sky Blue FC, Orlando Pride, and Houston Dash within three points of fourth. Reign FC will visit each before the end of the regular season on the road having already earned eight points total this season against these teams.
August brings a difficult schedule for Reign FC, with three road matches still to play and all of their matches against teams in the top five of the NWSL standings. Having already lost 1–0 to North Carolina to open the month, the rest of Seattle’s August slate becomes even more important.
“The girls know that we’ve got a big, big August ahead of us,” said Harvey. “We’ve got a strong squad from one to 20, with players that know what are expected at this club and some new faces. It’s time we show what this squad is about, and I think in August we can make that happen.”

One of those new faces is forward Larissa Crummer, who has made the 18-player roster the past two matches after missing the first 16 matches of the season on the disabled list. Also returning from injury is co-captain and midfielder Jess Fishlock. After missing over a month due to a left knee injury, she returned last weekend and played the full 90 minutes.
“Jess [Fishlock] is a big part of our team and she had been out for a while so it’s great to have her back on the field,” said Harvey. “I’ve said all the way along that I believe in this squad. I think it’s a strong squad.”

Looking back on the season so far, Harvey is generally pleased with the team’s performances. To be in the thick of the playoff race and only have four losses, tied for second least in the league are both big accomplishments, but there is still much to improve upon.
“In some cases, yes, we met expectations,” said Harvey. “We’re upset we got draws when we maybe should have won games. We’ve got too many ties I think, and they’re the games we’ll look back on at the end of the season and kick ourselves if we don’t manage to get in the playoffs. We’ve got to make sure we turn as many draws into wins as we can, especially at home, and pick up points where we can on the road.”

Something that may have exceeded expectations is the Reign FC offense. Leading the league with 30 goals this season, Seattle has already surpassed their goal total from the entire 2016 season. Most of these goals have come at home, where Reign FC has a 26-game scoring streak dating back to last season.
A key part of the offense’s success has been the impressive seasons forwards Megan Rapinoe and Nahomi “Naho” Kaswasumi have had. Rapinoe leads the league in goals scored, with 12, and 11 of those goals have come at Memorial Stadium. The forward has scored the winning goal in four of Reign FC’s six victories this season. Often times, it has been fellow forward Naho setting up the goal opportunities. Leading the league in assists this season with seven, Naho is just two away from her NWSL career high of nine.
Scoring goals will be critical for Reign FC if they want to lock down a playoff spot, and make their return to the postseason after missing it last year. For Harvey, a key to making this happen is making sure there are no-holds-barred as they near the finish line.
“You’ve just got to go for it…you’ve got to go for it, not hold back, and give everything that you possibly can to get that victory or that point,” said Harvey. “The girls are in a good place, and there’s little things we need to be better at, but as long as we keep picking up points along the way we’re going to be okay.”
