Home sweet home
Since moving to Memorial Stadium in 2014, Seattle Reign FC has played a combined 24 regular season and playoff games in the shadow of the Space Needle.
Eighteen times, the team has come away with a victory and six others with a draw.
So as Reign FC gets set to embark on its third National Women’s Soccer League season at Seattle Center on Sunday, April 17, with a home matchup against Sky Blue FC of New Jersey at 4 p.m., the franchise will also try to continue one of the most impressive home win streaks in all of professional sports.
For head coach Laura Harvey, the success in Seattle has been welcome, but the team can’t be content with those past results.
“It has to give us confidence, but we can’t be complacent,” she said. “I think our home form is always something that has pulled us through when we’ve needed it. I think if we were to think that the unbeaten run would stay for another season, we’d be crazy, but obviously, that’s always our aim: to win as many home games as we possibly can.”
Back on the field
While the team has had plenty of regular season success over the last two years, back-to-back championship game losses has Reign FC trying to get over the last hurdle in 2016.
“I think that our mindset is that, for us, it’s not about peaking in April, it’s about peaking in October,” Harvey said, “and we’ve got to try and find a way to make sure we do that.”
Leading that charge is a trio of dynamic midfielders in Kim Little, Jessica Fishlock and Keelin Winters.
Little finished tied for third in the league in goals last season with 10 and was first in assists with seven, while forward Beverly Yanez was close behind in scoring with nine goals.
“The team puts me in such great positions to get shots on goal, so, hopefully, there’s some goals in there this year,” Yanez said.
After allowing just 21 goals last season, Reign FC also brings back goalkeeper Hope Solo and returns most of its defensive backline, with Elli Reed, Kendall Fletcher and Lauren Barnes.
Meanwhile, the team signed forward Manon Melis, the all-time leading scorer for the Netherlands Women’s National Team, and adds 2015 draft-pick midfielder Havana Solaun for her first full season, after missing last year with a broken ankle.
“I think the additions we’ve got to the squad this year adds some dynamic pace, technical ability, and they just complement what we’re about really, so, hopefully, it will be a seamless transition for them and for everybody else,” Harvey said.
It’s unclear when U.S Women’s National Team star Megan Rapinoe will return to the field, after tearing her ACL in December.
A different look
Ultimately, while the roster itself remained mostly intact from last year, the team will have a slightly different look on the field.
In this season as the franchise’s new presenting partner is Microsoft. As part of that agreement, the company’s logo appears on Reign FC’s home and away jerseys, while the organization will use Microsoft hardware and software to manage day-to-day operations.
Fans will also see a slightly different game-day experience. After two seasons primarily using the north grandstand, the team has expanded seating to both sides of the stadium and added a beer garden hosted by Georgetown Brewing and Number 6 Cider.
But along with those upgrades, the hope is that the team’s on-field performance continues to turn heads, only this time with one extra victory at season’s end.
“Obviously, we’ve had two very successful seasons, and we’re hoping to push off of that,” Yanez said. “I always like to say, the third time’s a charm.”
For more information, visit www.reignfc.com.
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