July 13, 2026 – The Seattle Reign returned to Lumen Field on a sunny Sunday to host Pacific Northwest Rivals the Portland Thorns after a break for the 2026 Fifa Men’s World Cup. In front of a sold out crowd – 14,793 fans in attendance cheered as the Reign shut out the Thorns in a 2-0 victory.
Defender Ryanne Brown (no.22), who was selected 21st overall by the Reign in the 2022 NWSL Draft, scored the opening goal in the 8th minute to open the scoring for Seattle. Midfielder Maddie Mercado scored her second goal of the year in the 43rd minute.
Goalkeeper Cassie Miller, earned Player of the Match in her second start for the Reign, setting a new career-high with nine total saves. Thorns aggressively pressed Miller, especially in the second half, with a total of 26 shots by the end of the match.
The Portland Thorns FC lead the all-time Cascadia Rivalry series 18-17-10 over Seattle Reign FC across 45 competitive meetings. Portland are currently in the 3rd seed in the NWSL standings with 27 points, making Sunday’s victory all the more meaningful for the Reign and their fans.
Game Notes: Jess Fishlock returned to the active roster after recovering from a lower leg injury sustained during the Reign’s home opener, but did not play. Instead Head coach Laura Harvey chose to list Fishlock as an unused substitute on the bench.
Fishlock is expected to get minutes in Seattle’s next away match against NJ/NY Gotham FC on Saturday, July 18, 2026. There’s no doubt fans will be ecstatic to see their Captain back on the pitch for the Reign’s next home game on August 9, 2026 against Angel City FC.
Fishlock announced her upcoming retirement before the commencement of this season. She uniquely holds the record in league history for having scored over 40 goals and provided more than 30 assists for a single club.
Playoff Picture: Sunday’s win puts Seattle within three points of qualifying for the NWSL playoffs. The top eight teams qualify for the NWSL playoffs at the end of the regular season, and Seattle Reign FC is currently in 10th place. As of Sunday, San Diego Wave FC leads the standings with 28 points.
Up Next: The Reign head out on a three-game road trip. View full schedule here.
About the Seattle Reign: Seattle Reign FC, formerly known as Reign FC and OL Reign, is a professional women’s soccer team based in Seattle that plays in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). Established in 2012, it is one of the original teams in the NWSL.
Schedule and ticket information available on the Reign website.
Fans can watch all NWSL matches free on VICTORY+.
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Credits: Game Photos by Ryley Stivers
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