Reign at Dash: Highlights, stats, quotes

Seattle Reign gave up a goal just after halftime but came from behind to earn a road point in hot and humid Houston against the Dash. Jordyn Huitema got on the end of Sofia Huerta's deep cross, flicking the ball into the goal with her head.

Huerta now has the standalone all-time assist record, with 32 NWSL regular-season assists.

Reign and Dash split points in 1-1 draw

Sofia Huerta sets new NWSL assist record on Reign goal

Sounder at HeartSteve Voght

The Reign (7-5-5) remain in 6th place and will host the third-place San Diego Wave (8-4-5) on Friday, August 29. The match kicks off at 7:30 p.m. PT and will air on FOX 13+, NWSL+, and Paramount+.

Highlights

Stats

SCORING SUMMARY

 47' - Yazmeen Ryan - HOU

65' - Jordyn Huitema (Assisted by Sofia Huerta) - SEA

LINEUPS

63' - Sally Menti for Ji So-yun; Lynn Biyendolo for Ainsley McCammon

74' - Emeri Adames for Nérilia Mondésir

87' - Jess Fishlock for Sam Meza; Emily Mason for Lauren Barnes

64' - Sarah Puntigam for Dani Colaprico; Evelina Duljan for Messiah Bright

82' - Clarissa Larisey for Delanie Sheehan; Ryan Gareis for Kiki van Zanten

POSSESSION

Dash: 57.7%

Reign: 42.3%

EXPECTED GOALS

Dash: 1.94

Reign: 0.36

TOTAL SHOTS

Dash: 14

Reign: 5

SHOTS ON TARGET

Dash: 2

Reign: 2

SHOTS OFF TARGET

Dash: 7

Reign: 3

SHOTS BLOCKED

Dash: 5

Reign: 0

SHOTS FROM INSIDE THE BOX

Dash: 9

Reign: 4

TOUCHES INSIDE THE OPP. BOX

Dash: 25

Reign: 11

PASSES

Dash: 485

Reign: 361

PASSING ACCURACY

Dash: 81.0%

Reign: 77.6%

PASSES IN FINAL THIRD

Dash: 168

Reign: 85

PASS ACCURACY IN FINAL THIRD

Dash: 62.5%

Reign: 71.8%

CROSSES (EXCLUDING CORNERS)

Dash: 18

Reign: 11

CORNERS WON

Dash: 6

Reign: 4

OFFSIDES

Dash: 0

Reign: 0

FOULS

Dash: 7

Reign: 8

YELLOW CARDS

Dash: 0

Reign: 2

RED CARDS

Dash: 0

Reign: 0

Quotes

Laura Harvey

Thoughts on the game:

First of all, I thought it took us a bit of time to get into it and then I thought we did better at the second part of the first half. I thought we started the second half okay. Obviously, a really disappointing goal to give away, but we responded really well. Great Ball by Sofia, great header by Jordyn. Another team effort. Obviously, after last week's game, or whatever it was last week, we wanted to respond and show that we could see games out if we needed to. I still think we could do better in those moments, but it'll be another learning opportunity for us, and obviously, we're about to get on a plane to get back so we can rest up and go again on Friday.

On Huerta's evolution and assist record:

Yeah, I just think her understanding what her secret weapon is, that's a secret weapon, and the more we can get her in positions to do that. Obviously, playing in this back three/back five situation, that position I think she can cross from more. I think we can get her in that position more. And she's deadly. She's deadly. If I'm a forward and Sofia's got the ball in that position, I'm moving to get across, and if she doesn't cross it, I'll be screaming at her to cross it because that is what she's very, very good at. So I think her understanding of that, I think she's become an excellent 1v1 defender. I think she's really, really evolved in that. And yeah, she continues just to keep trying to push herself to be better. And that's all I ask for.

On why Huerta has moved to centerback:

Just us finding an extra pass, that's how she gets the ball today. Sometimes we force it and keep going forward and we lock ourselves in a corner, and we end up either giving the ball away or the attack dies if it's not on to cross it. If Madi Curry's not in a position to cross it, it probably means Sofia is, so get it back to her and she can deliver. I think the difference in playing Sof as a fullback versus a wingback is, I mean even Jess's goal against Angel City, Sof's not super high, she's not like endline, and in the way that we want to play, our wingback, we want to be really high, and a lot of the time they don't get in positions to cross. But if they are super high, the centerback behind them can get in a position to cross. And we saw it with Jordyn Bugg at Chicago, we saw it obviously tonight with Sofia. That's the way we actually want to play, that that sort of ball-side centerback can get high enough up that they're basically like a fullback. That's what we're trying to do. That's the aim of the formation. So knowing that it really suits Sofia.

On why Meza has thrived as a deeper midfielder than she played in college:

We made that change because we were playing Orlando at midday on a Saturday after a FIFA break. That's why we made it. I think her and Ainsley [McCammon] started that game, and prior to that it's been, it had been, I dunno Haz [Angharad James-Turner] and whoever. And we played a back five in that game for the first time, and Sammy had actually played in the game before that [versus] Angel City higher and found it difficult. And then in training leading up to that Orlando game, I sat with all the players that potentially could play in that game. I think Olo [Olivia van der Jagt] was around at that point, there was quite a few, and said 'Look, you are the ones going to start. It's going to be two of you.' So we knew Jess and Haz were going to be back from Wales late. So that was the reason we did it, and she has absolutely excelled there and I think the last three weeks have been really tough for Sammy.

I think she's had a tough go of it, but this is part of her development. I think she was great tonight. She just breaks up play, that's her specialty. Sofia has a special sauce – crosses, 1v1 defending – Sam Meza's special skill is she sees where the ball's about to go and gets there and breaks it up. And it's an exceptional trait to have. It's an exceptional trait to have. Obviously I'm not the only one who thinks it because she got called up to the national team and I don't know today if she still has these stats, but for the first half of the season she was the best defensive six in the league. There wasn't anyone near her. And the second best was Haz. So that was, it just shows what relationship they were building and obviously with the introduction of Sally [Menti] into that who's maybe not as good defensively as them, but she's a little bit more creative on the ball. That sort of match has been great and I thought Ainsley would do great tonight stepping in for Sally.

On the key to the defensive performance this week:

We knew we were coming to Houston and we were going to be hot. We warmed up in heat we shouldn't have warmed up in, so I'm just going to say no more than that, hence why the game got delayed. But here we are, and we knew that we weren't going to be able to press all the time. So we'd worked on a bit of a mid-block and making sure we didn't give them space in behind us. I don't think they got in behind us once in 90 minutes. That was our aim and we didn't want them to do that. And I don't think they did it; if they did it, it was down to us, not them. And that's why the goal was disappointing because it wasn't them, it was us. But I thought Lu was excellent. I thought Phoebe responded. That's a big growth for Phoebe. I think I said the same about her in Chicago, the old Phoebe when she felt she'd made a mistake that could impact her whole game and now it's not. And that's growth for her. And that's what becoming a leader means. You've got to step up, you've got to show this team that you're ready for it.

And I thought Sof and Madi Curry were great. Maddie Dahlien is a different type of defender and obviously we got [Emily] Mason on late who's very good defensively.

Sofia Huerta and Jordyn Huitema

Thoughts on the game:

Huerta: It was a difficult game. I mean with the weather and the delay and all the circumstances, it is hard to come to Houston and play. Everybody knows that, especially for us, Seattle people we're not really used to this heat. But that being said, getting a point on the road I think is a positive. It's better than dropping points. I think we could have been a little bit more clinical on the ball, but overall I think getting a goal back and tying that game is something that we're happy about for sure.

On the key to turning around the defense:

Huerta: Well, set pieces has been something we've been struggling with the last couple of games. So definitely being really focused and alert on those was a priority for us and something we spoke a lot about during the week. And then just as a back line being aggressive, but also protecting the space in behind when you're playing [against] forwards on Houston that are very fast, you got to protect the space in behind, but they are multi-talented, they can go in behind, check to feet. So definitely we worked on a lot this week just focusing on dynamic forwards and their movement.

On her goal and having Sofia Huerta's crosses back:

Huitema: I love having Sof on the field with me. I think our relationship when it comes to especially crosses into the box has been amazing for the past few years. I definitely missed her when she went overseas, but hey she's back. So yeah, whenever we can get her in those positions that are a little bit higher, that gives her the ability to send in the balls that she has the capability of sending in. I think that's always super threatening for us. And yeah, it's just really easy to read and I mean she has so much quality and I think it shows, leading the whole league in assists now. I think it shows her quality and how good she can be, especially when she gets higher up at picking off passes and yeah, it was quite easy to score it when it's put on a platter like that.

On her assist record milestone:

Huerta: I mean, being from Idaho, I just never thought I was going to be a professional soccer player, so being able to have the assist record says so much more than just my crosses or my balls into the box, whatever that is. It just kind of means that I've been in the league for a long time and I've been a consistent enough player to be on the field. And so overall that's something that I'm extremely proud of and doesn't go unnoticed to myself because I think as athletes we put a lot of pressure on ourselves and the journey hasn't necessarily always been easy for me, but when I'm reminded that I'm the assist leader, I just remind myself that I've been in the league for a long time. That's something I'm always going to be proud of while I'm playing and even when I'm done.

On Lynn's influence when she came on:

Huitema: Yeah, I think we grew throughout the game as well. I think we were trying to find our footing a little bit in the first half. Heat probably played a factor into that. Our press probably played a factor into that when Lynn came on. Obviously my position changed as well, so I got to be a little bit deeper, help a little bit with the build and I was joining a little bit later. And I think the biggest thing when Lynn comes in, I think she's such a threat as well. I mean the goal partially comes from her movement. I think the centerbacks have to track her front post, which allows me to come in late and have an easier header. So I think having two threats in the box or multiple threats really opens the game up and makes it more difficult for them. So I think that was huge. But yeah, I mean as Sof said before, our depth is crazy. I mean the players on the bench that we have that came in, the players who didn't even play, it's ridiculous. We have so many amazing players. So I think that's what also makes us so dangerous in closing out games and is the depth our squat squad.

On Sam Meza's defensive growth:

Huerta: Sam's ridiculous. Sam is honestly such a good player, so impressive defensively. And what she does so well is she makes the player on the ball think they have time and then she sneaks up and she's able to get, she disrupts the play. And that's so important for us, especially when we're just defending, defending, defending. For her to be able to get a tackle or get a toe on it and then we're able to transition. I've always been impressed with Sam, the moment that she was drafted here and even last year when she was a rookie. Also really impressed with her desire to get better and grow. And I'm sure you guys have talked about this – but obviously I've been gone – for her, even going to the USL and getting games, probably not ideal in her mind, but she was going to do whatever she could to get better. And that's something that obviously all of us can appreciate. So I mean, you can tell. I mean that's why she's on the national team. That's why every time she's on the field good things happen. She's ridiculous. I don't know, she's such a good player.