Reign vs Bay: Highlights, stats, quotes

Seattle Reign welcomed Bay FC to Lumen Field on Friday night with playoff positioning still on the line. Bay was suffering through a 12-game winless streak but struck first, but Reign stalwart Jess Fishlock clawed back a point for the hosts with a late equalizer.

The Reign (9-7-8) host their final home game of the regular season next Friday night against Utah Royals (5-11-7). That game kicks off at 7 p.m. PT on October 17 and will air on FOX 13+ and NWSL+.

Highlights

Stats

SCORING SUMMARY

31’ - Taylor Huff (assist by Racheal Kundananji) - BAY

84’ - Jess Fishlock - SEA

LINEUPS

63’ - Maddie Mercado for Jordyn Huitema; Jess Fishlock for Emeri Adames

75’ - Mia Fishel for Nerilia Mondesir

85’ - Lauren Barnes for Madison Curry; 85’ - Emily Mason for Phoebe McClernon

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70’ - Caroline Conti for Dorian Bailey; M. Moreau for K. Lema

85’ - Rachel Hill for Tess Boade

89’ - Penelope Hocking for Racheal Kundananji

POSSESSION

Reign: 47.6%

Bay: 52.4%

EXPECTED GOALS

Reign: 2.00

Bay: 1.03

TOTAL SHOTS

Reign: 12

Bay: 12

SHOTS ON TARGET

Reign: 4

Bay: 3

SHOTS OFF TARGET

Reign: 6

Bay: 5

SHOTS BLOCKED

Reign: 2

Bay: 4

SHOTS FROM INSIDE THE BOX

Reign: 8

Bay: 7

TOUCHES INSIDE THE OPP. BOX

Reign: 23

Bay: 29

PASSES

Reign: 444

Bay: 496

PASSING ACCURACY

Reign: 80.6%

Bay: 80.8%

PASSES IN FINAL THIRD

Reign: 98

Bay: 118

PASS ACCURACY IN FINAL THIRD

Reign: 60.2%

Bay: 68.6%

CROSSES (EXCLUDING CORNERS)

Reign: 13

Bay: 16

CORNERS WON

Reign: 5

Bay: 3

OFFSIDES

Reign: 2

Bay: 0

FOULS

Reign: 13

Bay: 10

YELLOW CARDS

Reign: 1

Bay:

RED CARDS

Reign: 0

Bay: 0

Quotes

Laura Harvey

Her overall thoughts on the game

I didn't think we played well, if I'm honest. I think the quick turnaround – New York, back home, we only really trained once this week. I thought you could see that a little bit in us. But one thing I said to the group at the end is we've got something you can't coach, which is a mentality that we're not going to give up and we're not going to stop fighting and we're, it doesn't really matter what's happening, we always believe we can get back into games. And first half like we had some decent chances to score, you know. Second half when we made the subs, obviously Jess coming on, great, Maddie Mercado, I thought all the subs did a good job. But yeah we've got a big week ahead. I think we've got to rest up. You know the fact that we don't have to get on an airplane is great. We've got to use this week wisely to really get ourselves prepared for what's going to be another tough game next week.

 On Bay playing for pride even though they’re out of the playoffs

They've looked exactly how they do all year, to be honest. And you know, I think when teams are playing for pride and that's the thing that they've got as their incentive and motivation, I think that's more powerful than anything else to be honest. And you saw that, you know, they didn't give up and they played some good stuff tonight. But I'm proud of our group. We dug in and sometimes, you know, it's a cliche, but good teams don't lose when they're playing badly, and we did that tonight. I didn't think it was our greatest performance, but we didn't lose. And that and that's a big thing that we can take forward for us. But yeah, big week ahead. Rest up. And try and get out of Lumen before the Mariners end, to rest and recover and turn our attentions now to Utah.

On avoiding the breakdowns that led Huff being wide open for Bay’s goal

Don't give the ball away, honestly. And it like in that moment, Sofia [Huerta]'s obviously played out wide to Maddie Dahlien. Maddie Dahlien goes back to Jordyn Bugg. Jordyn now doesn't have Sofia, and I think with a little bit more experience they're just whacking it and going, you know, ‘Move for me. I don't have a pass, but I'm going to put it somewhere where they're not going to score.’ Young players who are technically good like Jordyn is want to try and play their way through that. And I said to MC [Madison Curry] at halftime, I think the other layer to that is we also on that side of the field aren't going, ‘Oh, she's going to give this away. She's going to give.’ We don't think that way. And I think that's another – I'm a pessimist, absolute pessimist. And as I'm watching Jordyn Bugg, I'm looking at Maddie Curry going, you need to get in. And that that's just little layers for us that we've got to continue to get better at because with Sofia higher, Jordyn as wide as she was, Phoebe's 2-v-1 in the box, you know, and she's got to pick the biggest danger, which is the one closest to her. But yeah, again solvable. I think you know Lu, who's really experienced, is probably just whacking that, you know, and going we'll fight live to fight another day. But Jordyn will learn from that. I think she's been exceptional. I thought she was brilliant second half, which just shows her mentality. [Jordyn’s] got a great mentality that she makes mistakes and it doesn't crush her, which is fantastic. And I think one that's her; two, it's our environment where we're not going in at halftime having a blame game. We're trying to solve what we need to do. But at halftime, I just said to the players, I feel like I'm watching us respond to them instead of us putting ourselves up against them. And I thought in the second half we did a better job with that.

On Ainsley McCammon’s full-game performance

I thought she was great. I think early in the game you could see she gave the ball away a couple of times, forcing a few passes, but I said to her at the end then I think one of the things she's grown into is her defensive ability in in a tackle. She put a few tackles in tonight that were great. Ainsley’s got a great range of pass, and we saw that a couple of times tonight as well. Yeah, really proud for her to get 90 tonight. I think that's a that's a huge step in Ainsley’s development.

On shifting to a four-player backline in recent games

Just matchups a little bit. I think after the KC game, as a collective, we said we wanted to press people. To really press them, you've got to get an extra body higher. I think unfortunately tonight, like I said, I don't think we were ready and recovered from the New York travel. So, when you press like we want to, if you're a little off, then that can be hard. And I think as the game got stretched, it became harder for us. But we also got really good opportunities from defending that way in the first half. Coco [Nerilia Mondesir]’s opportunity comes from that. Maddie Dahlien’s opportunity comes from that. So it's a bit of chicken and egg really. But yeah, I'm not set on either formation to be honest. It's very much about matchups and what we think we need going into the game.

On the drop off in attacking opportunities in the second half

Well, we didn't we didn't win the ball back in the second half the way we did in the first half. And like I said, the chances in the first half really came from defending. We weren't able to do that in the second half, but the half-chance that Jess gets, you know, if that's what it takes, then that's what it takes. So I think credit to her. You know she's scored massive goals for us this season in really big moments, and I think the team look at her and know and believe that when she's on the field that that something good's going to happen. So really happy she got that opportunity.

Jess Fishlock and Lauren Barnes

On what she saw on the goal

Fishlock: Yeah, I think we definitely saw areas where could hurt them, and I think the whole play leading up to the goal was kind of good and we got through their thirds. And then it’s just about getting in the box really when you could. I thought what's the game from the sideline and just thought that whenever we'd get high, we would never really be able to get enough bodies in the box, and so I just wanted to carry on my run from the play. And you know, whenever you're kind of in the box and it's bodies everywhere, you've got half a chance of kind of getting a rebound and then it's just, you know, putting it away. So right place, right time really. 

On the offense building off of getting more chances in this game

Fishlock: I think honestly we have all the pieces, you know, it's just about kind of keep building on the relationships as best we can, and you know we're in the right areas and then it's just decision making and execution, and I think for us we are still – I hate saying this, but we are really still a young team and so the decision making and execution in the final third is always going to be the last thing that comes you. What is really great for us is we are getting there, and I know that that's such a cliche, but it honestly is the truth. If you've played it and lived it, you understand that, you know, getting there for where we're at right now with regards to the young girls coming in and getting more minutes and getting regular time, it's just kind of like muscle memory. Sooner or later, they're going to get these half chances and they're going to score. You know, it's just going to come. And so for us, it's just believing that we're going to keep getting in there. That's all we can do is keep getting in there, keep getting in, then just believe in that, you know, the decisions and the execution is going to come with the training field and things like that. I would be more worried if we weren't getting there, but we are. 

On getting results this year even when the team isn’t playing well

Barnes: Yeah, I think it's just kind of been our motto this year. I think when you see it happen, you get to trust it a little bit more. So, we know that if we can stay in games that we can pull late goals. We have the bench to do that as well. The way we are structured is definitely super positive in that sense. So, I think yeah, a big thing for us with a younger team is just making sure that you stay in the game. Like this league  is wild, games are wild, and if you can hold on and not concede you just need one moment, and we've been very good at that this year.

Fishlock: Off the back of that, Lu’s right – it was definitely something that we wanted to work on this year. Just staying in games and trusting that with the squad that we have that we will be able to get a goal and get a win, get a draw if we need to just keep points. You know, in this league, even points are so rare and so vital, and at this stage of the season, too, you know. And I think that we've done a good job of really kind of believing in that and trusting that, and knowing that we have that ability is just a strength. 

On Barnes making her 250th regular season appearance and her impact on the team

Barnes: Honestly, it's just been a wild journey. Like I think if you asked me in 2013 that I'd be sitting here talking about 250 games, I would probably just laugh. It's just been an honor, especially to do it in front of this city, this community, the fans. I've been with Laura [Harvey] for a really long time, Jess and Pinoe. I wouldn't change it for the world. And I think I'm just so grateful that I've been able to, one, be part of that and two, stay healthy to be able to play in games, and have the backing and trust of teammates and coaches over the years. But for me it's just been more about what we've created here than it will ever be about how many games or anything else that comes with it. So, I'm just overly joyed, I think, with being able to pull that off, but with this group especially.

Fishlock: I think I think what Lu has done for one is just extraordinary. 250 games in this league, when if you think of the time that it started, you know, it wasn't a big league. It was like how many teams? Six teams [sic], six months long. I think she's also played 91% of those games. That is an incredible stat. And I don't think anybody who probably isn't in it day-to-day really understands how hard that is over a time period of 13 years, to stay healthy, to have the ability to be that good that you play 91% of a franchise's games in this league, with all the travel and with all the competition -- we always say it's the most competitive league. So to be able to do that is just astronomical. And it's a true testament to not only who she is as a person, but the competitor that she is, the way she looks after herself, the way that she's been with a club that transitions teams, you know, every two, three years, you could say new players coming in all the time. and she's been our leader throughout all of that. And that that in itself is a full-time job, let alone also being a player that plays at the level that she plays at. I mean, I could go on and on and on, but I am in awe of her really. And every day she pushes me to be better as a player, as a human.

And I think to your point, you know, what she brings for to this organization and to the multiple of teams that she has led over these 13 years is just consistency, reliability, support, care. Her knowledge of the game is at a stupidly high level. I don't think there’s anyone better for any organization to have picked up 13 years ago and allowed her to lead the way she has. And I could go on and on and on. I love her dearly, and I'm just so proud of her. If anyone deserves this, the way that it has been done, is Lu Barnes.

On being an impact sub more often this season

Fishlock: Honestly, it depends on a lot of things. One, you know how my body is feeling. Two, the matchup. Three, like I said, we've got such a good group, and where we feel my impact is more needed at times. Sometimes at the beginning of games, it's just crazy and it's hectic and it's a lot going on. Spaces are not there as much. And so there's a lot of factors that that go into it. But you know for me it really doesn't change anything. Football is football, the game is the game. It's kind of nice to watch and see what is happening in the game and then kind of go in, ‘oh yeah I know I know where to go here. I know what to do.’ That kind of stuff is really nice. And so yeah, it is just whatever is needed of me here, I will do my absolute best to help and impact in any way. I’m happy to be a part of that obviously and watch this team grow and be and help the kids come through – they hate it when I call them kids, sorry – help the youngsters come through. And also just kind of, I don't know, maybe give them a little bit of confidence when I come in and help maybe, whatever the game is, you know what I mean? And so, yeah, it is what it is, right? At the end of the day, whatever you can do in a game, if I can do it for 90 minutes, fine. If I do it for 60, if I do it for 30, if I do it for 10, I'm going to go on and do whatever I can in whatever the game situation is. You know, sometimes we might need to see a game out. Fine. Sometimes we might need a goal. Sometimes we might need two. I'm here to do whatever is needed.