Match preview: Seattle Reign vs. Denver Summit

After a busy three weeks to start the NWSL season, Seattle Reign will conclude their three-game homestand in Spokane after a little bit of well-earned rest. On Saturday, April 4, they will host the expansion-side Denver Summit at ONE Spokane Stadium — and they'll have had a whole week since their prior match before this one kicks off. The game begins at 5:45 p.m. PT and will air on ION.

Denver comes into the weekend after smashing an NWSL attendance record in their home opener, with 63,004 people in the crowd at Mile High Stadium. They played to a scoreless draw against the Washington Spirit, one of several good results the expansion club has earned against tough teams.

The Summit are coached by Nick Cushing, a respected coach in the women's game who spent seven years leading Manchester City Women, winning six major trophies. He also spent time coaching MLS side New York City FC.

"I think they're a good team. They've played some really good football. They're hard to break down. They have threats going forward," Reign head coach Laura Harvey said ahead of the match. "And I think that just is a sign of a well-recruited expansion team with someone who can come in and compete immediately. And then on top of that, they have a very good coach in Nick, who knows the women's game. He knows America too from working in the MLS. So I think they've had a great start to their existence."

2026 results

The Reign are 3-1-0 this season (9 points), while the Denver Summit have a 1-1-2 record (5 points). The Reign enter the weekend in 3rd place, while the Summit sits in 8th.

Key stats

• The Reign have scored 7 goals and conceded 4
• The Summit have scored 4 goals and conceded just 3
• Denver averages 45.4% possession compared to 56.4% for the Reign
• Denver is second in the league in clearances per match, behind Portland (28.5 per match compared to 23.3 for the Reign)
• Denver and Seattle have each conceded one set-piece goal

What to watch

Quick passing + transition

Denver likes to swarm opponents and disrupt their passing, especially in the midfield. While they might not be a high-pressing team, they are a team that puts a lot of bodies on the ball quickly. The Reign will have to move the ball quickly and smartly, something they've shown they can do well against Kansas City and Racing Louisville. The addition of Yazmeen Ryan and Delanie Sheehan in recent weeks should help build on Denver's disruptive style of play; both love to pressure opponents and create transitional moments. Can the Reign stay composed on the ball in their final Spokane match?

On the other end, as our friends at the Burgundy Wave note, Denver can get stuck moving the ball slowly in the midfield. The Reign have really increased their pressure this year compared to last, especially in the middle third. Can the Reign's holding midfield pair, presumably Sam Meza and either Angharad James-Turner or Ainsley McCammon, disrupt Denver's midfield rhythm?

The Reign and Summit have both conceded two goals off fastbreak opportunities, according to American Soccer Analysis. The Summit have allowed the second-most fastbreak shots (six) and conceded the highest expected goals total on fastbreaks (2.04 xG against). While the Reign won't have the speed of Maddie Dahlien, they do have other quick forwards who might be able to take advantage in transition.

A lower defensive block

As these four charts from Catalina Bush (@NWSLStat on Bluesky) show, Denver is very comfortable sitting back defensively and building from the back. On a smaller field like ONE Spokane Stadium, this could clog up the Reign's passing channels. That's something the Reign struggled with against Portland when the Thorns went down a player. The Reign will need to create overloads and find the pockets against a team that defends like this.

Closing out Spokane in style

The Reign earned wins in their first two Spokane matches. They're hoping to close out their Spokane homestand in exactly the same way — with an emphatic win and three more points to bring back to their Seattle home opener after the FIFA international break.

"The games [in Spokane] have been really fun," Harvey said. "We've come and we've played well. I think the city's embraced us too, which is great. The stadium has a modern Memorial feel to it for me. So that's quite enjoyable and nostalgic all at the same time. I'm not sure we were looking forward to getting on a plane ... but we've definitely got a little bit more pep in our step now that we're a bit more recovered and feel like we're ready to go again. So yeah, excited to try and put on another good show out in Spokane tomorrow."

Who to watch

Melissa Kössler

The 26-year-old center forward already has three goals this season. She's dangerous on crosses, making smart, timely runs into the box to beat her defender to the ball. As her other two goals demonstrate, the Reign will need to limit her ability to find space between defenders to get in behind.

Abby Smith

The 32-year-old goalkeeper was named to the NWSL Best XI for March, a sign of how much she's helped Denver stay in games. Where she used to play a little riskier with her feet, Smith seems to be comfortable playing a more conservative game with Denver — and it's paying off for her. She leads the league in saves, with 21, and has a league-leading 87.5% save percentage.

Janine Sonis

The Canadian national team player transferred to Denver from Racing Louisville, where she played a consistent season at right back and positioned herself as one of the best attacking fullbacks in the league. Aside from a red card in their opening match, Sonis has picked up right where she left off. She assisted Kössler's opening goal for the Summit and is integral to Denver's attacking style.

Kit matchup

Injury / Availability Report

Seattle Reign

OUT: Lynn Biyendolo (Maternity Leave), Maddie Dahlien (Leg), Mia Fishel Leg), Cassie Miller (Leg - SEI), Holly Ward (Leg)

Denver Summit

OUT: Jasmine Aikey (Knee - SEI), Jordan Baggett (Maternity Leave), Cam Biegalski (Knee), Eva Gaetino (Leg)

How to watch

Seattle Reign kicks off against the Denver Summit on Saturday, April 4, at 5:45 p.m. PT. The game will air on ION.