Jasmyne Spencer out for season with torn ACL

Reign FC opened their season last Sunday with a 1-1 draw at Houston Dash, but it came at a heavy price with an injury to forward Jasmyne Spencer. Today the club confirmed that Spencer tore her ACL, likely ending her 2019 season.

The injury occurred in the 19th minute of the match and you knew it was bad given that it was a non-contact injury and Spencer had to be stretchered off the field. When Spencer returned from the locker room after halftime, she was briefly seen on the broadcast with crutches and a full leg brace, another sign that things were not looking good for the Reign FC forward.

The club returned to Tacoma on Monday, at which time they were able to fully assess the extent of Spencer’s injury. Tuesday was an off-day before they resumed training ahead of Sunday’s home opener at Cheney Stadium against the Orlando Pride. The club has not released any further information on their other injured players; an updated injury report is expected tomorrow.

If Spencer is moved to the Season Ending Injury list the team would open up a roster spot, but it is unclear whether they would receive any salary cap relief. The 2019 NWSL roster rules state, “In the event where a Team has two (2) or more Players on its Disabled List, Salary Cap relief may be considered by the League.”

Last season, Spencer logged 23 appearances (9 starts) for Reign FC, claiming two goals on the campaign. She was Melbourne City’s top goal-scorer this W-League season. Like many players who were on the squad last season, she showed positive growth under Vlatko Andonovski’s guidance, and in a World Cup year, she was poised to be a regular starter.

Like all Reign FC fans, we wish Jasmyne Spencer nothing but the best during her rehabilitation and recovery.