While the NWSL Fall Series kicks off for OL Reign this weekend, they’ll be without seven players who opted to head abroad to get more minutes before the 2021 NWSL season. How did these players fare with their temporary teams? Let’s take a look.

Denmark

Defender Machaela George has been loaned to Fortuna Hjørring in Denmark through December 2020. On Sept. 5, George started and played 70 minutes in the club’s 1-0 loss to Køge. Just six matches into the Elitedivisionen season, Fortuna Hjørring sits in fifth on the league table with a 3-3-0 (W-L-T) record. They face third-place Nordsjælland this weekend.

England

Jess Fishlock joined FA Women’s Super League side Reading FC on loan, with a planned return to OL Reign prior to the start of the 2021 NWSL season. The club had a difficult season debut, as they were up against Arsenal — home to former Reign players Kim Little, Lydia Williams and Steph Catley and Champions League semi-finalists this year. Despite the 6-1 scoreline, Fishlock was one of Reading’s standout players — going 90 minutes for the first time in 14 months, getting 2 shots off, and creating 2 chances. She also had a pretty slick nutmeg.

There was a slight hiccup on Fishlock’s jersey which will certainly be remedied before Reading’s next match. Whoops.

Rose Lavelle has signed with Manchester City for the year but was not yet available for the club’s opening match against Aston Villa last weekend. City won that game 2-0 and is one of the favorites to finish at the top of the table this season. While Lavelle isn’t (yet) signed with OL Reign, the club acquired her NWSL rights in a trade with the Washington Spirit.

France

On the heels of signing a two-year extension with OL Reign, Darian Jenkins was loaned to French Division 1 Féminine side FC Girondins de Bordeaux through February 2021. She was an unused sub in Bordeaux’s 4-4 draw with Stade de Reims — the first match of the Division 1 Féminine season — but is certain to feature now that she’s had a few more training sessions with the club.

Sweden

The Damallsvenskan season is scheduled to run 22 games, with matches every weekend through mid-November. Three OL Reign players have gone on loan to Damallsvenskan clubs.

Lauren Barnes was loaned to Kristianstads DFF. Barnes has started and played 90 minutes in each of her first three matches with Kristianstads, a club that currently sits in third after 14 games and has won four out of the last five matches. In a 1-0 win two weeks ago over Göteborg, Barnes had 16 interceptions and 9 recoveries — playing a big role in helping secure a shutout.

Quinn was loaned to Vittsjö GIK through the end of the 2020 season. They featured in two matches so far for Vittsjö — subbing on in the 60th minute in a 3-1 win against Växjö before starting last weekend in a 1-0 win over Uppsala. Quinn connected 79% of their 70 passes and had 4 recoveries. Vittsjö has won the last four matches and sits in fifth after 14 matches.

Quinn also posted an important update this week on Instagram, where they came out as trans and offered recommendations on how we can all be allies to the trans community. “I want to be visible to queer folx who don’t see people like them on their feed. I know it saved my life years ago,” Quinn shared.

Yuka (Nicole) Momiki was loaned to Linköpings FC, which currently sits just one point behind Barnes’ Kristianstads. Momiki made her debut on Aug. 23 but was subbed off in the 17th minute due to injury. OL Reign confirmed that Momiki was diagnosed with a stress fracture in her left foot. She will be unable to make any further appearances with Linköpings this season, but is expected to be ready for pre-season training with OL Reign for 2021.

NWSL Fall Series

OL Reign’s Fall Series will kick off this weekend without these seven players, but the team still has 21 players available for the four-game fall tournament. OL Reign’s first game features a nationally broadcast rivalry match against the Portland Thorns. The game, which takes at Providence Park on Saturday, Sept. 12, will air at 12:30 PM PT on CBS.