Seattle Reign and Bay FC entered Saturday’s match completely even in the standings. After a 90-minute battle in San Jose, the two sides finish the weekend in the exact same situation after a 1-1 draw. Racheal Kundananji scored for the hosts in the 30th minute on a counter, while Jordyn Huitema got an equalizer for Seattle in the 50th minute off a recycled corner kick opportunity.
Seattle absolutely dominated possession in the first half as Bay sat deep, daring them to find a way through and not get caught out on a counterattack. The second half was much more open and transitional, but after the Reign equalizer, both defenses came up strong and limited the danger on goal. Bay had a golden opportunity to secure all three points in the waning moments of the game, but a cross which rolled across a wide-open Reign goal mouth slipped past everyone.
What worked: Air Jordyn
Jordyn Huitema put in a lot of gritty work this year without anything to show for it on the scoresheet before tonight. She finally got her reward early in the second half on a corner kick sequence when Angharad James-Turner played a short ball to Ji So-yun, who passed it back to the top of the box where Sam Meza was waiting. Meza lofted a beautiful chip to the far post and found Huitema’s head.
Sam Meza puts it on a platter for Jordyn Huitema to head in 🎯
— NWSL (@nwslsoccer.com) 2025-04-27T03:16:02.204Z
What didn’t work: Dominating possession
Laura Harvey noted before this match that the team wanted more of the ball and to impose their will on the game more consistently. She got her wish in the first half of this match, with the Reign holding a nearly 70%-30% advantage as Bay FC sat in a low block and let Seattle try to figure out how to break them down. Seattle had a few probing looks, but with so much of the possession their defensive shape sometimes lapsed, particularly in the 32nd minute when Bay won a ball near midfield, speedy forward Kundananji was able to get around Jordyn Bugg to receive a pass, and fired a far-post shot from the top of the box which slipped just past a diving Claudia Dickey and ricocheted off both posts before crossing the line.
Caroline Conti with the through ball to Racheal Kundananji to give Bay FC the lead!
— NWSL (@nwslsoccer.com) 2025-04-27T02:40:44.498Z
What didn’t work: Ground Jordyn
Just before Bay’s goal, the Reign finally broke through the low block and sprung Huitema 1-v-1 with only Bay goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz to beat. Silkowitz came out strong, but it looked like Huitema would be able to take a touch around her and easily tap the ball in. Instead, she overthought her options, dribbled too close to the keeper, and lost the opportunity in the ensuing tangle as Silkowitz smothered the danger.
Huitema eventually found her goal 20 minutes later, but it’s hard not to consider how the match could have changed if the Reign had struck first.
“I think we need to work on it, if I’m honest.”
When asked about the low block Bay FC utilized in the first half, ceding the lion’s share of possession to Seattle, and how she felt her team handled the new challenge head coach Laura Harvey had mixed feelings.
“I think we did some good things, but I think one thing that we’re very good at is we’re very good instinctively to do things under pressure, and when you don’t have pressure coming and they sit off you, one thing you’ve got to be is patient and the other thing you’ve got to be is good with your structure. And we just weren’t that at times, and that’s what caused us a few problems in the first half. The second part of that is… we end up trying to force it into Lynn [Biyendolo] with the first ball rather than trying to work ways where we can still get the ball where we want it and find Lynn on the second pass. And I think we’re still working through the wrinkles of how Lynn impacts our team because tonight’s another wrinkle - no one’s really dropped off us the way they did tonight, and what does that mean for us when we can’t get Lynn in behind as much?”
“I’m nowhere and no one without the team around me.”
Reign defender Lauren Barnes reached a bih milestone during tonight’s game, becoming the first player in NWSL history to surpass 20,000 regular season minutes played. When asked postgame about the significance of that accomplishment, Barnes was appreciative of everyone around her who has contributed to her success and longevity in the league.
“It’s been a wild journey,” she observed. “I love that I’ve been able to do it with one club, I’m super proud of that. Building a legacy within the club but not even just that - globally, and within this league, I’m so proud of where it’s at and everyone that’s been a part of that is truly incredible and I don’t think there’s been enough recognition on the people that didn’t really get to have all this stuff right now, so yeah, I’m proud of those minutes... we’ve talked about it. I’m nowhere and no one without the team around me, and the amazing coaches I’ve had.”
Seattle Reign return home on Friday, May 2, when they host top of the table Kansas City Current at 7:30 PM PT. If you’re unable to attend the match in person, it will air on NWSL+ and Paramount+.
