Reign vs. Royals: Highlights, stats, quotes

In what feels like a copy-paste moment from the last few weeks, the Reign dominated in several moments but couldn't convert their chances on Sunday afternoon against the Utah Royals. In front of home fans at Lumen Field, they had to settle for their fourth straight draw.

The Reign again gifted their opponent a goal. In the 67th minute, Ally Sentnor blocked Alana Cook's pass and dribbled centrally, finishing in the upper right corner on a slight deflection as Phoebe McClernon slid to block the shot. The Reign responded well as the match progressed, and Veronica Latsko scored in the 75th minute, but the team couldn't get beyond goalkeeper Mandy Haught on several good chances that followed.

The Reign now have a CBA-mandated week off before starting the NWSL / Liga MX Femenil Summer Tournament. Coach Laura Harvey promised plenty of rotation for these games, which means fans will have a chance to see what Seattle's young players can do. The Reign will host the Royals again in the first match of the tournament, which is at home on Friday, July 19, at 6 PM PT.

Reign and Utah Royals trade goals for 1-1 draw

Seattle and Utah trade goals in first meeting of 2024.

Sounder at HeartJacob Cristobal

Highlights

Stats

SCORING SUMMARY

67' - Ally Sentnor (UTAH)

75' - Veronica Latsko (Assisted by Jordyn Huitema) (SEA)

LINEUPS

58' - Shae Holmes for Ryanne Brown; Angharad James-Turner for Jess Fishlock

63' - Veronica Latsko for Bethany Balcer

90' - Emeri Adames for Tziarra King; Olivia Athens for Quinn

46' - Lauren Flynn for Agnes Nyberg

75’ - Ifeoma Onumonu for Hannah Betfort

81' - Addisyn Merrick for Lauren Flynn; Cameron Tucker for Paige Monaghan

ATTENDANCE

6,276 (Lumen Field, Seattle)

POSSESSION

Reign: 60.8%

Royals: 39.2%

EXPECTED GOALS

Reign: 2.78

Royals: 1.75

TOTAL SHOTS

Reign: 20

Royals: 15

SHOTS ON TARGET

Reign: 6

Royals: 7

SHOTS OFF TARGET

Reign: 4

Royals: 6

SHOTS BLOCKED

Reign: 10

Royals: 2

SHOTS FROM INSIDE THE BOX

Reign: 18

Royals: 7

TOUCHES INSIDE THE OPP. BOX

Reign: 40

Royals: 17

PASSES

Reign: 534

Royals: 347

PASSING ACCURACY

Reign: 80.7%

Royals: 74.6%

PASSES IN FINAL THIRD

Reign: 124

Royals: 67

PASSING ACCURACY IN FINAL THIRD

Reign: 63.7%

Royals: 64.2%

CROSSES (EXCLUDING CORNERS)

Reign: 13

Royals: 9

CORNERS WON

Reign: 5

Royals: 2

OFFSIDES

Reign: 4

Royals: 2

FOULS

Reign: 4

Royals: 8

YELLOW CARDS

Reign: 0

Royals: 0

Quotes

Laura Harvey

On her thoughts from the match:
"Feels like I'm in déjà vu – quality, quality. We gave too much away on the ball, too many chances. We scored a legitimate goal. I have no idea why that got ruled off. Utah are a team that when you're pushing, they'll come and get after you and goals change games. Our first goal would've changed the game, it then gets ruled off. We then go into our shell a little bit. They come press us a little bit, we give the ball away in our area, we shouldn't do that. But proud of the group for fighting back. But again, just quality. It's a consistent theme. In the moments in front of goal, if we had those chances against us, those teams are scoring, that's reality and we have to solve that. That's a big thing for us to solve."

On if there is anything the team has learned from playing Utah for the first time this season:
"I think we learned more about ourselves, really. I think they were who we thought they were going to be. We dominated the game in the majority. They had a couple of glimpses, but [their goal] came off us, really, not through - and that's no disrespect for them – but it came from us doing things we shouldn't do. The reality is that the team is going to look very, very different in whatever it is, 15 days time or whatever it is. So yeah, I just said to the players at the end, we have six weeks to solve because the Summer Cup's great, but the reality is the regular season's the most important thing. We have six weeks to solve why we keep putting ourselves in these positions."

On how the team can get the most out of the Olympic break:
"I think we have to get back to basics, if I'm honest. We've shown over the last four games in the four draws that we can hang with anyone in this league. Every game this year, I've looked at it and gone, if we had more quality in these moments, the result would have been different. We have to turn the tide on quality. If we put the chance away in the first half, if the goals that – I mean, how that goal's ruled out, I cannot get my breath – and goals change games. I think we've learned that the really hard way this year. We have to learn it in a positive way and that's got to be what we work on for the next six weeks."

On Dickey's goal-line save and how important it was:
"Amazing. Honestly, when I say quality, I don't just mean finishing – everything: passing, control, first touch, vision, quality, quality in the game of understanding – do I pull wide? Do I run straight? Do I run in behind? Do I come short? The whole quality statement is everything. Yes, everyone's going to look at finishing, but it's all of the things - making the right run at the right time, keeping width when you need to keep width, getting in front of goal and taking your chance, but also controlling the ball so you can pass to your teammate – just simple, real things. We've got to really get back to the basics because that will be the difference for us because when we do those things – even the build up to the goal, before Jordyn blocks it, the passing sequence prior to that is great. That's what gets us there. We've just got to be a little bit better in moments and that's all over the pitch. Their goal comes from us, let's be honest – us giving the ball away when we've got no one behind and that's got to be better from all of us and we've been punished for that. Again, if that happens to us and we get those chances, we don't tend to get those qualities. So, quality is a statement for me that looks at our team in a nutshell, and yes, is finishing part of that? Absolutely. Even on Claudia's save, I think initially, it was a poor kick. So, she has to then scramble to make it better. I think that's the piece for me. We're like sadistic to ourselves. We like the pain. That's how I look at it and go, we enjoy the pain of giving the ball away so we can be the hero. We don't need to do that. We're better than that and that's the piece for me where we've just got to keep grinding and keep pushing."

Veronica Latsko and Claudia Dickey

On their overall thoughts on the team's performance today:

Veronica Latsko: "I think it's multifaceted. I think that there's some really good things to take away – we came back from going down a goal, that shows resiliency. I also think that we just need better quality in and around the final third. I look to myself first and foremost, I had several crosses that didn't hit the mark and I just need to be better there. I do think that we could have come away with this game with three points and it's disappointing, but we go into this next break and we regroup."

Claudia Dickey: "I think going off of that, everything she said I agree with, it's just in moments. I think it's attacking third, but I also think it's keeping the ball in possession, knowing that it's hot outside, being smart with the ball, I think it's little parts of the game that we do so well for so long and then we just have little lapses in judgment or moments we just kind of, I think we lose ourselves a little bit and we're so good when we're on. So, I think, just continuing to do that and I think it's gotten better against today, I feel like we had the ball in so many moments where we were able to punish them, we played so well and then it's just, we kind of take our foot off the gas a little bit. So, I think, yeah, pushing ourselves to that standard always."

On the communication between the players and Harvey on the pitch:

Veronica Latsko: "I would say we have really good communication between the players on the field. I've been part of teams where that has really lacked and this is not one of them. I would say, we treat each other with a lot of respect. I think we each individually pride how we talk to one another and we try to keep it uplifting, we try to keep it positive and informative and I think Laura is the example with that and she leads from the top and shows us this is how you speak to one another, this is how you communicate, because at the end of the day, no one really likes to be criticized and if it's not coming off in a positive way, it's hard for people to take it in. So yeah, I think we set a very high standard here and we do well to communicate it."

Claudia Dickey: "We always hold ourselves to such a high standard, you know that that person's probably struggling. If they make a mistake, you know that person - so it's like, you need to do something to lift them up. In terms of we make mistakes, you have to be the next one to lift them up and we're all going to do it, none of us are perfect, but I think our team is really good at that. You see us in every moment – when there's a foul, when there's the hydration break, we're talking, we're trying to figure things out and I think that's really something special from this team. Like Veronica said, it comes from Laura. I think that in those situations helps us a lot and keeps us together. I think just being positive."