Seattle Reign travel to Cary, North Carolina on Saturday afternoon to face the NC Courage in their first road game of the season. Both teams are coming off of 1-1 draws in their season openers last weekend – the Courage on the road at Louisville and the Reign while hosting Gotham.
Both sides come into this match with a number of knocks. For the Reign, Lynn Biyendolo will miss her second straight game with a lower leg injury, Nérilia Mondésir is out with a thigh injury, and Jordyn Huitema is questionable with a leg injury. Shae Holmes will also miss today's game with an excused absence due to another commitment.
Susie Rantz
The Reign have historically struggled when facing the Courage, with an all-time record of 4-11-3 and only one win in Cary, a 2-1 victory in 2022. The Reign have scored 13 goals in the matchup and conceded 25. In their most recent meeting, Seattle emerged with a 1-0 victory at home thanks to a Casey Murphy own-goal late in the match.
Keys to the game
- Don't worry about possession stats
- Be decisive and quick in transition
- Don't get baited out of shape defensively
Notes
- Jess Fishlock is one appearance away from becoming the fourth player in league history to play in 200 NWSL regular-season matches.
- North Carolina finished fifth in the 2024 regular season, with a 12-11-3 record, and were eliminated from the playoffs in the quarterfinal round by KC Current.
Injuries, absences, suspensions
Reign: OUT: Lynn Biyendolo (lower leg), Ryanne Brown (SEI – knee), Shae Holmes (excused absence), Veronica Latsko (SEI – lower leg), Nérilia Mondesir (thigh)
QUESTIONABLE: Jordyn Huitema (leg)
Courage: OUT: Brooklyn Courtnall (leg), Sydney Collins (SEI – ankle), Charlotte McLean (illness), Dani Weatherholt (IR45 – leg), Olivia Wingate (IR45 – leg)
QUESTIONABLE: Feli Rauch (illness), Cortnee Vine (illness)
Recent form
Reign: D (0-0-1; 6th place)
Courage: D (0-0-1; 5th place)
Officials
REF: Elvis Osmanovic; AR1: Katarzyna Wasiak; AR2: Kendall McCardell; 4TH: Lauren Aldrich; VAR: Kevin Broadley; AVAR: Tony Obas
How to Watch
Match date/kickoff time: Saturday, March 22, 4 PM PT
Venue: First Horizon Stadium, Cary, North Carolina
Broadcast: NWSL+ (Mike Watts & Lianne Sanderson)
Is this game available to stream for free? Yes
Lineups
Our first XI in front of the home crowd.
— North Carolina Courage (@nccourage.com) 2025-03-22T22:05:40.933Z
Highlights
35' - Maddie Mercado finds Jess Fishlock, who scores in her 200th regular-season game.
200 matches. Same finish by Jess Fishlock 👏
— NWSL (@nwslsoccer.com) 2025-03-22T23:52:40.243Z
56' - Jordyn Bugg, have a hit!! She puts the Reign up 2-0.
Jordyn Bugg's first NWSL goal and early candidate for goal of the year 😮💨
— NWSL (@nwslsoccer.com) 2025-03-23T00:34:40.199Z
59' - Courage get one back on a weird sequence where a side-booted effort by Aline Gomes trickles just inside the post.
Aline Gomes with just the right touch 🤌
— NWSL (@nwslsoccer.com) March 22, 2025 at 5:38 PM
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