On a sunny and humid early afternoon at Snapdragon Stadium, your Seattle Reign kicked things off with a dream start on the road, then held tough for a huge 2-0 win over the San Diego Wave. This one felt different after last weekend, a real statement of grit.
Midfield Magic Pays Off FAST
The first half felt a bit like a chess match, with both teams feeling things out. But our new-look, same-faces midfield trio was out there pulling strings from the jump. Ainsley McCammon was holding it down deep, while Sally Menti and Sam Meza were sharing attacking duties, slicing through the Wave’s lines. And man, did it pay off quick! In the 17th minute, McCammon spotted Maddie Mercado making a killer run, dropped an absolute dime of a ball over the back line, and Mercado? She rose up and softly, perfectly, alley-ooped it into the net with her forehead. Nobody even close to her. In an instant, 1-0 Reign, and the vibes were immaculate.
Literally three minutes later, BAM! We struck again. Menti swung in a tantalizing far-post corner kick, McCammon headed it into the chaos, and Jordyn Bugg got her head on it, flicking it home. Mercado was right there on the goal line, to ensure it crossed. Two-nil! But we all know the deal, right? As we learned last week, a two-goal lead in soccer is the most dangerous. With over 70 minutes left on the clock, this one was far from over.
Claudia Dickey Said, “Not Today, San Diego!”
Sure enough, San Diego started to find their feet after the half-hour mark, and that’s when Claudia Dickey decided to put on a clinic. She was called on for a bunch of big saves, but nothing compared to the final chance of the first half. Melanie Barcenas rose up to meet a ball from only four yards out, looking destined for the net, and Dickey absolutely, impossibly, robbed her, pushing the ball over the crossbar. Unbelievable! We went into the break with our two-goal lead intact, thanks to her heroics.
The second half? San Diego came out pressing like crazy, fighting for that first goal to spark a comeback. They controlled possession, they pinned the Reign back for ages, but Dickey? She would not be beaten. The Wave couldn’t replicate Barcenas’ huge chance, because our defense dug in, fighting for every single inch. Ludmila struck one clever shot, Lia Godfrey drilled a long-range blast in the 70th minute, and even Jordan Fusco laced a screamer in the 96th minute that looked like it was going top-corner. Every single time, Dickey was there, denying them, keeping them off the scoreboard. Seriously, what a performance! While our offense didn’t threaten much in the second half, Maddie Dahlien had a couple flashes in transition, even beating the back line twice. That 49th minute run could’ve been our third goal, but she took an extra touch. Still, our defense and Dickey held it down.
This 2-0 road victory is massive, showing what this team is truly made of. The grit, the early goals, and Dickey’s absolute masterclass in goal? That’s the stuff of champions, and it sets us up for some serious momentum. Let’s keep this energy going!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Sounder at Heart.
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