The OL Reign have dropped to second place in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) standings after a 2-0 defeat by the North Carolina Courage on Saturday. The Courage, who are the defending NWSL champions, dominated the match with two first-half goals from Lynn Williams and Crystal Dunn.
The Reign had been in first place in the standings prior to the match, but the loss has seen them drop to second behind the Courage. The Reign had won their previous three matches, but were unable to continue their winning streak against the Courage.
The Reign had a number of chances to score, but were unable to capitalize on them. In the first half, Bethany Balcer had a shot saved by Courage goalkeeper Katelyn Rowland, while in the second half, Balcer and Jasmyne Spencer both had shots blocked by Courage defenders.
The Reign will now look to bounce back from this defeat and reclaim their place at the top of the NWSL standings. They will face off against the Houston Dash on Wednesday in their next match. The Dash are currently in third place in the standings, and a win for the Reign would see them retake first place.
The Reign have been one of the most successful teams in the NWSL this season, and will be hoping to continue their good form in the coming weeks. With a win against the Dash, they could reclaim their place at the top of the standings and put themselves in a strong position for a playoff run.
