Decision Day 2025: Seattle Reign FC Battle to 1-1 Draw Against Orlando Pride and Earn Playoff Fifth Seed
By Becca Weinberg, edited by Charles Hamaker
Orlando, FL - In one of seven matches being played on NWSL 2025 Decision Day to determine playoff seeding, the Seattle Reign and Orlando Pride walked away from their 1-1 draw with the same respective seeds as when the match began: Pride #4, Reign #5.
Orlando controlled most of the first half, looking comfortable in their attack and pushing the Reign back into their defensive third for the majority of the first 45 minutes. Seattle created a few chances later on, but found themselves tasked with recovering and trying to contain the Pride. Although the possession was fairly lopsided in Orlando’s favor, the Reign back line did recover well and was able to thwart off many of Orlando’s shots on goal. Seattle goalkeeper Claudia Dickey was not forced to make any game-changing saves to keep the score tied 0-0 at halftime.
The first goal of the match came in the 76th minute, when a cross from Pride forward Jacqueline Ovalle snuck past Reign defenders and bounced right to the feet of defender Carson Pickett. With two touches, Pickett collected the ball and shot a rocket past Dickey to put Orlando up 1-0.
Many Reign players looked visibly upset but used that feeling as motivation to score a goal of their own. Just three minutes later, Seattle had a similar looking chance from the opposite side, where a deflected cross from defender Madison Curry landed at defender Jordyn Bugg’s feet towards the near post. Bugg placed her shot in the center of the net past Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse to even the score at 1-1 in the 79th minute. The score remained tied for the rest of the match as Orlando secured home-field advantage with the result.
“We can just kind of keep the ball more and slow the game down. I think they had a lot of transition moments which kind of kept us on our toes, but I think for the most part we handled it. We’ve seen what they can give us and I think that we’ll be ready next game.”
Quick Reign notes, from Reign PR
8,689 was the announced attendance for this NWSL regular season finale match between our Seattle Reign FC and the Orlando Pride.
With tonight’s result, Reign FC now holds an all-time record of 7-5-8 against the Orlando Pride across all competitions.
For the third time in club history, Seattle will face the same opponent in the first round of the playoffs after closing the regular season against them.
In 2015, Reign FC finished the season against the Washington Spirit and then hosted them in the semifinals. In 2018, Seattle closed the season in Portland before meeting the Thorns again on the road in the semifinals.
Reign defender Jordyn Bugg scored the equalizer in the 79th minute, just three minutes after Orlando’s opening goal.
This season, the 19-year-old defender has recorded three goals – all with game-deciding implications, including a game-winning goal against North Carolina and game-tying goals against Chicago and Orlando.
Reign goalkeeper Claudia Dickey played every minute of the 2025 regular season. Tonight’s appearance marked her 50th regular-season match, tying Hope Solo for the most appearances by a goalkeeper in club history.
What’s next?
Following tonight’s road draw, the Reign will remain in Orlando and prepare for a rematch against the Pride on Friday, November 7th at 5PM in the quarterfinals of the 2025 NWSL Playoffs. The match will be broadcast live on Amazon Prime Video.
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Instagram: @CirclingSeattleSports Twitter: @CirclingSports Threads: @CirclingSeattleSports Tiktok: @CirclingSeattleSports Facebook: Circling Seattle Sports BlueSky: @circlingseasports.bsky.social 〰️
Check out our previous Seattle Reign FC articles here.
Check out our previous articles with writing for CSS by Becca Weinberg here, and her work with Lookout Landing here.
Cover photo by Alex Corrie via Seattle Reign FC
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