Match Between Seattle Reign FC & Racing Louisville FC Set To Resume, Play Behind Closed Doors
By Charles Hamaker
Seattle, WA - The NWSL regular season match between the visiting Racing Louisville FC and our Seattle Reign FC will resume tomorrow, Tuesday, September 16th with a kickoff time of 5PM PDT to resume from it’s suspended status following the medical emergency experienced by Louisville midfielder Savannah DeMelo. The remainder of the match will take place in a closed-door environment, picking back up from it’s scoreless status at the beginning of the second half, being broadcast live on NWSL+ and Paramount+.
“Along with our fans, we were thankful to hear the news last night that Savannah DeMelo was responsive and alert. We extend our gratitude to our partners and the greater soccer community for their support and understanding. The club commends the medical teams and event staff who acted quickly during the emergency. As we work closely with Racing Louisville FC, we will continue to offer support as both clubs come together to finish this match.”
In their official press release, the Reign announced that fans who had tickets to Sunday’s match, including Members, will receive an email later today with additional opportunities to attend future Reign matches at Lumen Field.
Racing Louisville stated in their press release that DeMelo is awake and in good spirits at a local hospital, surrounded by family, loved ones and medical staff, and is undergoing testing to determine what occurred Sunday.
“I’m lucky to have my family with me while I’m waiting for test results to come back. I’m extremely thankful to our whole medical staff for the quick response. They’ve been with me every step of the way. The support from everyone has truly meant the world to me, and I’m excited to cheer on the girls this week.”
It’s critically important news that DeMelo is alert, stable and in good spirits following the medical emergency that she suffered yesterday afternoon. Considering how tight the end of season schedule is in the NWSL and with Louisville likely still in the Seattle area to support their teammate, it seems like the solution both teams came to was to play this match sooner rather than later.
In regards to the match that was taking place in the first half, Racing Louisville was pressing hard towards a potential goal with a handful of dangerous chances that Seattle Reign goalkeeper Claudia Dickey denied. The Reign had some exciting possession with Mia Fishel up top, but it was Louisville who seemed to have the attacking advantage in the first half. This remains a crucial match in terms of the playoff standings, as Louisville sits just a point behind the Reign as they represent the seventh and eighth seeds in the NWSL table, while a win for Seattle means they would push their point total up to 30, tying themselves with NJ/NY Gotham FC and Portland Thorns who sit at third and fourth respectively.
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Check out our previous Seattle Reign FC articles here.
Check out our previous articles with writing by Charles Hamaker here.
Check out our previous articles with photos by Rio Giancarlo here, and his portfolio here.
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