**SEATTLE, Wa.** – The OL Reign defeated the Houston Dash, 2-0, on Saturday night to return to the top of the NWSL standings as second half goals from attackers Veronica Latsko and Jordyn Huitema helped seal the hosts’ fate. The win is OL Reign’s 100 ^th in the NWSL, and they jump back to the No.1 spot with their fourth win of the season, the most out of any team.
The hosts would actually jump out first by putting the ball in the back of the net in the 13 ^th minute, only for a VAR review to judge a handball against attacker Jordyn Huitema in the build up and chalk the goal off. Huitema had bundled a deflected cross over the line after bringing the ball down, but it was in her bringing the ball down that the official reviewed and overturned the decision ruling the ball had touched the inside of Huitema’s right arm.
In the 36 ^th minute, the Reign were back going forward again through Rapinoe as they created another good look in front of goal from the left side. Rapinoe was on the ball and attempted to slide past a Houston defender when she looked up and opted to shoot from just a few yards out toward the near post. Houston goalkeeper Jane Campbell was equal to the effort though and did just enough to see it pushed away to safety.
One chance for Houston fell just before the halftime whistle as build up from the Dash saw them test the Reign defense in the second of five minutes of stoppage time. Working the ball around from midfield to attack a ball from the left side to attacker Ebony Salmon in the box would come all the way through, but Salmon’s effort on goal was well held by Reign goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce and the match remained scoreless all the way through halftime.
The break seemed to open up the match though, with the Reign jumping in front in the 53 ^rd minute as attacker Veronica Latsko helped her side get off the mark. Rapinoe was on the left and whipped in a cross with her right foot that was aimed toward Latsko just in front of the penalty mark. From that position, Latsko had little trouble guiding the ball toward the far post as it came in and beat Campbell with a deft header into the side netting and in.
Seven minutes later, OL Reign nearly doubled their lead through Huitema again, but this time her headed effort could not fit between the frame of goal, and she watched in agony as the ball ricocheted off the post and back into play, with Houston able to eventually get the ball clear.
However, in the 68 ^th minute, Huitema’s persistence paid off as she eventually earned the goal she was looking for through a headed effort close in. A cross in from the right side from Veronica Latsko landed on the head of the forward Huitema, and the ball was just barely able to fully cross over the line as Campbell did her best to keep it out only for the ball to sneak millimeters in for the Reign’s second of the evening.
In the 85 ^th minute, Houston attempted to pull one back as Allysha Chapman picked out teammate Bárbara Olivieri with a ball in from a wide left position, but Olivieri’s header landed high and wide of Tullis-Joyce’s goal and the chance went missing in the end.
After seven minutes of stoppage time and no exchange of any real chances in the final few minutes, the Reign sealed their 2-0 victory over Houston in front of a home crowd of over 6,000 fans at Lumen Field. The victory puts another win in the column for the Reign, who came in off a 2-2 draw with Racing Louisville, while the defeat is the Dash’s second straight after a weather shortened 1-0 loss against North Carolina last week.

Match Highlights

Match Highlights