Let’s Give Back
Saturday’s match will serve as the Club’s first ever Breast Cancer Awareness Match, in which the Pride will wear limited-edition pink logo pre-match tops during warm-ups, which will be auctioned off following the match. A limited-edition t-shirt and a specialty scarf will be available for purchase in The Den at Exploria Stadium and online at ShopOrlandoPride.com with a portion of proceeds from sales going to Libby's Legacy, an Orlando-based non-profit selected by Pride defender Toni Pressley. The match has also been supported by a league-wide online auction that began on Sept. 11, with over 100 items available to bid on across NWSL.
In the Reign’s Last Visit…
The last time Reign FC came to Orlando resulted in a 1-1 draw on July 21 of last year against Saturday’s opposition. Toni Pressley scored the goal for the Pride in that match, one of her three goals since joining the Club ahead of its inaugural season in 2016. Pressley will be available for selection on Saturday, just two months after announcing her breast cancer diagnosis on August 7.
Welcome to the Show
Goalkeeper Lainey Burdett recorded her professional debut last Saturday against Washington, earning the start in the match. Burdett made four saves in the game, including a stop in the 58th minute of the contest where she punched a shot from Washington’s Tiffany McCarty over the bar to keep it out of the net. That save would go on to win NWSL Save of the Week. The University of Arizona product joined the Pride as a Supplemental Player prior to the start of the 2019 campaign on April 10.
Back to Full Strength
The Pride will see the return of five of its marquee international players to the team this weekend following a FIFA international window this past week. 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup Champions Ali Krieger and Ashlyn Harris have returned from the U.S. Women’s National Team Victory Tour, with Harris earning the start last Wednesday against Korea Republic. Australian Alanna Kennedy has returned from camp with the Matildas, while Shelina Zadorsky has rejoined the team after earning a start for Canada against Japan on Sunday. Marta closes out the group of internationals returning to the team, after recording a start for Brazil in a 3-1 victory over Poland on Tuesday.
Let’s Find a Winner
In the Reign’s last three visits to the City Beautiful, each of their matches with the Pride have resulted in a 1-1 draw dating back to September 2017. Alex Morgan, Marta and Toni Pressley have scored a goal apiece for the Pride across those three contests, with Pressley earning the most recent finish on July 21 of last year. In six of the Pride’s last seven matches against Saturday’s opposition, the sides have split the points from the contest.
Let’s Hear if For the Young Ones
The Pride’s two draft picks from the most recent NWSL College Draft in Erin Greening and Marisa Viggiano have boasted strong rookie seasons for the Pride in 2019. Greening has appeared in 17 matches for the Pride this season, scoring one goal in her rookie campaign. Viggiano has made 18 appearances in 2019, scoring one goal as well and forcing an own-goal for the game-winner against Sky Blue earlier in the season. The Northwestern product also received her first call to the U.S. Women’s National Team, heading to camp with the U-23 squad earlier in the year. Midfielder Joanna Boyles has also had a strong showing for the Pride, earning her professional debut in the Pride’s season opener after spending 2018 as a National Team Replacement Player for the Chicago Red Stars. Boyles has made 18 appearances for the Pride, scoring one goal and sitting tied for the team lead in assists with two this season.
