U.S. Under-23 WYNT Draws 1-1 With Ol Reign To Finish Thorns Preseason Tournament

PORTLAND, Oregon (March 11, 2022) – The U.S. Under-23 Women’s Youth National Team finished up its three-game run at the Thorns Preseason Tournament with a 1-1 draw against OL Reign.

 

The U.S. team, playing with a roster made up entirely of collegiate players, finished the friendly tournament with draws against the Chicago Red Stars (0-0) and OL Reign (1-1) and a 3-0 loss to Portland Thorns FC as USWNT forward Sophia Smith tallied a first-half hat trick.

 

The USA scored its first goal of the tournament in the 38^th minute and it came from midfielder Croix Bethune. Midfielder Hannah Bebar played the ball wide to forward Alexa Spaanstra on the right flank where she took a touch and served the ball into the penalty box. Forward Messiah Bright made a dummy run and let the ball roll past her right to Bethune, who finished with a first-time shot.

 

The match was just the third for the U.S. U-23s since September 2019, with the entirety of 2020 and 2021 programming put on hold due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.

 

With the two-year hiatus from matches, Bethune’s goal was the first for the U.S. U-23 WYNT since Jordan DiBiasi, now of the Washington Spirit, scored against Sweden in a 1-1 draw on Sept. 2, 2019 in England.

 

The USA played an excellent overall match, outshooting the Reign 20-15, but Reign star Jess Fishlock equalized in the 66^th minute, finishing a short cross from six yards out.

 

The Reign started a lineup that was a mixture of established NWSL players and newer signees, giving former USWYNT goalkeepers Laurel Ivory and Claudia Dickey a half each. Ruthie Jones played in goal for the USA and allowed just one goal over her 180 minutes in the tournament.

 

-U.S. Under-23 Women’s Youth National Team Match Report-

 

Match: United States U-23 Women's National Team vs. OL Reign

Date: March 11, 2022

Competition: Thorns Preseason Tournament

Venue: Providence Park; Portland, Oregon

Attendance: N/A

Kickoff: 5 p.m. PT

Weather: 60 degrees, cloudy

 

Scoring Summary:   1          2           F         

USA                            1          0           1

RGN                           0          1           1

 

USA – Croix Bethune (Alexa Spaanstra)       38^th minute

RGN – Jess Fishlock                                      66                   

                       

Lineups:

USA: 12-Ruthie Jones; 5-Brianna Martinez, 6-Megan Bornkamp, 4-Michela Agresti, 3-Sydney Collins (2-Kirsten Pavlisko, 63), 20-Jenna Nighswonger, 10-Croix Bethune (17-Lia Godfrey, 76), 8-Hannah Bebar, 19-Penelope Hocking (15-Anna Haddock, 91), 7-Messiah Bright (9-Ally Schlegel, 67), 11-Alexa Spaanstra (21- Payton Linnehan, 87)

Subs not used: 1-Meagan McClelland, 13-Kate Wiesner, 14-Talia Staude, 16-Cori Dyke, 18-Sophie Jones, 23-Summer Yates

Head Coach: Twila Kilgore

 

OL Reign: 18-Laurel Ivory (30-Claudia Dickey, 46), 11-Sofia Huerta, 17-Sam Hiatt, 3-Lauren Barnes, 14-Jimena Lopez (28-Ryanna Brown, 46), 5-Quinn (6-Angelina Costantino, 75), 22-Marley Canales (2-Nikki Stanton, 46), 10-Jess Fishlock, 55-Zsani Kajan (24-Veronica Latsko, 46), 23-Tziarra King, (7-Ally Watt, 46)

Subs not used: 4-Alana Cook, 12-Olivia Athens, 15-Megan Rapinoe, 16-Rose Lavelle, 19-Sinclaire Miramontez, 20-Alyssa Malonson, 21-Phoebe McClernon, 29-Olivia Van der Jagt, 91-Phallon Tullin-Joyce

Head Coach: Laura Harvey

 

Stats Summary: USA / OL REIGN                          

Shots: 20 / 15

Shots on Goal: 6 / 3

Saves: 2 / 5

Corner Kicks: 10 / 0

Fouls: 6 / 4

Offside: 2 / 2

 

Misconduct Summary:

USA – Jenna Nighswonger (Caution)            51^st minute

 

Officials:

Referee: Karen Callado (USA)

Assistant Referee 1: CJ Koll (USA)

Assistant Referee 2: Ryan Jung (USA)

Fourth Official: Laura Rodriguez (USA)