The Orlando Pride move one step closer to repeating as NWSL champions.
The Pride, the No. 4 seed, protected home-field advantage and defeated the fifth-seeded Seattle Reign FC, 2-0, in Friday’s 2025 NWSL playoff quarterfinal match in Orlando. The Pride will face either the top-seeded Kansas City Current or No. 8 Gotham FC in the semifinals.
Midfielder Haley McCutcheon got the Pride on the board in the 21st minute and midfielder Luana iced the match with her first career NWSL goal, a stoppage goal off a penalty kick. Luana was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in April 2024 and finished chemotherapy last month.
‘One year ago, I didn’t even know if I would be playing again and today I am here,’ an emotional Luana said after the quarterfinal win. ‘Nothing is impossible.’
Veteran defender Lauren Barnes played her final game for the Reign. The 36-year-old retires after setting NWSL records for matches played (252), matches started (240) and minutes played (21,110).
2025 NWSL PLAYOFFS: Full bracket, schedule
Catch up with USA TODAY Sports’ highlights and results of the NWSL quarterfinal match between the Orlando Pride and Seattle Reign:
90’+8′ – Pride 2, Reign 0
Pride forward Marta sprinted 100 yards to the opposite side of the field before being fouled in the penalty area by Seattle’s Samantha Meza. Marta conceded the penalty kick to fellow Brazilian Luana, who completed her final round of chemotherapy last month after being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in April 2024. Luana scored in the top left corner to put the Pride up 2-0 in stoppage time.
90’+4′ – Pride 1, Reign 0
Reign forward Emeri Adames’ shot on goal was saved.
90′- Pride 1, Reign 0
Seattle midfielder Sally Menti’s shot is saved in the top left corner by Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse.
76′ – Pride 1, Reign 0
Reign midfielder Maddie Mercado was close to scoring an equalizer for Seattle, but Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse continued her impressive night with a kick save to keep Seattle off the board. Moorhouse has six saves in the match.
62′- Pride 1, Reign 0
Seattle’s Maddie Mercado earned a free kick, but the Reign weren’t able to convert. Midfielder Sally Menti took the free kick, but hit the crossbar and Seattle players weren’t able to clean up the shot and score. The Reign have not scored on a free kick all season.
57′ – Pride 1, Reign 0
We have our first yellow card of the game. Orlando’s Rafaelle received a yellow card for a bad foul after stepping on Maddie Mercado.
Ken Griffey Jr. in the building
Seattle Mariners legend Ken Griffey Jr. is in attendance to cheer on the Reign. Griffey, who is part of the Reign ownership group, is part of the league’s newly formed, star-studded advisory board. “Together, they’ll help the league unlock new opportunities for partnership, expand fan reach and strengthen its position as both a premier professional league and a powerful cultural platform,” the league said in a statement on Thursday.
46′ – Pride 1, Reign 0
The Pride picked up right where they left off and came out of halftime firing. Reign goalkeeper Claudia Dickey saved an attempt by Pride midfielder Ally Lemos.
HT – Pride 1, Reign 0
The Pride have a 1-0 lead over the Reign heading into halftime. The Reign may have possessed the ball more (54.5% compared to Orlando’s 45.5%), but the Pride was more effective. Orlando scored one goal on four shot attempts and two shots on the goal, while Seattle is scoreless with six shot attempts. Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse has three saves.
Orlando is 2-0-0 when leading at halftime in the playoffs.
Seattle Reign, Orlando Pride pays tribute to Mia Hamant
Seattle Reign and Orlando Pride players wore orange wristbands and orange ribbons in their hair in honor of 21-year-old Washington goalkeeper Mia Hamant, who died Thursday of kidney cancer.
36′ – Pride 1, Reign 0
Seattle Reign forward Jordyn Huitema’s shot on the goal was saved by Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse.
21′ – Pride 1, Reign 0
Orlando Pride is on the board first with a goal from midfielder Haley McCutcheon, marking the third NWSL playoff goal of her career. The goal was assisted by forward Julie Doyle, who performed a one-touch pass after receiving a no-look reverse pass from Marta.
17′ – Pride 0, Reign 0
We are scoreless as we creep toward the 20-minute mark, but the Orlando Pride had multiple looks at the goal early. Pride defender Cori Dyke set up forward Julie Doyle with a perfect cross pass, but Doyle’s shot attempt on the goal sailed over the crossbar. The Pride have three shot attempts and one shot on goal so far, compared to one shot attempt and shot on goal for the Seattle Reign.
5′ – Pride 0, Reign 0
Reign goalkeeper Claudia Dickey saved at attempt on the goal by Orlando Pride midfielder Angelina.
NWSL quarterfinal match kicks off
We are underway at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, Florida!
Orlando Pride vs. Seattle Reign: Time, streaming for NWSL playoffs
Date: Friday, Nov. 7
Time: 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT)
Location: Inter&Co Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
Stream: Prime Video
What time is Orlando Pride vs. Seattle Reign?
The 2025 NWSL postseason kicks off with a quarterfinal matchup between the No. 4 Orlando Pride and No. 5 Seattle Reign FC on Friday, Nov. 7 at 8 p.m. ET at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, Florida.
Orlando Pride, Seattle Reign take the field
The Orlando Pride and Seattle Reign are on the pitch at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, Florida for warmups ahead of kickoff.
Orlando Pride starting lineup
Seattle Reign starting lineup
NWSL playoff format
The 2025 NWSL playoffs consists of three rounds of single-elimination matches.
The postseason will kick off with four quarterfinal matchups with the No. 1 seed Kansas City Current hosting the No. 8 Gotham FC and the No. 4 Orlando Pride vs. No. 5 Seattle Reign FC on one side of the playoff bracket. On the other side of the bracket, the No. 2 seed Washington Spirit hosts the No. 7 Racing Louisville FC and the No. 3 Portland Thorns FC vs. No. 6 San Diego Wave FC.
The winners of each quarterfinal match will face off against each other in the semifinals. (Seeding does not reset after each round). The two semifinal winners will face off in the 2025 NWSL championship game on Saturday, Nov. 22 at 8 p.m. ET (CBS, Paramount+) at PayPal Park in San Jose, California, home of NWSL’s Bay FC and MLS’ San Jose Earthquakes.
NWSL quarterfinals playoff schedule
Game 1: No. 1 Kansas City Current vs. No. 8 Gotham FC – Nov. 9, 12:30 p.m. ET
Game 2: No. 4 Orlando Pride vs. No. 5 Seattle Reign FC – Nov. 7, 8 p.m. ET
Game 3: No. 2 Washington Spirit vs. No. 7 Racing Louisville FC – Nov. 8, 12 p.m. ET
Game 4: No. 3 Portland Thorns FC vs. No. 6 San Diego Wave FC – Nov. 9, 3 p.m. ET
When is the 2025 NWSL championship game?
The 2025 NWSL championship game will be held on Saturday, Nov. 22 at 8 p.m. ET (CBS, Paramount+) at PayPal Park in San Jose, California, home of NWSL’s Bay FC and MLS’ San Jose Earthquakes.
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.