Jess Fishlock gives Seattle Reign the victory after suspension due to medical emergency
In a match marked by suspension and a medical emergency, Jess Fishlock scored in the 90th minute to give Seattle Reign a 1-0 victory over Racing Louisville on Tuesday night. The match, which resumed after being suspended on Sunday due to a medical incident, saw Fishlock, coming on as a substitute, beat two defenders to score her fifth goal of the season. The original incident involved Louisville midfielder Savannah DeMelo, who collapsed near the end of the first half and had to be taken away by ambulance. The remainder of the game was postponed and played on Tuesday without a crowd at Seattle’s Lumen Field. Both teams wore purple armbands in honor of DeMelo. The victory broke a five-game winless streak for the Reign, who hadn’t won since August 1 against Angel City. Before this match, both teams were above the playoff line in the NWSL standings, but were coming off of losses. Louisville (7-8-5) lost 2-1 at home to the Portland Thorns, ending a four-match unbeaten streak. Seattle (8-6-6) was coming off a 2-0 road loss to the Washington Spirit. DeMelo remained hospitalized in Seattle, accompanied by her family. She was conscious and was undergoing tests to determine the cause of her collapse.DeMelo, 27, abandoned a match in March due to dizziness and chest tightness, and was stretchered off the field. In May, she revealed that she is dealing with Graves’ disease and hyperthyroidism.“I am very grateful to all our medical staff for their quick response. They have been with me every step of the way,” she said in a statement released by the team on Monday.
Savannah DeMelo
