Reign-Racing game halted after DeMelo collapses

Racing Louisville FC midfielder Savannah DeMelo was stable and alert after she was taken by ambulance from a match Sunday against the Seattle Reign FC because of a medical emergency.

The game at Seattle’s Lumen Field was called off after the incident late in the first half.

DeMelo sat on the field before collapsing. Trainers rushed to her side, and players from both teams were visibly shaken.

The television cameras cut away from the scene on the field, and the match went to halftime early. Reign players emerged a short time later to applaud their fans as it was announced that the match was abandoned.

“Savannah, who received immediate on-field care from medical personnel, is stable and alert. She was transported to a local hospital for further evaluation,” Racing Louisville said in a statement.

The game was scoreless when it was suspended. The remainder will be played on a date mutually agreed on by both teams, and will be picked up where it left off.

“We stand side by side with Louisville during this time and thank our fans for their support,” the Reign said in a statement. The team said further updates will be provided as appropriate.

The NWSL said its priority was DeMelo’s health and safety, and the league was in close communication with Racing Louisville.

“We recognize the concern this incident may cause, particularly in light of recent conversations around player safety,” a league statement read. “The NWSL remains committed to ensuring that the highest standards of medical care and emergency response are in place at every match.”

DeMelo, 27, left a match in March because of dizziness and chest tightness, and she was stretchered off the field. She revealed in May that she has been dealing with Graves’ disease and hyperthyroidism.

DeMelo was the fourth pick in the 2022 NWSL Draft out of Southern California. In three seasons with Louisville, she has played in 61 games with 14 goals.

She was on the United States national team roster for the 2023 Women’s World Cup.

Earlier this year, Angel City FC defender Savy King collapsed during a match in Los Angeles and required heart surgery.

The league was criticized because the match went on after King was taken from the field by ambulance. Days later, the league expressed regret for the decision and said the game should have been called off.

NWSL rules for 2025 state that the league “recognizes that emergencies may arise which make the start or progression of a game inadvisable or dangerous for participants and spectators. Certain event categories automatically trigger the League Office into an evaluation of whether delay or postponement is necessary.”

In a statement on Monday, the NWSLPA said that postponing the match was the right call.

“”Our hearts are with Savannah DeMelo and her family following last night’s game. Her health and well-being remain our top priority, and we are relieved she is receiving the medical attention she needs,” the MWSLPA’s statement said.

“Postponing the match was the right decision, as nothing is more important than the safety of players and staff on the field. This is a challenging time for all those affected, and we ask for continued respect of everyone’s privacy.”

Elsewhere in the NWSL on Sunday, the Utah Royals won 2-0 at home against the Houston Dash, and the Chicago Stars were held to a 1-1 draw at home by the Portland Thorns.

Paige Monaghan scored for a third consecutive match, and the Utah Royals defeated the visiting Houston Dash 2-0.

The Royals captain spotted Dash goalkeeper Jane Campbell off her line in the 45th minute, and launched a perfectly weighted shot over Campbell from outside the box.

Kaleigh Riehl had the early breakthrough and gave the Royals a 1-0 lead in the fourth minute. Riehl headed in a corner kick by Cloé Lacasse.

The win snaps a six-match winless run at home for the last-place Royals (3-11-6), who have won two of their past three matches after going 11 without a win between April and August.

The Dash (6-9-5) snapped a team-record-tying six-match undefeated streak and remained four points out of a playoff spot in 10th.

Olivia Moultrie scored her 14th career NWSL goal, and the Portland Thorns drew 1-1 at Chicago.

Moultrie, 19, curled in a direct free kick at the near post from outside the box to make it 1-0 in the 12th minute. Moultrie holds the record for the most goals scored by a teenager in the NWSL.

Bea Franklin drew the Stars even in the 45th. The Thorns failed to clear their lines, and Ally Schlegel knocked a header to Franklin, who then swiveled to hook a shot into the net from close range.

Franklin almost had a late winner but Thorns goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold denied the Stars midfielder in the 90th minute. Arnold reacted quickly to push Franklin’s header just beyond the post.

The 13th-place Stars (2-9-9) are undefeated in their past seven matches (1-0-6).

The Thorns (8-6-6) are fourth in the standings.

Information from ESPN’s Jeff Kassouf contributed to this report.