Utah Royals take points from back-to-back matches with 1-1 draw at Seattle
Ally Sentnor scored her third goal of the season as Utah Royals FC took a 1-1 draw from a trip to Seattle on Sunday afternoon at Lumen Field.
Amid a struggling expansion season with a continued rebuild following the Utah Royals’ firing of head coach Amy Rodriguez amid a massive organizational shakeup, one thing stood out to interim head coach Jimmy Coenraets in his short time with the club.
There are players who can score a lot of goals; he just needs to put them in the right positions.
Ally Sentnor is one of those players.
The rookie out of North Carolina scored her team-high third goal of the season as the Royals took back-to-back results for the first time all year with a 1-1 draw with the Seattle Reign on Sunday afternoon at Lumen Field in Seattle.
“I think in the upcoming weeks, it’s about getting the right people on the ball. I think Ally is one of them,” Coenraets said after the match. “What she did today, it’s only 20% or 40% of what she can do in upcoming years; I think Ally is one of the bigger talents in this league, and if she can develop quickly, she could be one of the more exciting players in the league.”
Reign outshot the visitors 8-5 in the first half, but Utah had perhaps the best chance of the opening 45 minutes when Paige Monaghan’s attempt beat everything but the post in first-half stoppage time.
Seattle nearly took the lead in the 50th minute, but Jess Fishlock’s marker was called back on video review after Bethany Balcer was judged to have pushed Lauren Flynn into goalkeeper Mandy Haught.
The Royals keeper was doing everything else to keep the ball out of her own net, including saving Tziarra King’s riser in the 54th minute that was destined for the net.
Instead, Sentnor gave the Royals a 1-0 lead in the 67th minute, forcing a turnover before striking home a blast with her favored right foot to upend the hosts.
“I think I’m really getting a feel for the 10, driving at that back line and creating chances for our team,” Sentnor said. “Just continuing to work on my shot selection, finishing, low placement and finishes, and just being more clinical.
“Overall, I’m proud of this team. I think going forward we’re going to work on that final finish and final cross.”
Veronica Latsko equalized less than 10 minutes later, finding the back of the net on a an arcing ball from Jordyn Huitema into the box in the 67th minute to pull one back.
Haught made five saves to keep the result for the Royals, a 1-1 tie that helped Utah to back-to-back results for the first time in 2024 following last week’s scoreless home draw with Portland.
The draw inches the Royals up to 2-11-3 for 9 points in their inaugural NWSL season before a six-week international break from league play.
For players not goin to the Olympics, kickoff of the inaugural NWSL x LIGA MX Femenil Summer Cup will commence Friday, July 19 in Seattle.




