Missouri Reign Returns from Opening Weekend Road Trip

The Missouri Reign kicked off its 2025 Women’s Professional Soccer League season over Memorial Day weekend.

Coming off of their inaugural season, the Reign have moved conferences and look for a fresh start. Their first weekend in the Gateway Division of the Midwest Conference did not result in victories, but showed some promise for the remainder of the season. 

The squad’s first match of the new season began Saturday in Indianapolis, Indiana against the FC Pride. The Pride were a solid team last season, finishing with a 5-1-4 record and third in the Gateway Division. They led 3-0 at halftime, requiring Missouri Reign coach Dakota Acock and his squad to make some adjustments at the break.

In the 71st minute, Holland Hawkins got the Reign on the board for the first time this season, quickly after the Pride made it 4-0 off a goal from Caroline Kelly, cutting the lead to 4-1 off an assist from Georgia Pardalos. 

“That was a spark that we needed,” said Acock on Hawkins’ goal.

Hawkins is a Springfield, Mo. native and current member of the Drury Panthers soccer team. She tacked on another goal in the 83rd minute, recording a brace in her first game as a member of the WPSL. Hawkins was a major bright spot, something Acock echoed.

“She has been a great addition for us,” Acock said. “She has a very quality skill of finding and creating shots for herself.” 

The Reign hung in there in the 4-2 defeat against the team ranked No. 16 in the WPSL National Power Rankings, and the top team in Indiana.

On Monday, the Reign faced Lou Fusz Athletic in a double-header in St Louis, the first was an exhibition match. Last season, Lou Fusz also finished with a 5-1-4 record, one spot behind the Pride in the division. 

In the first match, an exhibition, in her second season in the WPSL and with the Reign, Zoe Lockhert scored the lone goal for her squad and put her team up one goal to nil at the break. The hosts tied it up with a long range shot from Jacie Tottleben placed perfectly in the top right corner, ending the game in a 1-1 draw. 

Lockhert is a Camdenton native who just finished her freshman year playing for William Woods in Fulton. As a member of the Owls she finished second on the team in goals (5) and tied for the lead in assists (4) across 20 games this season. 

In the conference game, Lou Fusz (3-0-0) recorded a 1-0 shutout. On a corner kick from Meghan Belrose, Maddy Vasiloff scored in the 21st minute, which proved to be enough for the Athletic to hold on to the win. 

Despite the shutout loss, Acock mentioned that the team needs to continue to build chemistry but was proud of the way his team performed in the second halves of each game. 

“I think we did a really good job of responding to adversity and executing a second half game plan,” Acock said. 

The Reign (0-0-2) head home for their home opener on Saturday against Junction FC.