Over the weekend, the Missouri Reign hosted Lou Fusz Athletic with an opportunity to stamp their midseason turn around. 

As previously the only team to have tied Lou Fusz, there was some confidence for the Reign that they could pull off the upset.

The first half was a success for the Reign, although they conceded an early goal off of a nice corner kick from Lou Fusz. Their defense stood tall for the rest of the half, and they generated a few nice attacks as well.

The 1-0 halftime score looked like the game would remain a close affair. However, a rougher second half for both sides of the ball saw the game get a little out of hand. Lou Fusz came out of the break determined, and it led to them finding the back of the net four more times.

Head Coach Dakota Acock noted that this was one of the best halves of soccer that he's seen a team play.

“Credit to them, and that I think they have the ability, if in form like that, to go toe to toe with anyone in the national playoff,” he complimented.

The 5-0 loss was a tough way to end what was otherwise an amazing homestand for the Reign.

The final match of the season:

With just one more game to go left in this 2026 season, all eyes turned to the matchup in Urbana, Illinois. The Reign took on Junction FC on June 27 at 6:00 p.m..

The Reign had to adjust to a shortened roster, and it allowed some younger players aged 15-17 to make their first team debuts on the trip.

“Though younger than normal, the team played well and it was a very evenly matched game that just didn't go our way,” Coach Acock said. 

Junction FC got off to a hot start in the matchup, finding the back of the net just three minutes into play. From here on out the Reign had to play catch up, but it wasn't enough. They fell even further into a hole after Junction scored again after halftime. 

One of the season’s themes for the Missouri Reign is to keep playing their game and trust that the goals and the success will come with time. In a lot of their matches the Reign had gotten off to a slow start, and had to play from behind.

It was no different against Junction FC. The Reign trusted their process and Amaura Austell  cashed in when she buried a goal in the 81st minute. Although the comeback attempt had been properly initiated, the Reign were unable to score the equalizer, and the season concluded with a 2-1 defeat. 

“Competitive matches are what we seek, and while it's a bummer to lose them, there are no bad teams in this conference and everyone is playing at a very high level,” Acock said.  

A season reflection:

To keep an organization like the Missouri Reign afloat it takes a lot of hard work from a lot of amazing people, but Head Coach Dakota Acock doesn’t take it for granted.

“I am extremely appreciative of being in the position I am. There are hard days, this is not an easy job, but throughout the season I continue to feel blessed that I get to work with some of the amazing athletes that I do,” Acock said. 

The 2026 season had its ups and downs, but the squad continued improving week in and week out. The hard work put in this summer is a testament to everyone’s willingness to learn and better themselves.

“I’m surrounded by great people, we have phenomenal competition, and we have a team that can compete against about anybody in the WPSL," Acock said. “There’s always room for improvement, but I’m appreciative of what we have too.”

Winning matches is always something teams want to do, but it isn’t always the Reigns top priority. This summer has always been about the players.

Coach Acock knows that the Missouri Reign is just a stepping stone that focuses on player improvement and helping the athletes go on to have success elsewhere. If they can win games along the way, that’s great. 

However, he believes that the purpose of the Reign is to provide a place for players to improve over the summer and if they can do that and provide a competitive environment, they can be proud of the direction it’s headed in. 

“Growth is extremely uncomfortable, and there’s been a lot of uncomfortable moments that our players have pushed through,” he added. 

When asked about the Reigns biggest improvement throughout the year Coach Acock was thrilled to mention all the hard work the players have put in this season.

“I don’t think I can really narrow it down just to one area. Our younger players have a much better understanding of the game, we have a ton of players who have improved technically, and tactically and players understand who they are a little bit better, their strengths and their weaknesses,” Acock explained.

He noted that he watched the players who showed effort over the year improve their weaknesses tremendously. Acock wants to continue the push for individual and team growth.

“If we continue that focus, it’ll pay dividends for us down the line,” Acock said.