When OL Reign clinched their third and most improbable Shield at the end of the National Women's Soccer League regular season, they instantly became the favorites in the playoffs as the No. 1 seed. Now, the Reign are aiming to return to the NWSL Championship for the first time since 2015, and will open their postseason campaign on Sunday, when they host the Kansas City Current, the No. 5 seed.
But contrary to what might be suggested by winning the NWSL Shield, the league's award for the best team of the regular season, the Reign didn't dominate their way through 2022.