ORLANDO, Fla. – Facing adversity, the Orlando Pride responded in the best way possible: with a win. Orlando lost to the league-leading North Carolina Courage 4-3, ending its five-game unbeaten streak, but quickly responded with a 5-2 thumping of the Chicago Red Stars just three days later.

A new challenge awaits the Pride, now, as they conclude a two-game road stint with Seattle Reign FC on Sunday.

It’s a side that Orlando has already played this season and will play at least once more in 2018. Both teams drew 1-1 in their 2018 series opener on April 28 when the Pride were just returning their national-team players.

Forward Marta Vieira da Silva was the Pride’s heroine, as she scored a 61st-minute equalizer off a free kick from just outside the top of the box.

Overall, the series has been virtually even: Each team has won a game, as both the Pride and the Reign have also drawn three times. Orlando won the first-ever meeting 2-0 in Orlando on May 8, 2016, before Seattle won 5-2 at home on July 23, 2016.

Here’s what to expect from the Reign when the Pride face them on the road for the first time this season on Sunday at 9 p.m. in Memorial Stadium. The game will be broadcast on go90.com.

Reign Without Megan Rapinoe Again

The Pride have been fortunate to not have to deal with Reign star Megan Rapinoe.

In the two teams’ first meeting of 2018, Rapinoe was sidelined with a leg injury. She has since gone on to become the second-leading goal-scorer in the National Women’s Soccer League, so far, scoring five goals in six appearances. Rapinoe also has an assist to her name.

Rapinoe, in fact, has never scored a goal against the Pride in the two teams’ five-game history, despite playing all 180 minutes of both games in 2017.

Now, the 32-year-old will join Pride players Alex Morgan and Ashlyn Harris under United States women’s national-team colors for two friendlies against the Chinese women’s national team.

The U.S. and China will play their first friendly in Utah at Rio Tinto Stadium, home of Utah Royals FC and Major League Soccer side Real Salt Lake, on Thursday at 9 p.m.; then, they will play again on June 12 in Ohio at FirstEnergy Stadium at 7 p.m.

Seattle Has Established Stalwart Defense

Though the Reign have one of the most potent weapons in the entire league in Rapinoe, the Evergreen State side hasn’t forgotten about its defense. The Reign are one of only three teams to play single-digit games to this point in the season, as they’ve played nine, but their defensive performances have been impressionable.

So far this season, Seattle has only allowed eight goals, the second-fewest behind league-leading Utah and its seven goals allowed. Both Seattle and Utah are the only two remaining teams in the league to have allowed only a single-digit total in goals, so far.

In total, the Reign have recorded three clean sheets, including recording two in their last three matches.

Seattle’s most impressive defensive performance, perhaps, came in a loss, though. The Reign held North Carolina, the league’s highest-scoring team, to only one goal in a 1-0 loss on April 18. North Carolina unleashed a non-stop barrage of shots, out-shooting (22-5, 5-1 on-goal) and out-crossing (25-8) the Reign.

The Courage have, so far, scored 23 goals in 11 games, seven more goals than the second-place Pride’s 16 goals in 10 matches.

Despite the numbers, Pride forward Sydney Leroux is confident Seattle’s a team that can be broken down.

“[What I see in Seattle’s defense is] that they can be scored on,” Leroux said with a chuckle after training on May 31. “So, I think that’s what we’re gonna try and do. Obviously, they’re at home, and I think that if we can come away with a couple points, that’ll definitely help our momentum moving forward.”

Reign Have Reliable Supporting Cast

After Rapinoe’s five goals, the Reign’s scoring comes from four other players: forward Jodie Taylor (three), midfielder Allie Long (two), forward Beverly Yanez (two) and midfielder Rumi Utsugi (one).

Long, however, will not play against Orlando, as she will also join the U.S. for national-team duty against China. She scored Seattle’s only goal in the matchup with the Pride earlier this season.

Forward Nahomi Kawasumi and former Pride left back Steph Catley each have a team-leading two assists, too.

For more on the Pride, as they try to extend their unbeaten streak to two games, follow Victor Tan on Twitter at @NDR_VictorTan.

To contact Victor, you can email him at vtan@newdayreview.com, or you can tweet at him.