Pro Soccer Match Suspended After Player’s Scary Collapse

Fans and players at a professional soccer game were horrified after a player collapsed early in a competitve match on Sunday afternoon.

Savannah DeMelo of the NWSL's Racing Louisville was taken off the field in an ambulance after she collapsed during the team's game against the Seattle Reign. DeMelo sat on the field before she collapsed, and trainers immediately rushed to help her.

DeMelo's teammates, opposing players and fans from both teams appeared to be upset and shocked at what they saw. The game was suspended immediately and taken to an early halftime, and both teams left the field.

Reign players returned after a short time to thank fans for coming out, and announced that the game would be abandoned.

Teams React to DeMelo's Collapse

"Savannah, who received immediate on-field care from medical personnel, is stable and alert. She was transported to a local hospital for further evaluation," Racing Louisville said after the incident.

The game was scoreless at the time of DeMelo's collapse, and both teams have agreed to play the rest of the game at a later date. Each team will agree on a date, and the game will resume where it left off.

"We stand side by side with Louisville during this time and thank our fans for their support," Seattle said in a statement of their own.

The NWSL issued its own statement, acknowledging a previous incident in which DeMelo appeared to experience another medical emergency earlier in the season. The 27-year-old midfielder left a game in March because of dizziness and tightness in her chest.

She would later reveal that she's been dealing with Graves' disease and hyperthyroidism.

"We recognize the concern this incident may cause, particularly in light of recent conversations around player safety," the NWSL said in its statement.

 "The NWSL remains committed to ensuring that the highest standards of medical care and emergency response are in place at every match."

Scary Incidents Within the NWSL This Season

Another player - Angel City FC's Savy King - collapsed during a game this season. King needed heart surgery after her incident, and the game went on after she was taken away in an ambulance.

After the extent of King's health scare was revealed, the NWSL said that it regretted the decision to continue the game, and that it should have been called off after King initially collapsed.

According to league rules, the NWSL "recognizes that emergencies may arise which make the start or progression of a game inadvisable or dangerous for participants and spectators."

"Certain event categories automatically trigger the League Office into an evaluation of whether delay or postponement is necessary."