NWSL Portland Thorns FC

Thorns FC Weekly Update

June 20, 2013 - National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)
Portland Thorns FC News Release


PORTLAND, Ore. - Portland Thorns FC square off against Sky Blue FC on Saturday in a matchup of the top two teams in the National Women's Soccer League standings at Yurcak Field in Piscataway, N.J.; kickoff is 4 p.m. (Pacific).

Fans can watch Saturday's match via a live web stream on www.portlandthornsfc.com or follow along on Twitter @ThornsFC.

Thorns FC (8-2-1, 25pts) enter Saturday's match against New Jersey-based Sky Blue FC (8-2-1, 25pts) tied atop the NWSL standings after back-to-back wins at JELD-WEN Field. Portland and Sky Blue faced off for the first of three meetings this season on May 16 at JELD-WEN Field as substitute midfielder Taylor Lytle netted a goal from distance in the 80th minute to provide Sky Blue FC with a 1-0 win over Thorns FC.

Thorns FC forward Alex Morgan and defender Rachel Buehler will rejoin the club following a U.S. Women's National Team match against Korea Republic tonight at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J. Forward Christine Sinclair started and played 90 minutes for Canada in a 1-0 loss against Germany in Paderborn, Germany, on Wednesday. Sinclair will meet the team in New Jersey ahead of Saturday's match.

Portland, which has conceded a league-low nine goals in 11 games this season, delivered six goals in back-to-back wins over FC Kansas City on June 6 and Seattle Reign FC on June 16. Four players netted goals, helping Thorns FC to a 4-3 win over FC Kansas City. Morgan tallied a goal and two assists, becoming the first Thorns FC player to record a multi-assist game this season, midfielder Courtney Wetzel netted her first career NWSL goal and forward Danielle Foxhoven and midfielder Allie Long each chipped in goals in the high-scoring affair.

On June 16, Foxhoven scored a goal and midfielder Meleana Shim tallied her first career goal and assist to help lead Thorns FC to a 2-0 win over Seattle Reign FC before 13,802 fans at JELD-WEN Field. Foxhoven registered her second goal in as many games and goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc stopped a Seattle penalty kick in the 84th minute to preserve the clean sheet for Portland.

Portland is the only remaining team in the eight-team NWSL that has yet to concede defeat on the road this season, earning a 4-0-1 record in five road games. Thorns FC have conceded just two goals away from home, ranking first in the NWSL in road defense.

LeBlanc is tied for the league lead with five shutouts, while Morgan ranks first in shots (37) and shots on goal (24).

Sky Blue FC has won six of their past seven matches, most recently earning a 3-2 win against the Boston Breakers on the road at Dilboy Stadium in Somerville, Mass., on June 16. Forward Lisa De Vanna scored her team-leading fifth goal of the season and Monica Ocampo and Katy Freels recorded their first career NWSL goals in the win for Sky Blue FC.

Thorns FC continue their road trip with a match against FC Kansas City on Sunday, June 30, at Verizon Wireless Field at Shawnee Mission District Stadium in Overland Park, Kan.; kickoff is 1:10 p.m. (Pacific). Portland is 1-1-0 this season against FC Kansas City. Fans can watch the match, the third of the season between the two clubs, via a live web stream at www.portlandthornsfc.com.

TEAM NEWS

Thorns FC midfielder Becky Edwards undergoes successful knee surgery

Thorns FC midfielder Becky Edwards underwent successful surgery Wednesday to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her left knee. The procedure was performed by the Portland Timbers Director of Medicine Dr. Richard Edelson at Sports Medicine Oregon in Tigard, Ore.

Edwards is expected to be out approximately six months. She sustained the injury June 13 during training in Portland.

In her first season with the club, Edwards started and played every minute of every match through the first 10 games of the inaugural National Women's Soccer League season. The midfielder donned the captain's armband on June 1 in a home match against the Chicago Red Stars and helped contribute to the team's league-leading 8-2-1 overall record during the first half of the season.

Thorns FC acquires forward Tiffany Weimer

Thorns FC announced on Tuesday that the club has signed forward Tiffany Weimer for the remainder of the inaugural 2013 National Women's Soccer League season.

Weimer, 29, joins Thorns FC after spending the 2012/13 Danish Elitedivisionen season with Fortuna Hj©=AArring where she tallied a team-high 11 goals during the regular season as the club finished the season in second place behind undefeated Brondby. In all competitions, the three-time NSCAA All-American forward netted 14 goals as Fortuna Hj©=AArring earned second place in the Danish Women's Cup and reached the Round of 16 at the 2012/13 UEFA Women's Champions League tournament.

A standout at Penn State University from 2002-05, Weimer scored 91 goals in 97 games during her four-year career with the Nittany Lions. She holds the NCAA record-long scoring streak (along with Thorns FC forward Christine Sinclair) by recording a goal in 17 consecutive matches during her senior season in 2005. Weimer finished the 2005 season with 32 goals, coming in second in the nation behind Sinclair (39).

Thorns FC waive defender Jazmyne Avant

Thorns FC announced today that the club has waived defender Jazmyne Avant.

Avant, 23, was signed by the club as a Discovery Player on Feb. 20, 2013. The Texas native appeared in four games (2 starts) for Thorns FC during the inaugural National Women's Soccer League season. A former defender at the University of Florida, Avant logged 212 minutes of action playing primarily as a left back for Portland.

Help Thorns FC launch their Pinterest page through special contest

Thorns FC wants fans to help the club launch their page on Pinterest through a special contest. "She Flies With Her Own Wings" is the English translation of the official state motto of Oregon. It has also been adopted as a team motto for Portland Thorns FC used throughout a new billboard campaign across Portland.

Thorns FC is encouraging fans to create a Pinterest board that embodies what the phrase "She Flies With Her Own Wings" means to you and you could win an autographed Thorns FC jersey, tickets to a regular-season Thorns FC match and autograph vouchers for a home match. Entries must be submitted by Sunday, June 23, at 11:59 p.m. (Pacific).

Thorns FC to feature twice on FOX Soccer as part of NWSL, FOX Sports Media Group broadcasts

The National Women's Soccer League and FOX Sports Media Group announced recently a national television broadcast schedule consisting of six regular-season matches and three playoff games. Portland Thorns FC are featured in consecutive weeks on national FOX Soccer broadcasts in regular-season home matches on Sunday, July 28, against the Chicago Red Stars and Sunday, Aug. 4, against FC Kansas City at JELD-WEN Field.

Due to the national broadcast on FOX Soccer, the start time for both Thorns FC home games at JELD-WEN Field on July 28 and Aug. 4 have been moved.

The Thorns FC match against the Chicago Red Stars on July 28 has been moved to 4 p.m. (Pacific), instead of the originally scheduled 2 p.m. (Pacific).

As part of a doubleheader at JELD-WEN Field on Aug. 4, Thorns FC play host to FC Kansas City in their regular-season home finale. The match against FC Kansas City has been moved to 5:30 p.m. (Pacific). Due to the Thorns FC kickoff time for national television coverage, the Portland Timbers Reserves match against the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Reserves will now kickoff at 2 p.m. (Pacific) in the first game of the doubleheader.

Tickets for either game of the Aug. 4 doubleheader are valid for entry into both matches. Tickets are still available for purchase at the JELD-WEN Field box office or online at www.portlandthornsfc.com .

Timbers, Thorns FC launch new online auction site to benefit Stand Together

The Portland Timbers and Thorns FC recently launched a new online auction website, featuring autographed memorabilia, game-worn gear and one-of-a-kind game-day experiences, with proceeds benefitting the clubs' community outreach platform Stand Together and the Portland Timbers Community Fund. Click here to view the items currently up for bid.

Stand Together supports local nonprofit organizations focusing on youth programs related to sport, education, fitness and the environment. The Stand Together mission is to harness the power of sport to improve the lives of children and families in the region through targeted programs, deep partnerships and philanthropic giving and is supported in part by adidas, Alaska Airlines, JELD-WEN Windows & Doors, Burgerville, and PGE.

Watch Thorns FC matches at one of four pub partner locations

Thorns FC fans can watch Thorns FC matches at one of four pub partner locations during the 2013 National Women's Soccer League season. Mad Greek Deli (1740 E. Burnside), Bazi Bierbrasserie (1522 SE 32nd Ave.), On Deck (910 NW 4th Ave.) and McGillacuddy's (11133 NE Halsey St.) will each have a television dedicated to the live web stream of Thorns FC games this season.

THORNS FC MEDIA SOURCES

Radio: The club's weekly radio talk show, "Talk Timbers," presented by JELD-WEN Windows & Doors, airs every Tuesday evening from 6-8 p.m. (Pacific) on flagship station 750 AM The Game. "Talk Timbers" provides team news and interviews covering the Portland Timbers of Major League Soccer as well as regular updates, features and player interviews covering Portland Thorns FC.

Thorns FC goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc joined the program to talk about the team dynamic between the national team players from the United States and Canada and the team's season at the halfway point in the NWSL.

Fans can submit questions, provide comments or simply follow the conversation on Talk Timbers on Twitter with the hashtag #TalkTimbers.

Fans can tune in to the show live on 750 AM The Game or listen online at www.750thegame.com . Available podcasts can be downloaded at www.portlandtimbers.com/timbers-podcast-network .

Check out the Portland Thorns FC Statistics



National Women's Soccer League Stories from June 20, 2013


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