PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Thorns FC today announced that the club has loaned forward Hayley Raso and defender Celeste Boureille to the Brisbane Roar, midfielder Ashleigh Sykes to Canberra United and goalkeeper Britt Eckerstrom to the Newcastle Jets of the Westfield W-League.
In her second season with Thorns FC, Raso, 23, finished the regular season with six goals and three assists, establishing NWSL career highs in both categories, in 22 matches (20 starts). Raso tallied her first career NWSL goal on June 28 against FC Kansas City and also scored her first career NWSL brace in a 2-1 win on the road against Seattle on Aug. 26, earning her first NWSL Player of the Week honors. In addition, Raso registered her first career NWSL playoff goal in a 4-1 semifinal win against the Orlando Pride on Oct. 7 at Providence Park.
Boureille, 23, appeared in 17 games (13 starts), logging 1,181 minutes during her second season with Portland. The San Francisco, Calif., native was part of Portland’s league-leading defense that allowed the fewest goals (20) during the regular season and posted 11 shutouts.
Signing with the club in March 2017, Sykes, 25, joined Portland for her first season in June and made her Thorns FC debut as a second-half substitute against Sky Blue FC on June 17. The Australian international appeared in 15 matches (12 starts), tallying one goal and one assist. Sykes scored her first career NWSL goal in a 3-1 win against the Chicago Red Stars on Sept. 30 and recorded her first career assist for the club in a 2-1 win against the Washington Spirit on July 22.
Eckerstrom, 24, arrived ahead of the 2017 season in a trade with the North Carolina Courage. The Germantown, Md., native did not appear in a match for Thorns FC during the season.
All four players will return to Portland before the start of the 2018 NWSL season.
