PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Thorns FC today announced the team’s season-opening roster for the 2018 National Women’s Soccer League campaign. Thorns FC open the 2018 NWSL season with an away match Saturday against the North Carolina Courage, and will be featured in the NWSL Game of the Week on Lifetime at 12:30 p.m. (Pacific).
The 2018 roster features 14 players from the 2017 NWSL Championship team. Notably that list includes NWSL Second XI selections: midfielder Lindsey Horan, defenders Meghan Klingenberg and Emily Menges and 2017 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year Adrianna Franch. The team also returns its top two goal-scorers from 2017: forward Christine Sinclair, who tallied a team-high eight goals, and forward Hayley Raso, who concluded the 2017 campaign with six goals and three assists.
Portland also made several new key acquisitions, including Brazilian international midfielder Andressinha and Australian international defender Ellie Carpenter and forward Caitlin Foord. Andressinha, Carpenter and Raso will arrive in Portland following the conclusion of FIFA World Cup qualifying matches for their respective national teams. In addition, Thorns FC added defender Midge Purce, midfielder Angela Salem and forward Ifeoma Onumonu through the NWSL Dispersal Draft and have also signed defender Elizabeth Ball. Purce, Salem and Onumonu do not count against the club’s active roster limit.
Other key players who are returning for the 2018 season, include defenders Emily Sonnett, who tallied three goals and one assist in her second season, and Katherine Reynolds, who both helped anchor the top defense in the league in 2017 as well as goalkeeper Britt Eckerstrom, midfielder Celeste Boureille and forwards Tyler Lussi, Meg Morris and Mallory Weber.
PORTLAND THORNS FC
ROSTERED PLAYERS (21 of 20 spots filled):
GOALKEEPERS (2): Britt Eckerstrom, Adrianna Franch
DEFENDERS (7): Elizabeth Ball, Ellie Carpenter (INTL-AUS, PEN), Meghan Klingenberg, Emily Menges, Midge Purce (DD), Katherine Reynolds, Emily Sonnett (FED-USA)
MIDFIELDERS (5): Andressinha (INTL-BRA, PEN), Celeste Boureille, Tobin Heath (FED-USA), Lindsey Horan (FED-USA), Angela Salem (DD)
FORWARDS (7): Caitlin Foord (INTL-AUS, PEN), Tyler Lussi, Meg Morris, Ifeoma Onumonu (DD), Hayley Raso (INTL-AUS, PEN), Christine Sinclair (FED-CAN), Mallory Weber
FEDERATION PLAYERS (FED): 4
INTERNATIONAL ROSTER SPOTS FILLED (INTL): 4
Key:
ACTIVE ROSTER:
FED – Federation Player
INTL – International Roster Spot
ROSTERED PLAYERS NOT COUNTED AGAINST ACTIVE LIMIT:
D45 (45-Day Disabled List): Any player on the 45-Day disabled list
SEI (Season Ending Injury List): Any player on the season ending injury list
NTR (National Team Replacement): Any player replacing a player who is with their National Team
GKR (Goalkeeper Replacement): Any goalkeeper replacing a goalkeeper on the roster due to injury
MAT (Maternity): Any player out for an extended period due to maternity
LOA (Loan): Any player who is loaned out to another club
PEN (Pending): Any player signed that will join club on a future date
DD (Dispersal Draft): Contracted players (including allocated players) and 2018 College Draft picks acquired via the Dispersal Draft
