Thorns

Here is a pretty good article about the Thorns from an unlikely source:

Thorns

Not surprising there were no Pilots selected in the NWSL College Draft today, but I did hear the Thorns drafted a familiar name and face when they selected OSU goalkeeper Bella Geist in the 3rd round.

The Thorns first pick was at #8, and with it they chose MF Sandra Yu from Notre Dame and with the #9 overall pick they selected MF Gabby Seiler from the University of Florida.

Got all that while listening to the car radio, so I don't have an internet news source to back it up, and I don't know if the draft is over, sorry.  

DoubleDipper wrote:Not surprising there were no Pilots selected in the NWSL College Draft today, but I did hear the Thorns drafted a familiar name and face when they selected OSU goalkeeper Bella Geist in the 3rd round.

The Thorns first pick was at #8, and with it they chose MF Sandra Yu from Notre Dame and with the #9 overall pick they selected MF Gabby Seiler from the University of Florida.

Got all that while listening to the car radio, so I don't have an internet news source to back it up, and I don't know if the draft is over, sorry.  

Correct on all accounts; I was following via Twitter between meetings. Here's the Thorns release: https://www.timbers.com/post/2018/01/18/thorns-fc-select-three-players-2018-nwsl-college-draft

As part of the 3rd-annual Thorns Spring Invitational at UP, March 11-17, the Thorns, the US U-23 National Team, the Chicago Red Stars, and the Houston Dash will square off.

Sunday March 11 @ 11:30am -- Houston vs. U-23
Sunday March 11 @ 5pm -- Thorns vs. Chicago

Wednesday March 14 @ 1:30pm -- Chicago vs. Houston
Wednesday March 14 @ 7:30pm -- Thorns vs. U-23

Saturday March 17 @ 1:30pm -- Houston vs. U-23
Saturday March 17 @ 7:30pm -- Thorns vs. Houston

It's NOT free...individual tickets for the three Thorns games are $7 each...general admission.

Sale to the "general public" starts on February 23 at https://www.timbers.com/thornsfc

Here's the Thorns' release with all the information:
www.oregonlive.com/portland-thorns/2018/02/portland_thorns_to_host_thorns.html

DoubleDipper wrote:As part of the 3rd-annual Thorns Spring Invitational at UP, March 11-17, the Thorns, the US U-23 National Team, the Chicago Red Stars, and the Houston Dash will square off.

Sunday March 11 @ 11:30am -- Houston vs. U-23
Sunday March 11 @ 5pm -- Thorns vs. Chicago

Houston won, 2-1, and Chicago won, 1-0.

I didn't see the first game, but the Thorns and Fire were pretty evenly matched throughout in their match. with both teams playing backups in goal.  I was told the Fire had played two closed-door matches against college teams, but it was the first time out this season for Portland.

I also heard players and fans alike talk about the "beautiful" and "wonderful" pitch at Merlo Field.....

Was Merlo full?

Geezaldinho wrote:Was Merlo full?

Not full, but a very good crowd, better than we've seen at Merlo in a long time.

I think Merlo holds about 4,900, and I'd guess there were about 1,000 empty seats, but it seemed full and it was sunny and the sun didn't set until after the 5pm match was over.

Only saw the second half of last night's game that resulted in a 2-2 draw between the Thorns and the US U-23 squad.

Christine played a little, but so did everyone as it appeared Portland cleared the bench.

I didn't see Portland score, as both their goals were in the first half, but both U-23 goals in the second half were from the same player, Stanford POY Catarina Macario.  

Marta may not have been in attendance as Geezer promised, but Macario looked like the second-coming of Marta to me.

Attendance on a cool work/school night?  Around 2,000, give or take.

Didn't see the mid-day game, but I understand the Red Stars beat the Dash, 2-1.

I didn't go to the Thorns final preseason game at Merlo on St. Patrick's Day, but I understand there were no goals scored, UP grad Allison Wetherington did not get off the bench for the Dash, and there was a good crowd of around 3,200 on a cool night.

Talked to one Thorns fan last night who apparently expressed the views of a number of players and fans when she said, "I've never seen such a perfect soccer pitch, why can't our professional pitches be as good?"

Good chance to see some high-level NWSL soccer in Portland this week as both semi-finals and the final will be played in "Soccer Town USA" over the next 8 days.

The Thorns will host the Reign tomorrow at noon, and because of Florence, the match in North Carolina that was scheduled for Sunday, has now been moved to Portland where the Courage will go against the Chicago Red Stars (hmm, sounds like an old Soviet team) on Tuesday evening.

The championship is then just five days later, on September 22nd, in Portland!

Talked to one Thorns fan last night who apparently expressed the views of a number of players and fans when she said, "I've never seen such a perfect soccer pitch, why can't our professional pitches be as good?" wrote:

Merritt Paulson said this week that he hopes to have a grass pitch for the Timbers and Thorns by 2020.

That probably means ground heating and grow lights like Wimbledon has and finding another place for PSU pointy ball games.

Geezaldinho wrote:That probably means ground heating and grow lights like Wimbledon has and finding another place for PSU pointy ball games.

I feel bad for PSU football on that issue, but I just don’t see their program really going anywhere in the long run. They has a great season two (?) year’s ago, but that was the exception to their norm. I will always root for them to do well if they can. But, that outlook is not pretty, in my opinion.

Regardless, this whole hurricane/tropical storm stinks for those Courage fans who had sold out their stadium in Cary, NC for this playoff match. Hopefully, Portland can show them a good time (but not too good of a time come next Saturday!). I’m surprised they are okay with the shorter rest time in between the semi-finals and the championship match!

BAON.

If Franch isn't the best keeper in the NWSL, I'd like to know who's better!

Anyone watch this game on TV and be able to tell us if Heath was offside on her disallowed goal?  It was hard to tell on the Providence screen, but only the many Seattle fans in attendance agreed with the call.

Can't help rooting for Rapinoe, and sorry to see her year end, but glad Sinclair and the Thorns are through to the final.

Playing for the championship in their home stadium with their home fans next Saturday has to be an advantage for the Thorns over either the Courage or Red Stars.

DoubleDipper wrote:Anyone watch this game on TV and be able to tell us if Heath was offside on her disallowed goal?  It was hard to tell on the Providence screen, but only the many Seattle fans in attendance agreed with the call.

https://mobile.twitter.com/ThornsFC/status/1041069539423805440

Great game to watch. Lifetime does a good job producing NWSL matches!

The Thorns Spring Invitational, the club’s fourth-annual, four-team preseason tournament, will pit the Thorns, the U.S. U-23 Women’s National Team, the Chicago Red Stars and the Seattle Reign against each other. All the games will be played at Merlo Field.

The Reign and the U.S. U-23s will face each other in the opening match of the tournament on Sunday, March 24 at 11:30 a.m. PT. The Thorns will take on the Red Stars later the same day with kickoff set for 5 p.m. PT.

On Wednesday, March 27, Chicago will play the Reign at 1:30 p.m. PT, while the Thorns will face the U.S. U-23s at 7:30 p.m. PT.

Portland will conclude the tournament with a game against the Reign on Saturday, March 30 at 7:30 p.m. PT. Chicago will square off against the U.S. U-23s earlier in the day at 1:30 p.m. PT.

https://www.oregonlive.com/portland-thorns/2019/02/portland-thorns-to-open-training-camp-on-march-4-host-preseason-tournament-march-24-30.html

B.J. Snow calls up 24 Players to U-23 WNT Roster for the 2019 Thorns Spring Invitational...no Pilots included.

https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2019/03/20/16/31/20190320-u23wnt-snow-calls-24-players-for-2019-thorns-spring-invitational