Portland’s first win of 2025 is the 1,000^th regular season win in NWSL history and Bella Bixby makes her return to action with a clean sheet.

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SALT LAKE CITY (Friday, April 11, 2025) – Portland Thorns FC secured its first win of 2025 with a 1-0 road result against the Utah Royals on Friday evening.

With the win, the Thorns have once again etched their names into NWSL history books by recording the leagues 1,000^th regular season win. The contest also saw the long-awaited return of goalkeeper Bella Bixby who – after missing 2024 on maternity leave – capped off tonight’s performance with a clean sheet, Portland’s second in as many matches.  

Thorns forward Reilyn Turner would open the scoring in the 14’, tapping the ball into an open net after a great run from midfielder Hina Sugita to draw out the opposition and set up the assist.

From there, the Thorns would go on to dominate the field of play in the first half, registering 3 big chances from 8 shots (7 in the opponent box) while shutting Utah out from getting any shots.

After the break, the Royals would make several changes in its effort to find the equalizer, but the Portland defense stood strong to keep the opponents at bay.

With the first win of the season in the bag and a second consecutive clean sheet, the Thorns will celebrate tonight then quickly shift its focus to next week’s Cascadia Rivalry match vs Seattle Reign FC.

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TEAM NOTES

·  With Portland’s first win of the season and their first win at Utah, the Thorns also registered the 1,000^th regular season win in NWSL history.

·  Goalkeeper Bella Bixby recorded her first NWSL appearance since the 2023 regular season finale, capping the performance with a clean sheet and her first clean sheet since a 2-1 win over Gotham FC on Oct. 7, 2023.

·  Tonight's clean sheet was the 25th for Bella Bixby in regular season action, second-most in club history behind AD Franch (26).

·  The Thorns have now recorded two consecutive clean sheets.

·  The Thorns are now undefeated in its last three matches (1W, 2D).

·  Forward Reilyn Turner scored her second regular season goal for the Thorns.

·  Midfielder Hina Sugita recorded her 13^th regular season assist, tied for 5^th-all time in Portland history alongside Sam Coffey and Allie Long.

·  Sugita reached the 5,000 regular season minutes milestone in tonight's match, all of which were played for Portland.

·  New signing and Canadian Women’s National Team forward Mimi Alidou made her Thorns and NWSL debut tonight as a second half substitute.

·  Since he’s taken over, Head Coach Rob Gale is now 8W-1L-1T in matches where the Thorns scored first in the first half.  

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UP NEXT: The Portland Thorns return to action on Friday, April 18 as they travel to take on bitter rival Seattle Reign FC. Kickoff from Lumen Field is scheduled for 7 pm PT on Prime Video.  

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GOAL-SCORING BREAKDOWN

FIRST HALF

POR – Reilyn Turner (Hina Sugita) 14’: Sugita’s run towards the corner of the keeper box saw her draw in the keeper and defenders, opening space for a through ball across to Turner who would tap the ball into an open net.

SECOND HALF

N/A

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LINEUPS

Portland Thorns FC (4-3-3) Bella Bixby, Reyna Reyes, Jayden Perry, Sam Hiatt, Kaitlyn Torpey (Mallie McKenzie 69’), Sam Coffey–C, Hina Sugita (Jessie Fleming 69’), Olivia Moultrie, Reilyn Turner (Alexa Spaanstra 83’), Caiya Hanks (Mimi Alidou 58’), Deyna Castellanos (Pietra Tordin 83’)

Subs not used: Morgan Messner, Daiane, Sophie Hirst, Payton Linnehan

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Utah Royals FC (4-3-3): Mandy McGlynn, Madison Pogarch, Ana Tejada, Kate Del Fava, Janni Thomsen (Macey Fraser 78’), Claudia Zornoza, Mikayla Cluff (Dana Foederer 45’), Ally Sentnor, Bianca St-Georges (Ana Maria Guzman 70’), Brecken Mozingo (Imani Dorsey 66’), Aisha Solorzano (KK Ream 45’)

Subs not used: Mia Justus, Lauren Flynn, Nuria Rabano, Aria Nagai

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MISCONDUCT SUMMARY

POR: Caiya Hanks (Yellow) 10’
UTA: Dana Foederer (Yellow) 61’, Kate Del Fava (Yellow) 62’

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MATCH STATS

POR | UTA

Goals: 1|0

Assists: 1|0

Possession 48|52

Shots: 11|9

Shots on Target: 3|1

Saves: 1|2

Tackles: 16|16

Tackles Won: 11|9

Interceptions: 13|7

Fouls: 10|18

Offsides: 2|3

Corner Kicks: 3|2

PORTLAND, Ore. (Saturday, August 15, 2026) – The Portland Thorns continued their impressive home form with a 2-1 win over Orlando Pride on Saturday when forward Caiya Hanks — who was making her return to the pitch after missing action for over a year with an ACL injury — scored a stoppage time winner to secure three points for the home side.

Both sides battled back and forth as they tried to search for the opening goal, with Thorns goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold making three saves to ensure the match remained level going into the halftime break.
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The Thorns came out into the second half much more threatening in Orlando’s half and finally broke the deadlock in the 58^th minute when forward Pietra Tordin laid the ball off to forward Deyna Castellanos, who from the top right corner of Orlando’s box placed the ball perfectly into the top left corner of the goal over the hands of Orlando goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse.

The lead was short lived however when Arnold’s diving save to punch out a crossed ball in the 63^rd minute ricocheted off the knees of Orlando forward Jacqueline Ovalle and rolled into the net to level things back up.

From there, Portland and Orlando continued in their fight to search for a second and despite several good looks at goal, the match remained level.

That would all change after Hanks — who subbed on in the 88^th minute — curled the ball into the goal from outside the box in the 96^th to send Providence Park into a frenzy as the Thorns secured three points and extended its home unbeaten streak to 12 matches, nine on the season.

UP NEXT: The Portland Thorns host Denver Summit FC for the first time at Providence Park on Saturday, August 22. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:45 pm PT on ION and 910 ESPN Portland. Purchase tickets for the match HERE.

TEAM NOTES

• Pietra Tordin extended her assist tally to nine, sitting alongside Croix Bethune (KC) for most in the league so far this season. Tordin is one assist away from equalizing the league record for assists which is 10 (Tobin Heath, POR 2016 and Croix Bethune, KC 2024).  
• Deyna Castellanos scored her first goal of the 2026 season.
• Caiya Hanks, who was removed off the Season-Ending Injury list, made her return to the pitch for the first time since June 15, 2025 and scored the game-winner.
• M.A. Vignola got her first assist of the season.
• The Thorns have gone 12 home regular season matches (dating back to September 2025) without losing (8W,4D), extending the current club record.
• The Thorns have not lost at home in 2026 (6W,3D).
• In seven matches since 2018, Portland has not lost at home against Orlando (7W-0L-0D).

GOAL BREAKDOWN
First Half

N/A

Second Half

POR – Deyna Castellanos (Pietra Tordin) 58’
ORL – Jacqueline Ovalle 63’
POR – Caiya Hanks (M.A. Vignola) 90+6’

LINEUPS
Portland Thorns (4-2-3-1): Mackenzie Arnold (GK), M.A. Vignola, Jayden Perry, Isabella Obaze (Sam Hiatt 78’), Carolyn Calzada, Jessie Fleming-C, Nina Nijstad (Cassandra Bogere 85’), Pietra Tordin (Caiya Hanks 88’), Deyna Castellanos (Renee Lyles 78’), Marie Müller (Morgan Weaver 67’), Sophia Wilson

Subs not used:  Morgan Messner (GK), Reyna Reyes, Shae Harvey, Mallie McKenzie

Orlando Pride (4-4-2): Anna Moorhouse (GK), Hailie Mace (Gabi Nunes 90+8’), Rafaelle (Zoe Matthews 89’), Cori Dyke, Oihane Hernández (Zara Chavoshi 76’), Solai Washington, Ally Lemos, Haley McCutcheon-C, Julie Doyle (Summer Yates 65’), Jacqueline Ovalle, Barbra Banda (Angelina 65’)

Subs not used: Cara Martin (GK), Cossette Morche, Luana, Nicole Payne

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MISCONDUCT SUMMARY

POR: N/A
ORL: Jacqueline Ovalle (Yellow) 40’, Julie Doyle (Yellow) 52’, Rafaelle (Yellow) 85’

MATCH STATS

POR | ORL

Goals: 2|1
Assists: 2|0
Possession: 51|49
Shots: 10|12
Shots on Target: 4|6
Saves: 5|2
Tackles: 16|16
Tackles Won: 9|11
Interceptions: 14|26
Fouls: 7|6
Offsides: 0|1
Corner Kicks: 0|6

ATTENDANCE: 19,106

Referee: Brad Jensen
Assistant Referee 1: Katarzyna Wasiak
Assistant Referee 2: Sarah Gaddes
4th Official: Justin St. Pierre
VAR: Danielle Chesky
Assistant VAR: Seun Yinka-Kehinde

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