Summer can be a tense time of year for Portland basketball diehards when the Blazers miss the playoffs, as the fan base is left to speculate on an uncertain future during the free agency/summer league stretch. When the team spirals down from playoff contention with a 13-game losing streak as it did to close out the season in April, the months leading up to October become even more uneasy.
During a game in which lightning stopped play for almost an hour, the Portland Timbers failed to find a spark on the offensive end against the Philadelphia Union on Saturday. But Portland’s defense was able to salvage the day, denying Philadelphia the go-ahead score as the Timbers left PPL Park with a road point.
It’s not often that the Portland Thorns’ offense comes up empty in National Women’s Soccer League play. But in a matchup on Sunday afternoon against FC Kansas City, the Thorns failed to put one in the back of the net and found themselves on the wrong side of a 2-0 scoreline.
On Saturday night, the Portland Thorns traveled to New Jersey to take on Sky Blue FC. There was plenty on the line as the two squads came into the game tied for first place in the National Women’s Soccer League standings. Portland and Sky Blue FC have spent stretches of this season battling it out for that top spot, and each team was looking to break the deadlock at Yurcak Field. They’ll have to wait a bit longer, however, after a scoreless draw left the rivals exactly where they started.
The school year is winding down, and for most of the athletes at Portland State, so are the spring sports. But for graduate student Joenisha Vinson, the biggest accomplishment of her career could be still to come.
The Portland State track and field squad travelled to Texas last week to compete at the NCAA West Regional. Though none of the Vikings advanced to nationals based on their results in Austin, the team turned in several strong performances. Two athletes made it to the semifinals in their events: Bianca Martin in the 1,500-meter and Jazmin Ratcliff in the 100-meter hurdles.
The Portland Thorns traveled to Seattle to play their I-5 rivals on Saturday night in their second matchup with the Reign this season. Portland kept up a solid front but struggled to break down Seattle’s defense, going into the final minutes of the game locked in a scoreless tie. It was a penalty kick from forward Christine Sinclair in the 84th minute that finally put the Thorns on the board at Starfire Sports Stadium, and Portland left with the victory.
Coming off a 1-0 loss to Sky Blue FC at home last Thursday, the Portland Thorns had little time to recover and prepare for a Sunday match against the Washington Spirit. But the quick turnaround wasn’t enough to hold back Portland as forwards Christine Sinclair and Alex Morgan each tallied goals to lead the team to a 2-0 victory over Washington at Jeld-Wen Field.
Coming off a second-place finish at the Big Sky Championships two weeks ago, the PSU track and field squad is not done with the 2013 season just yet. Head coach Ronnye Harrison will be bringing a number of athletes to Austin, Texas, today to compete in the NCAA West Regionals. The meet runs through Saturday, with the top 12 in each event moving on to nationals next month in Eugene.
It’s safe to say that the Portland Thorns are off to a solid start in the first year of the National Women’s Soccer League. More than a month into their inaugural campaign, the team hasn’t lost yet.
Portland State hosted the conference championships for the first time in Forest Grove last weekend, and didn’t waste the home field advantage. The women’s team took second place in a packed field, marking the best finish for the program since 2006, while the men took ninth.