There is a trinity when people think of Portland Thorns FC – three talents that pop to mind most often, when people are describing the team: Christine Sinclair, the team’s captain, is on the short list of greatest women’s players who’ve ever lived; Tobin Heath, widely considered one of the game’s most skilled talents; and Lindsey Horan, an NWSL Most Valuable Player candidate who is on course to become one of the best players in the world.
There is another Thorns trinity, though, one that has built its reputation on success at the other end of the field, who may be as important to Portland’s title defense, and while the names Adrianna Franch, Emily Menges and Emily Sonnett may not carry the same international renown as their famed teammates, they are each well-established within the NWSL.