PORTLAND, Ore. – “We need a win, and not just because of third, fourth place.”
Portland Thorns FC defender Emily Menges has become part of her team’s conscience since arriving in the Rose City in 2014, but you don’t need six seasons’ experience to diagnose her squad’s trend. Coming off a September that saw the team slip from first to third in the NWSL, the Thorns are in desperate need of some good news. A playoff game is less than two weeks away, and for the first time since head coach Mark Parsons joined the team before the 2016 season, Portland’s postseason journey will start on the road.