PORTLAND, Ore. – “You looked 28 years-old. You looked like you've been doing this four or five years.”
That's what Portland Thorns FC head coach Mark Parsons told rookie defender Emily Sonnett after her first start against the Orlando Pride this past April, when she was tasked with marking fellow U.S. Women’s National Team forward Alex Morgan out of the game.
Since that opening day 2-1 victory, the Thorns have conceded a tied-for-the-league-low 12 goals and Sonnett, who has started in 10 of the team's 15 matches before being called up to the USWNT as an alternate to the 2016 Rio Olympics, has been a big part of that defensive success.