Portland, Oregon – Following a thrilling comeback tie against the Wave, the Summit will look to go 2-0 against the Portland Thorns. The team last met in July, where Natalie Means scored the game winning goal in Lindsay Heaps’s debut with a 2-1 victory. Here’s three things to look for as the Summit looks to face off against Sophia Wilson and the Thorns.
Denver Summit vs Portland Thorns
Wave’s Previous Result: 2-1 Win against Orlando Pride
When: Saturday, August 22nd at 6:45 PM MT
Where: Providence Park, Portland, Oregon
TV/Streaming: Ion and The Spot on Denver3
Previous Faceoff against San Diego Wave: 2-1 Win vs Thorns on July 18th
Key Threats
The top threats the Summit should be prepared for are USWNT star Sophia Wilson and Pietra Tordin. Between the two, Wilson and Tordin have recorded 16 goals and 11 assists across 20 games, averaging 1.35 goal contributions a game. Sophia Wilson also scored against the Summit back in July as the team at times struggled to contain her. If the Summit can shut down Tordin, and Wilson, their odds of winning greatly increase.
Overall, the Summit defense will need to be up to the task of competing with the Thorns as the team has scored 10 goals in their past five games (for comparison, the Summit has only scored four.
Player Availability
With the release of Denver’s availability report, fans will be shocked to learn that in addition to Heaps’s delayed return to play, Abby Smith will also be unavailable due to a knee injury. As Smith has started all games for the Summit, it will be interesting to see which goalkeeper makes the start – Big 12 Goalkeeper of the Year Rookie Jordan Nytes or USL Golden Glove Winner Kat Asman.
Since Asman’s arrival in Denver, Nytes and Asman have taken turns on the gameday roster as the backup keeper. Nytes has been named to the gameday roster five times compared to Asman who has been named only three, which might indicate that Nytes has impressed the most in training. However, Asman has far more professional experience than Nytes which might give her the advantage against a difficult Thorns team. Whatever Cushing decides, the Summit should still be in good hands as both goalkeepers have a lot to offer.
As for Heaps, I would expect either Yuna or Flint to take her place in the starting lineup. Most recently, Yuna played in the midfield against the Wave. However, Cushing indicated during practice this week that he has been alternating between the two to see who would be best suited against the Thorns.
Finally, although not listed as unavailable in the report, Cushing also indicated that Ayo Oke and Eva Gaetino were previously day-to-day due to injuries. Although it seems the players have recovered, it’s possible they will not be ready to start or to play a full ninety minutes. While Megan Reid is the likely candidate to replace Gaetino, the replacement of Ayo Oke is easier said than done. Cushing has rotated several players through the defense. A probable option would include moving Natalie Means to right back and then subbing in Yuzuki, Brazier, or Thomas as right wing. However, if Oke is unavailable to play, the team will certainly feel the impact as she has been incredibly productive with Yazmeen Ryan on the right side/ Summit’s goal against the Wave was started by a Ryan and Oke combination.
On the Portland side, notable absences include Olivia Moultrie, Reilyn Turner, Morgan Weaver, and Marie Muller. USWNT player and center midfielder recently tore her ACL, leaving her unavailable for the rest of the season. The lack of the young superstar has definitely been felt by the Thorns who barely scraped by against the Pride last week (Orlando Pride has been quiet recently especially with the absence of Barbra Banda).
Reilyn Turner, Morgan Weaver, and Marie Muller are all proven goalscorers for the Thorns – their absence will weaken the depth of the Thorns attack. However, it should be noted that Caiya Hanks returned from the SEI list last week and scored the game-winning goal to seal a Portland win.
Homefield Advantage
As one of the original NWSL teams, the Portland Thorns have had years to build one of, if not the best, home field advantages in the league. This season, the team’s home record is six wins, three ties, and zero losses. The team has not lost a game at home since August 29th, 2025, against the Utah Royals. Coming in, Summit will need to be prepared to battle the 12th player on the field and persevere against the Thorns. If they can defeat the Thorns, they will accomplish what no team has done yet this season while also preventing the team from hitting one straight year of home wins. The good news is that the Summit has been relatively consistent when home or away. Denver has the same number of wins and ties away as they do at home (3-3). Fans will look to see if the Denver Summit can harness their potential against Portland tonight.
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Matt Pollard 