Portland Thorns FC Woman of the Match: To The Top

A lot can be said about this Portland Thorns squad right now. They're certainly not perfect. No team ever is, really. But of all the other teams in the league, there's definitely a reason why the Thorns are sitting on the top of the standings. Their most recent win against the Washington Spirit is just one more reason to be made into a believer. These guys are going places.

Here's our Woman of the Match:

Andy: Allie Long

The Thorns kept possession against the Spirit as well as they have all year, and that's largely thanks to the work Long was doing in the middle of the pitch. She also contributed well defensively against a strong opponent, getting in people's faces. The tide turned significantly toward the Spirit after she left the pitch.

Stacey: Rachel Buehler

"The saver of bacon," as encephalopath called her in the match thread, Buehler was heroic on several of Washington's counterattacking chances. The counter could have been the Thorns' undoing without her.

Jonanna: Rachel Buehler

She had her best game of the year, by far. She timed her tackles perfectly, anticipated the Spirit players' moves almost before they did, and marked with her trademark physical aggressiveness. In doing so, she shut down an offense that would have been far more dangerous had she not played so well.

Geoff: Alex Morgan

Morgan was simply too dominating a presence throughout the game to be ignored. Aside from earn the opening PK, she was constantly pushing and pressuring on the ball. She was constantly wreaking havoc on the Spirit's back line. It's really a shame that she wasn't able to convert any more goals, but that's the game for you. Without her on the field, however, the end result perhaps looks a little different.

Who was your Woman of the Match?