August 4, 2022 – National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) – Portland Thorns FC News Release
PORTLAND, Ore. – The National Women’s Soccer League today announced that Portland Thorns FC defender Kelli Hubly, midfielder Hina Sugita, and forward Morgan Weaver were named to the NWSL Best XI of the Month, presented by Mastercard, for the month of July. The trio helped Thorns FC to an unbeaten record of 2-0-2 in July.
Hubly helped anchor the Portland backline while completing more than 80 percent of total passes, and 90 percent of feeds out of the defensive half. Hubly is also one of 12 ironwomen to play every minute of action in the league this season and the only player that has started every match for Thorns FC in the 2022 campaign.
Sugita doubled her goal tally with a pair of crucial goals for Thorns FC this month, first scoring the go-ahead goal in Portland’s rivalry match against OL Reign on July 10 and then notching the game-winning goal in the team’s 2-1 win over Racing Louisville FC on July 29. Sugita is one of two players that has appeared in every match this season for Thorns FC, alongside of Hubly.
Weaver got onto the scoresheet in back-to-back contests, tallying a goal and an assist in Portland’s 5-0 win over NJ/NY Gotham FC on July 16 and an assist in the team’s 2-1 win over Louisville. Weaver’s performance against Gotham FC marked the first time in her NWSL career she registered both a goal and an assist in a single match.
The NWSL Team of the Month is selected each month of the regular season by the NWSL Media Association, a collection of writers that cover the league on a consistent basis.
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