“This is our time,” the Rose City Riveters’ banner read. Deyna Castellanos certainly agreed.

It took all of three minutes for Castellanos to make her mark against the Houston Dash on Sunday, when she curled a beautiful distance shot around Dash goalkeeper Jane Campbell to put the Portland Thorns on the board. The Thorns went on to win 2–0, with midfielder Jessie Fleming doubling the score in the 35th minute.

And Castellanos’ shot means the Thorns play their next game in our house. The victory puts Portland in third place in the NWSL standings, so they’ll host the San Diego Wave in the first round of playoffs.

It’s the Thorns’ ninth consecutive playoff appearance (and a chance for their fourth championship title), but the energy around this year’s team is different from years past.

“It’

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