Meg’s Corner: Shipping up to Boston Pawtucket
I picked a heck of a game for my first in-person NWSL match of the season. After living through the wild Spirit-Courage game via my TV, I took a little road trip from Vermont to Rhode Island to watch the Legacy host the Thorns yesterday. Soccer in the real world just hits differently, especially when it ends up being a 4-3 game, complete with a hat trick.
For starters, the Legacy playing at Centreville Bank Stadium while they await the completion of their future home stadium is a smart play. It’s a 10,500-seater on the Seekonk River that feels like it doesn’t have a bad view. The line for Del’s frozen lemonade (a Rhode Island summer staple) abated enough in the second half for me to finally nab a cold drink and catch some of the game from right behind the Boston supporters section. The swan honk chants are even better live.
But yesterday, it was the Pietra Tordin show. The 22-year-old Thorns forward scored a class free kick to start things off, later closing out a hat trick in 37 minutes with an absurd goal: a single touch to chip Legacy goalkeeper Casey Murphy, off an assist from her own goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold. Tordin now leads the NWSL in goal contributions (seven goals, eight assists), just ahead of Rodman and Sanchez.
