The team would end up drawing 0-0 with Tobin Heath acquiring two yellow cards, thus suspending her for the next match against local rivals Seattle Reign FC.

Nadia Nadim would score her first of the season with an assist by Meg Morris; however, Seattle would respond within 3 minutes by a goal from Beverly Yanez, equalizing at 1-1.

The Thorns began June with a two-game road trip, first holding on for a 1-1 draw with Chicago Red Stars and then prevailing 2-0 over Western New York Flash.

The Thorns prevailed with a 2-0 win with goals from Christine Sinclair and Nadia Nadim with an assist from Henry, who also started for the first time for the club.

Continuing their unbeaten streak (11 games without a loss from the beginning of the season to the end of June), the Thorns traveled to Florida to take on Orlando Pride.

The Thorns opened July play without 6 starters due to USWNT and CanWNT Olympics preparations for a home game against Sky Blue.

Sky Blue scored first and the Thorns came back to win 2-1 with goals from Dagný and Nadim to extend their season-opening unbeaten streak to 12 games.

Playing their first 5-4-1 formation of the season, Mana Shim passed to Nadia Nadim who headed home the game's only goal and the Thorns remained in 1st place.

The team, fully reunited after the Olympics, hosted Boston Breakers where the Thorns took a dominating 5-1 victory, keeping them in the race for the NWSL Shield.

In the 19th minute, Portland fans and team members learned from a message on the big screen that they had clinched a playoff berth with Seattle Reign's loss to Washington Spirit.

Christine Sinclair would finish up by scoring in the 90th minute and shutting out Houston 3-0, giving goalkeeper Michelle Betos 4 clean sheets for the season so far.

To conclude the stretch of 3 games in 8 days, the Thorns played the Western New York Flash in front of their only sold-out crowd of the year, with 21,144 announced attendance.

The Thorns went ahead 3-0 only to concede 2 goals within 4 minutes late in the game, but hung on to win and clinch a home playoff match.

On Sunday September 25, the Thorns clinched the NWSL Shield with a win over Sky Blue FC and a Washington Spirit loss to the Chicago Red Stars.

The Thorns hosted Western New York Flash in the semi-finals for the NWSL Playoffs, losing a physical match 4-3 in overtime.