Portland Sends Off Angerer and Van Hollebeke With Sellout

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Portland Thorns played Sunday night before their second sellout crowd of more than 21,000, though it was bittersweet.

Already eliminated from the playoffs, the Thorns honored a pair of popular players who are retiring from the game: goalkeeper Nadine Angerer and defender Rachel Van Hollebeke.

Angerer, who has started in goal for the German national team since 2007, announced before this year's World Cup that she was retiring but vowed to play out the season with the Thorns.

Van Hollebeke recently announced that she was retiring from both the Thorns and the U.S. national team so that she could attend medical school.

The two were celebrated by the Providence Park fans before the match against the Washington Spirit, who have already secured one of four spots in the National Women's Soccer League playoffs.