Lewandowski, Wright make Sky Blue FC debuts in loss to Portland Thorns

A 69th minute goal from Midge Purce was the difference in Sky Blue’s fifth loss of the season

Two players on the opposite ends of their careers made their Sky Blue FC debuts in a 1-0 loss to the Portland Thorns over the weekend at Yurcak Field in Piscataway, N.J.

Bethlehem, Pa. native Gina Lewandowski started at right back in the game and played 90 minutes while Mount Laurel, N.J. native Kenie Wright made her professional debut with a short cameo off the bench in stoppage time.

“Everyone’s been super welcoming, the whole club, the organization, and the girls have been very welcoming and friendly, so it was kind of an easy transition,” Lewandowski said in a news release. “I think we had a good performance, certain phases of the game we got dangerous going forward a couple times but we just need to get more consistency going forward … there were phases where we actually were the better team we just need to do that over a longer period of time.”

Lewandowski had been playing with Bayern Munich in Germany since 2012. She made 115 appearances and scored 18 goals in her second stint in Germany after playing for 1. FFC Frankfurt from 2007-2012. She starred at Lehigh University from 2003-2006.

Photo by Jonathan Louie / Sky Blue FC

Wright was the No. 29 overall pick in the 2019 NWSL Draft out of Rutgers University. She signed a pro deal with the club in late April.

With the loss, Sky Blue FC fell to 0-2-5 on the season. They sit in eighth place with only the Orlando Pride behind them in the standings (0-1-6, 1 point).

Up next, they’ll face Utah Royals FC away in Sandy, Utah at the Rio Tinto Stadium on June 15 at 10 p.m. ET. They return home to face Orlando on June 22, at 7 p.m. when the club will host their Pride Night Celebration.