Canada's Pickett scores in debut with Courage, leading to draw against Thorns

Newly acquired midfielder Victoria Pickett scored in the 70th minute for the North Carolina Courage in a 3-3 draw with the Portland Thorns on Saturday in Cary, N.C.

The Courage (2-3-1) acquired the Newmarket, Ont., native from NJ/NY Gotham FC on Apr. 27 in exchange for $200,000 US in allocation money, with Pickett first suiting up for the team on Saturday night.

The 26-year-old was on the bench for the first four goals of the game, with two by the Courage (an own goal attributed to Emily Menges in the first minute, and a 26th-minute marker by Kerolin) and two by the Thorns — both scored by Crystal Dunn in the 22nd and 52nd minute.

Pickett entered the game via substitution in the 59th minute, quickly making an impact just 11 minutes later.

Olivia Wingate slipped the ball through the legs of Thorns defender Menges just as Pickett found space in front of the net to collect a pass from her teammate and fire it past goalkeeper Bella Bixby.

WATCH | Pickett scores in debut with Courage:

It marks the first goal the 26-year-old has scored in the NWSL since April 2022, when Pickett scored the game-winning goal in a 2-1 Kansas City Current win over the Houston Dash in the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup.

The lead lasted 13 minutes before Olivia Moultrie evened the game at three for the Thorns (3-0-3), extending Portland's unbeaten streak to six games to open the season.

Canadian Christine Sinclair had two shots for the Thorns in 67 minutes of action.

The Thorns travel to Houston to take on the Dash next Friday, while North Carolina is set to host OL Reign next Sunday.

Canada's Huitema helps lead OL Reign over Dash

Canadian Jordyn Huitema added the insurance goal in OL Reign's 2-0 win over the Houston Dash on Saturday in Seattle, Washington.

After Veronica Latsko put OL Reign up by one in the 53rd minute, the attacker set the Chilliwack, B.C., native up with a cross that Huitema elevated to head into the net.

WATCH | Huitema provides insurance for OL Reign:

The 21-year-old has now scored in consecutive games after potting her first of the season in a 2-2 draw against Racing Louisville FC last Saturday.

Huitema was all around the net on the night, recording four shots as OL Reign (4-1-1) improved to a perfect 3-0-0 at home on the season.

She also had a would-be goal wiped out by a video assistant referee review in the 13th minute. There seemed to be a debate as to whether there was a violation for a handball as Huitema settled the ball before delivering it into the net.

The Dash lost its second straight game to fall to 1-2-3 on the year.