{"id":25547,"date":"2020-01-08T14:49:32","date_gmt":"2020-01-08T19:49:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsoccer.com\/?p=25547"},"modified":"2020-03-21T21:16:46","modified_gmt":"2020-03-22T01:16:46","slug":"nwsl-sky-blue-portland-trade-margaret-purce-raquel-rodriguez","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/soccer\/2020\/01\/08\/nwsl-sky-blue-portland-trade-margaret-purce-raquel-rodriguez\/","title":{"rendered":"NWSL: Sky Blue, Portland make trade and swap Margaret Purce, Raquel Rodr\u00edguez"},"content":{"rendered":"

Howell, New Jersey \u2014\u00a0<\/strong>The trade game<\/a> isn’t quite finished for the NWSL this Wednesday. During the afternoon, Sky Blue FC and the Portland Thorns elected to shake up their rosters a little more. Sky Blue received Margaret Purce from the Thorns, while Raquel Rodr\u00edguez is the newest member of the Thorns.<\/p>\n

Also included in the trade is a draft pick. The Thorns sent Sky Blue FC their first-round selection in the 2021 NWSL College Draft. Meanwhile, this year’s draft is slated for next Thursday, Jan. 16, at 11 a.m. in Baltimore, Maryland.<\/p>\n

Rodr\u00edguez featured for Sky Blue FC beginning in 2016. She was the club’s first round pick, and second overall pick, in the NWSL College Draft. The former Penn State player made 76 overall appearances for Sky Blue FC.<\/p>\n

Internationally, Rodr\u00edguez has produced 40 goals in 70 appearances for the Costa Rican Women’s National Team. She’ll be joining the team for their upcoming Olympic Qualifiers. Costa Rica did not qualify for the World Cup in 2019, after making the tournament four years ago. However, she did win a bronze medal in the Pan-Am Games in August.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m extremely grateful to Rocky for giving her heart and soul to this club for four years,\u201d Alyse LaHue, Sky Blue general manager, said. \u201cIt was an absolute privilege to be able to work with her, and we wish her nothing but success in the next phase of her career.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mark Parsons, Portland Thorns FC head coach, called Rodr\u00edguez an “elite” player.<\/p>\n

\u201cRocky… has proven to be one of the best in the league at her position,\u201d Parsons said. \u201cShe is a perfect fit for what our needs are on the field and she is someone who has the character and leadership to help grow our culture even stronger.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cI can\u2019t wait to get there, get to work and also to get to meet all of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thorns supporters, give @raque_rocky<\/a> a warm welcome! \ud83c\udf39 #BAONPDX<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/qKR31ZdIqw<\/a><\/p>\n

— Portland Thorns FC (@ThornsFC) January 8, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n