Portland Thorns midfielder Olivia Moutltrie became the youngest goalscorer in NWSL history on Sunday at just 16 years old.
Moutltrie contributed to the Thorns’ 4-0 victory over the Houston Dash, connecting with teammate Sophia Smith to fire a close range shot into the back of the net in just her second start of the season. She also managed an assist in the 82nd minute, setting up Smith for the last goal.
"Who doesn’t get excited about, first, being able to come on for somebody like Christine Sinclair? Obviously that’s super cool," Moultrie told Fox Sports after the match.
"Second, any start in this league – especially with this team – is really exciting, really special to me. I was already preparing myself to hopefully go on at some point. For it to happen that fast, I was trying to get ready right away."
Moutltrie kicked off a new, revolutionizing chapter for NWSL after signing with the Portland Thorns in 2021 at 15 years old, well below what had previously been the league’s minimum age of 18.
After her potential contract incited legal action, the midfielder and NWSL reached a settlement in July 2021 that allowed her to sign with the club and subsequently change the course of history for the American league.
She has since made 13 overall appearances for the NWSL team, nine in 2021 and four in the current campaign.
