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11/08 16:29 CST Rodman's brace helps the Spirit into the NWSL semifinals with 4-1 win over the Thorns Rodman's brace helps the Spirit into the NWSL semifinals with 4-1 win over the Thorns WASHINGTON D.C. (AP) --- Trinity Rodman scored twice and the Washington Spirit overwhelmed the Portland Thorns 4-1 on Sunday in the quarterfinals of the National Women's Soccer League playoffs. The third-seeded Spirit scored twice in two minutes to take a 3-0 lead into halftime against the sixth-seeded Thorns. Washington will face the seventh-seeded Utah Royals in the semifinals next weekend. Rodman helped open the scoring in the sixth minute. She stripped Portland defender Carolyn Calzada of the ball deep in the Thorns' end, dribbled into the penalty area and slipped a low pass through traffic to Mlissa Bethi, who beat goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold. Clara Luvanga doubled the lead in the 34th minute when Arnold hesitated over a back pass from defender Isabella Obaze. Luvanga closed down Arnold and scored. A minute later, she raced into the box and crossed for Rodman, who finished for her first goal. Pietra Tordin pulled one back for Portland in the 51st minute. The ball came out to Jessie Fleming after a corner kick, and Fleming sent it back into the box for Tordin to finish. Luvanga and Rodman answered seven minutes later. Luvanga drove a grounded pass across the penalty area, and Rodman met it with her left foot to restore Washington's three-goal lead. Portland's Jayden Perry was booked in the 47th minute for a tackle on Rodman and was sent off with two minutes left in regulation after earning a second yellow card for pulling Rodman's arm during another tackle. Luvanga was booked in the 62nd for shoving Thorns defender Reyna Reyes in the back, and teammate Esme Morgan saw yellow in the 82nd for a rough foul. ___ See AP's full soccer coverage here

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