This past Sunday, the Orlando Pride played the first match of their inaugural season against the Portland Thorns. While the team didn’t leave Portland with a win, they did find some positives on the pitch that they are hoping to develop throughout the season. One of those positives: Jasmyne Spencer and her speedy attacking play.

Spencer is a quick forward who used her speed to earn a starting spot in Sunday night’s game. Along with Kristen Edmonds and Alex Morgan, Spencer pushed the ball up the field and created plenty of problems for Portland’s defense. That’s definitely something she’s hoping to continue throughout the season.

“I think my pace is troublesome for a lot of defenders,” Spencer said after the game. “I always look to get in behind and that’s what opens up the space for my midfield and other players around me.”

“This was our first real test, and although it was disappointing to lose, I think we’re in a good spot,” Spencer said. “We created a ton of chances tonight and as we move forward we hope to put some of those away and get some points.”

The Pride opened up their season in front of a crowd of 16,073 in Portland. Whether it was the dedicated fans of the Portland Thorns or the Orlando Pride fans that traveled from all over the country for the team’s first match, the excitement in the stands was overwhelming. “It was super exciting,” Spencer said with a smile. “The energy from the crowd was unbelievable and making history is pretty awesome too.”

The Orlando Pride are now looking forward to their inaugural home match this Saturday night at 7:30 against the Houston Dash.