Natalie Means scored late and the Denver Summit welcomed U.S. national team captain Lindsey Heaps to the club with a 2-1 home victory over the Portland Thorns on Saturday in front of a sellout crowd of more than 12,000.
Heaps started for Denver (5-4-4) after spending four seasons with Lyon. The Summit announced the signing in January, but she first had to finish the season with the French club.
Portland (8-5-3) took a 1-0 lead when Sophia Wilson converted a penalty kick in the 23rd minute.
Janine Sonis made it 1-1 in first half-stoppage time, before Means scored her first professional goal on a narrow angle shot from outside the box in the 86th minute.