Photo Copyright Craig Mitchelldyer for USA TODAY Sports
This past weekend marked the last slate of games in the National Women’s Soccer League before national team players head off to link up for pre-World Cup camps.
Sophia Smith puts on a show in Portland
Sophia Smith delighted the home fans on Friday night with a hat-trick en route to the Thorns’ 4-2 win over the Spirit. It was an emphatic send-off for the forward, who was named to her first World Cup team mid-week. Morgan Weaver rounded out the scoring for Portland, while the Ashleys – first Hatch, and then Sanchez – got two back for Washington in Mark Parsons’ return to Providence Park.
Late drama in San Diego
Reign forward Bethany Balcer had a brace in OL Reign’s 2-1 win against the Wave. She scored her first in the eighth minute and Jaedyn Shaw equalized right after the break. Balcer scored again in the 77th off an assist from Sofia Huerta to put the game away.
Trailing 2-1, Wave goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan was sent off after knocking over a…
