The Portland Thorns saw a hat track from Sophia Smith in a wild 4-2 win over the Washington Spirit on Friday night at Providence Park. In addition to Smith’s three goals, Morgan Weaver also scored for the Thorns, while Ashley Hatch andAshley Sanchez had goals for the Spirit.
In the 11th minute, the Thorns would jump out to an early lead when Sophia Smith did an almost perfect replication of her goal from last week, when she made a long run from midfield, eluding four Washington defenders, before hitting a curling shot from the top of the box that curled in past goalkeeper Aubrey Bledsoe, and the score was 1-0 Thorns.
But it would take less than two minutes for Washington to get that goal back, when the Thorns could not clear a dangerous ball in their box, and it fell to Ashley Hatch who was wide open in front of goal and scored easily past Thorns goalkeeper Shelby Hogan, and the score was knotted up at 1-1.
But in the 22nd minute, the Thorns would retake the lead when Smith got in behind the Washington defense and let a nasty blast go from several yards outside the box, once again beating Bledsoe just inside the left post, and the Thorns had regained a 2-1 lead. Each team had a few good chances but never got another shot on goal in the first half, and the Thorns had a 2-1 lead at the break.
But in the first minute of the second half, the Spirit would tie it up again when once again the Thorns could not clear a dangerous ball from their area, and Ashley Sanchez finished nicely from the top of the box, and the score was tied 2-2.
But in the recurrence of the first half, it only took a minute or so for the Thorns to re-take the lead, when Hina Sugita would steal the ball and send a perfect lead pass to Smith, who beat Bledsoe for the third time, recording her hat trick, and the Thorns once again had the lead at 3-2.
In the 64the minute, a very similar goal would widen the lead, when Sam Coffey chipped a pass into the run of Morgan Weaver, who beat a charging Bledsoe with a low shot, and the Thorns lead was now 4-2.
In the 76th minute Hogan made a brilliant reaction save to a very close-in attempt by Hatch to keep the score at 4-2 Thorns. Neither team would seriously threaten to score again, and the Thorns would hold on for the win.
