Gift Monday scored three goals in the first half and the Washington Spirit clinched a playoff spot with a 4-0 win over the Houston Dash on Sunday in the National Women’s Soccer League.
The victory at Audi Field extended the Spirit’s overall unbeaten streak to 10 games and seven straight at home. The Spirit (12-4-7) sit in second in the league standings, below the Kansas City Current.
Monday, a 23-year-old Nigerian international, scored at a tight angle from across the face of the goal to the far post in the 18th minute.
Just a bit more than three minutes later, Monday scored her second on a header off a high-arcing serve from Croix Bethune. Monday completed the hat trick in the 36th minute with a slick finish off a pass from Trinity Rodman.
It was just the second hat trick in Spirit history, the other also came against Houston and was scored by Crystal Dunn in 2015. Monday leads the team with eight goals.
Sofia Cantore added a heel flick for the final goal before the 12,715 home fans. Following the match, the team donned T-Shirts that pronounced “Built for the Fight. Clinched”
Washington has won the last three meetings with the Dash, including a 2-1 win earlier this season.
The Dash (7-12-5) were without goalkeeper Jane Campbell because of a thigh injury. Abby Smith started in her place.
Reign come back against North Carolina
Maddie Dahlien scored the winner in the 80th minute to give the Seattle Reign a 2-1 victory over the North Carolina Courage in Sunday’s late match.
The victory at Seattle’s Lumen Field moved the Reign (9-7-6) up to fourth place in the league standings.
After a scoreless first half, the Courage tool the lead in the 57th minute on Hannah Betfort’s header into the side netting.
The Reign tied it up on an own goal off of Courage defender Ryan Williams as she tried to clear the ball in the 70th minute.
Dahlien, who had an earlier goal called back after a video review determined she was offside, scored the game-winner down the middle from atop the box.
The Courage (7-8-0) sit just below the playoff line in ninth place.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
By The Associated Press
