Megan Rapinoe Earns Player of the Week Honors
Seattle Reign FC forward Megan Rapinoe was voted the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) Player of the Week by the media for Week 1 of the 2015 season.
Rapinoe, 29, scored her first NWSL career hat-trick, which sealed the deal for the Reign in a 5-1 victory over Western New York Flash at their home opener on Sunday evening at Moda Pitch at Memorial Stadium in Seattle, WA.
The Redding, CA. native scored her first goal of the game in the 70th minute with a powerful cross from her teammate Merritt Mathias, giving the Reign a 3-1 lead over the Flash.
Four minutes after her first goal, Rapinoe scored her second goal when she was able to head the ball into the goal after the first attempt by midfielder Jessica Fishlock was initially saved by Flash goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo.
The U.S. international completed her hat-trick in the 86th minute of the match with a beautiful give and go pass from Fishlock, giving Seattle a total of five goals – four of which were scored in the second half. This was also the first ever recorded hat-trick in Reign FC history.
This is the second time Rapinoe has been honored as the NWSL Player of the Week in her career since she first received it during Week 16 of the 2013 NWSL season.
Seattle Reign FC will return to action Saturday, April 18 at 8:00 p.m. ET against the Chicago Red Stars at Village of Lisle-Benedictine University Stadium in Lisle, Ill.
The NWSL Player of the Week is selected each week of the regular season by a selection of journalists that cover the league on a consistent basis.
