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USATSI

Portland Thorns kicked off week 13 action across the league on Friday with an absolutely electric match against the Washington Spirit at Providence Park and defeated the Spirit 4-2 for a spot at the top of the league table. Forward Sophia Smith had a standout performance and recorded a hat trick, her second three-goal game of the season.

The match offered final looks at U.S. national team players heading off to camp ahead of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. Week 13 is the final weekend of matches for international players before they are released to their respective national teams on June 26. For Smith, it was a game where she recorded multiple milestones while showing just a glimpse of what we may witness at her first World Cup.

Dragging defenders from distance

Smith wasted little time getting Portland on the scoreboard with a canon from outside the box It's not just that she put the ball in the back of the net, but how she did it, to open her goal-scoring. After receiving the ball and shrugging off early pressure, she was eventually surrounded by a flurry of Spirit defenders and forced them to stay with her while on the ball. 

The presence of mind to just take the shot even with space in the box shows another level of maturity and class on the finish.

Just ten minutes later she recognized a similar opportunity and had the presence of mind to force the issue. Spirit forward Ashley Hatch responded quickly to Portland's early goal, and Smith makes the go-ahead goal look almost casual as it mirrors her opening goal. She pounces on a poor giveaway, and despite another crowd of defenders, makes them irrelevant with her ability on the ball. Her quick decision-making was on full display giving the Thorns the lead before halftime.

"I mean, if I see an opening in the net, then I'm gonna shoot it. Why take more touches if I can score from there?" Smith said at halftime.

"I'm just being myself. I'm just being Soph. I think the more I overthink it, the worse it is for me. So I'm just trying to relax, be calm, be myself, and you know, just leave this team in good hands and take care of business."

Smith's first-half brace broke a deadlock with North Carolina Courage attacker Kerolin for the golden boot race, but by the end of the evening Smith finished in the lead with 10 goals. 

History-making hat trick

The Spirit responded immediately in the second half as Ashely Sanchez provided an equalizer in the 46th minute. But Smith provided a rapid response of her own just two minutes later with her third goal of the evening. On this goal, she took only one touch to get the ball deeper into the box and froze the keeper with a left-footed strike toward the near post. 

Smith's three-goal night put her on top of the golden boot race with 10 goals but also set another record as the youngest player to reach 30 goals in the league. It was her second hat trick this year, and she is only the third player in NWSL history to have two hat tricks in a season. 

What's next

The league will take a regular season pause for the World Cup beginning July 10 and resume on August 18. Challenge Cup games will take place from July 21 through August 9 and Challenge Cup semifinals begin in September.

Smith will depart to USWNT camps as the team prepares for their send-off match against Wales on July 9 in San Jose, California. The U.S. national team will begin their World Cup group stage in New Zealand on July 21 and face Vietnam.