CARY, N.C. (AP) — Evelyn Ijeh scored three goals to lead the North Carolina Courage in a 5-0 victory over the Orlando Pride in the lone National Women’s Soccer League match on Friday night.
Lauryn Thompson and Ashley Sanchez also scored for the Courage (7-6-3), who snapped a three-game losing streak.
Thompson opened scoring with her first career goal in the fourth minute. Ijeh scored two first-half goals to give the Courage a 3-0 lead at the break. She added another in the 70th minute for her first career hat trick. Ijeh has seven goals and two assists in her last eight games.
FILE – NC Courage midfielder Ashley Sanchez in action during an NWSL soccer match against Louisville Racing in Louisville, Ky., March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/AJ Mast, File)
Courage goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan had two saves for the shutout.
Sanchez scored her team-leading 10th goal of the season in stoppage time. Sanchez ranks second in the league for goals behind the Pride’s Barbra Banda, who was not available for the Pride (7-9-2) because she is playing for Zambia in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
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