Sam Kerr Named NWSL Player of the Week
Sam Kerr of Sky Blue FC has received the seventeenth NWSL Player of the Week award after leading her side to a historic comeback at Yurcak Field in New Jersey. The NWSL Player of the Week is selected each week of the regular season by the NWSL Media Association, a collection of writers that cover the league on a consistent basis.
Related Article: NWSL Week 17 Recap
NWSL Soccer News: Sky Blue FC (8-9-2, 26 points) forward Sam Kerr has been unanimously voted the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) Player of the Week by the NWSL Media Association for Week 17 of the 2017 campaign.
After trailing 3-0 at halftime this past Saturday versus Seattle Reign FC, Kerr exploded for four goals in the second half to lead Sky Blue FC to an improbable 5-4 comeback victory. She also made history with the performance, becoming the first player in NWSL history to record two hat-tricks in one campaign and the first player to score four goals in a single match. With the four tallies, she leads the NWSL with 15 goals on the season, leaving her one shy of Kim Little’s single season record of 16 goals (2014). She also became the first player in NWSL history to reach 40 career goals.
On Saturday night, Kerr scored in the 48th, 68th and 71st minutes before hitting the dramatic game-winner in the 94th minute. On the play, Taylor Lytle sent a corner kick towards goal as Kerr fought off multiple defenders and put a leaping header into the back of the net.
The win made Sky Blue FC the first team in NWSL history to win a match in which it once faced a three-goal deficit. The New Jersey club also became the first franchise to win a game after trailing at the 90-minute mark.
This recognition marks the fifth time that Kerr has been honored as the NWSL Player of the Week in her career, one shy of former Washington Spirit forward Crystal Dunn. Sky Blue FC players have received the accolade on nine occasions overall, with Kerr being the recipient of the last four acknowledgments.
Sky Blue FC will be back home this Saturday, August 26, hosting the Boston Breakers for a 7:00 p.m. ET kickoff at Yurcak Field.
