1. A bounce-back game for the Orlando Pride, and a record-setting one at that. Barbra Banda provided the fireworks as she scored all the goals in a 3-1 win over the Utah Royals.
2. It never gets old saying it. Barbra Banda. Inevitable. It's been a strange sight not seeing the Zambian score these last few games, but she managed to break her goalless drought in some style. Not one. Not two. Three goals in the first 38 minutes of the match secured the first-ever hat trick in Pride history.
3. The first goal came early on, something that helped set the tone for the rest of the match. The Pride already had a few half chances in the first five minutes, but a ball down the line by Oihane that sprung Ally Watt ended up leading to the opener. Watt's speed down the line helped open up space for Banda in the box as the Zambian sprinted into the 18-yard-box, jumping on the cross from Watt and opening the scoring in style.
4. The second came from a classic Banda hustle play. A back pass by Utah's Janni Thomsen was picked off by Banda, who sprinted into the box, dribbled around Royals keeper Mandy McGlynn and scored her second with ease.
5. Her hat trick-clinching goal came just a minute later. Haley McCutcheon picked out some space forward and chipped a ball over the defensive line for Banda to run on. With space and time and a full head of steam, there was no stopping Banda as she got into the box and blasted a powerful shot that McGlynn couldn't keep out, sealing her first hat trick in purple.
6. While the first half was exciting and goal-filled, the second half was much more maintenance. The Pride have had some chaotic matches the last month, so having a second half where the Pride held it down defensively and kept the Royals from any chances on goal was a nice change of pace back to how things played out in a lot of matches last season.
7. Now there was one issue in that first half. A ball from Utah's Claudia Zoronoso broke three lines of Pride defenders and found Brecken Mozingo in on goal, as she, at the time, tied the game up at one goal each. It was a breakdown in communication, playing Mozingo onside. Plays like that will be ones that teams try on a usually staunch defensive Pride team, so being more aware of positioning will be key going forward.
8. This match also provided some much needed rest and rotation for some of the Pride players that have logged a lot of minutes, while also slowly working other players, like Summer Yates, back into the fold. Especially as the team now heads into a week off from matches.
9. Speaking of that, the Pride will have some time to rest and get time off from matches as they head into an international break. They'll return to action on Saturday, June 7, as they'll host the Houston Dash at Inter&Co Stadium. Fans can pick up tickets to the match here.
