The Utah Royals aren't ready to turn out the lights on 2024 just yet
Cloé Lacasse tallied the first hat trick in Utah Royals FC history to help the home side to a 3-0 win over Seattle Reign FC for their third straight victory to keep pace with the NWSL Playoff chase.
Where it ends by the time the clock runs out on the 2024 NWSL season is still anybody’s guess, but the Utah Royals aren’t ready for that moment.
Not yet, at least.
Cloé Lacasse scored three goals Sunday afternoon as Utah Royals FC extended its winning streak to three straight with a 3-0 win over the Seattle Reign in Sandy, Utah.
It’s the first hat trick in the history of Utah Royals as a franchise, both the one that was founded six years ago before most of the team relocated to Kansas City following the 2020 season, as well as Royals 2.0 that was brought back prior to the 2024 campaign.
It was also the first hat trick in the NWSL this season.
“She was amazing today,” Utah interim manager Jimmy Coenraets said. “What you saw from Cloé is what we see on a daily basis. I’m very happy for her that she could translate it.”
Mandy Haught made one save for Utah, which improved to 8-14-3 on the club’s second expansion season of 2024 for 27 points — just behind Bay FC for the eighth and final spot in the NWSL Playoffs.
“It was a special day, and I’m happy to have gotten it here,” Lacasse said after the match. “A clean sheet, three goals; we’re happy tonight.”
The Canadian international who transferred midseason from Arsenal in England struck early, finishing a corner kick from inside the penalty box to put the hosts up 1-0 in the third minute.
Lacasse doubled the advantage by the 20th minute, when she scored a right-footed shot from the edge of the penalty area just four minutes after Angharad James-Turner was sent off with a second-yellow red card.
“We were fortunate that we were able to get that early goal, and then they got that red card,” Lacasse said. “We know that’s when we have to capitalize, and we have to kill the game.”
But the Royals weren’t done. Neither was Lacasse, who took Claudia Zornoza’s through ball and left-footed an effort inside the left corner to finish her hat trick in the sixth minute of first-half stoppage time.
Utah wasn’t finished, either — or at least, nearly not done. But Ally Sentnor’s moment of brilliance near goal that ended with Mina Tanaka putting the ball in the back of the net in the 48th minute was called back for an offside violation.
The Royals out-shot Seattle, 23-3 including nine shots on target while maintaining 64% of possession as the club kept its playoff hopes alive, moving up to 10th place in the league standings and just 4 points behind Bay FC for eighth with two matches remaining.
“It’s us-vs-us now,” Haught said. “I think with that mindset, we can take on anyone.
“We just keep saying, keep it alive for as long as we can,” she added. “It’s a little flame right now, but we’re going to keep it alive for as long as we can.”
Utah Royals 3, Seattle 0
Postmatch Reaction | FW Cloé Lacasse
Postmatch Reaction | GK Mandy Haught
Postmatch Reaction | Interim HC Jimmy Coenraets