The Boston Breakers' Sydney Leroux became the first player in National Women’s Soccer League history to score a hat trick, doing so in a 4-1 win over the Chicago Red Stars. Leroux started her tear in the 26th minute when she headed in a Heather O’Reilly cross.

In the second half, she pounced on a ball just behind the midfield line and sped straight to goal, firing past goalkeeper Erin McLeod. She finished off the night with another expert finish, latching onto a through ball and slotting it in from the top of the box. The impressive haul makes Leroux the leading scorer in the NWSL with four goals in three games. The game was also the first game in NWSL history to feature five goals.

The Red Stars have no allocated players from the current USWNT squad due to injury and trades, but former U.S. internationals Lori Chalupny and Leslie Osborne played 90 minutes for the Red Stars. Chalupny picked up an assist.

Becky Sauerbrunn made an 80-yard run that ended with her assisting on the game-winning goal in FC Kansas City’s 1-0 victory over the Seattle Reign. Sauerbrunn started her run back at her defensive position, received a pass in the Reign’s penalty box, and found Renae Cuellar wide open in the middle for the score. Lauren Cheney was a key force in FCKC’s midfield and Nicole Barnhart picked up her second clean sheet as well. Alex Morgan netted a penalty for the Thorns in the 12th minute on the way to a 2-1 win over the Washington Spirit. Defender Rachel Buehler played all 90 minutes for the Thorns. For the Spirit, Ali Krieger and Lori Lindsey played the full match, and goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris had three saves in the losing effort.

Earlier in the week, Abby Wambach scored a goal in the Western New York Flash’s 2-1 win over Sky Blue FC. Increasingly impressive young goalkeeper Adrianna Franch had three saves in another standout performance. Christie Rampone and Kelley O’Hara both played 90 minutes for Sky Blue, and O’Hara racked up an assist.

In Europe, Christen Press scored her third goal of the year for Swedish club Tyresö in a 2-2 draw with Göteborg FC. Press and Meghan Klingenberg played the entire match while USWNT teammate and Göteborg midfielder Yael Averbuch left the game in the 72nd minute.

In France, Megan Rapinoe played 46 minutes in Lyon’s 6-0 romp over Arras, while across the Channel Whitney Engen played 90 minutes in Liverpool’s 1-0 over Doncaster Rovers.

Maura Gladys, a featured ASN columnist, works in production for KICKTV. She also runs the goalkeeping blog All You Need Is Glove.