Nichelle Prince hat trick sends Dash into the stratosphere against Pride

HOUSTON – Orlando, you have a problem. 

It was a historic night for Nichelle Prince and the Houston Dash as the Texas team blew past the Orlando Pride 5-0 in the Space Race derby on Friday night at PNC Stadium.

An extraordinary offensive showing from the Canadian international not only saw her notch the first hat trick of her NWSL career but also the first hat trick for a Dash player in the history of the club. 

"I think that's best we've ever played in terms of collective," said Dash captain Rachel Daly, who was presented with a commemorative jersey and armband before the match. "Nichelle [Prince] needs her name in lights. She's an angel on and off the pitch. She works so hard."

Strangely enough, it wasn't actually Prince's first hat trick at PNC Stadium. Back in 2016, while she was at Ohio State University, she scored three goals at this very stadium for her country in a qualifier against Guatemala. 

"I wasn’t a pro yet. I had no idea what Houston was about. It was really exciting to get three goals for my team and being a young player. I kind of forgot about that, so it was cool that we circled back,” Prince said after the final whistle.

After a cagey opening quarter to the evening, the match exploded into life in the 27th minute. Prince's first goal of the match permanently changed the complexion of the encounter. 

After she latched onto a chipped through ball, that was played behind the Pride defense from Rachel Daly, Prince knocked the ball beyond an advancing Erin McCleod. With her second touch the Canadian then slotted the ball into the nearly open net. Orlando defender Gunnhildur Yrsa Jónsdóttir slid across the goal to try and prevent the ball from crossing the line to no avail. 

With the floodgates opened, almost every time the Dash ventured forward it ended in a Houston goal in the first half.

In the 32nd minute, patient build up play in the Houston midfield found Maria Sánchez in plenty of space on the left hand side. Sanchez looked up and saw Daly raise a hand calling for the pass. "La Bombi" obliged. The pass was one of the best that anyone will see in the NWSL this season. On a night of many loud shrieks from the PNC faithful, it was Sanchez's assist that drew the biggest eruption.

"Maria (Sanchez) has got such a good delivery, probably one of the best deliveries in the league." said Daly about the assist. "No one was near me at the time. Soon as I saw it, I started screaming 'Bombi' at the top of my lungs and I knew she would whip that ball in."

Houston engaged its thrusters once again in the 39th minute. And it wasn't rocket science. Using the same formula as before, Sophie Schmidt spread the play to the left and Marisa Viggiano sent the vertical ball forward behind Jónsdóttir. Prince took off, attacked the box and curled in her second of the match off the thigh of former teammate Megan Montefusco. 

Orlando simply couldn't handle Houston's propensity to play the quick ball over the top. It was both a credit to the passers and the receivers that the Dash made simple vertical passes so effective in the first half. Everything clicked offensively for Houston, as it scored five goals from an XG of just 1.70 and six shots on Orlando's goal.

If Amanda Cromwell had hoped to use half time as a way to turn the fortunes of her team, then that belief that things could change for the Floridans only lasted four minutes.

The Pride head coach attempted to stop the bleeding by removing defenders Jónsdóttir and Toni Pressely at half time and switching her team's formation.. But not long after the break, Prince completed her historic hat trick with arguably the most distinguished and technical finish of the night.

Shea Groom got in in on the action attacking Jónsdóttir's replacement Julie Doyle on the left wing. The Dash midfielder broke free in the box and tucked the ball behind to a wide open Prince. With one stroke of her left boot, she gracefully sent the ball on a trajectory to the top right hand corner beyond the reach of McLeod.

"Orlando changed their shape to a 3-5-2 to match us in the second half. We absorbed some pressure for sure. We got other people in, and got them some minutes which was also massive tonight," said acting Dash head coach Sarah Lowdon about how her team handled the match after half time. 

Even with another 40 minutes plus stoppages still left to play, the match was well beyond doubt. With a four goal lead, Houston coyly began to come back to earth.

But there was still enough time for two more roars to come from the 6,073 people at PNC Stadium. In the 81st minute Prince was removed to a raucous standing ovation, Joelle Anderson came on in her place. 

"Our fan group is growing, the stands are starting to fill up more than in the past. To get a home win will help get more people out and watch the Dash. I was really happy to get a solid win the fans could be proud of," said Prince. 

In the 87th minute, substitute Michelle Alozie scored the first professional goal of her career on a breakaway move. Groom resumed her role as provider, assisting for Alozie's goal. The Dash midfielder slipped a low through ball behind the Pride backline. 

"To get the shutout is huge," said Lowdon. "The first thing I said when i talked to the team. It's a great result for us. Some milestones we've reached, 101 games for Rachel [Daly], fist hat trick for Nichelle [Prince], Michelle [Alozie] gets her first goal...but we also need to celebrate the defense."

The win surges Houston up to second in the NWSL standings at the final whistle and extends its unbeaten run to five matches. On short rest the Dash will soon head out to Los Angeles on Sunday to get ready for a match against Angel City FC on Tuesday night. The match will be the first-ever meeting between the two teams.