Barbra Banda's first-half hat trick propels Pride past Royals

Barbra Banda scored three first-half goals to propel the Orlando Pride to a 3-1 victory over the Utah Royals on Friday night in Sandy, Utah.

Banda earned the first hat trick in Orlando team history in less than 40 minutes, making it the fastest hat trick in NWSL history. It broke a three-game drought without a goal for Banda and moved her season tally to seven goals. The Pride also ended a three-game winless streak.

Orlando (6-3-1, 19 points) scored seven goals in two matches against Utah last season while conceding zero.

Brecken Mozingo scored a goal in her second consecutive match, accounting for the lone goal for Utah (1-7-2, 5 points).

Orlando struck first behind Banda's goal in the sixth minute. She one-touched a cross from Ally Watt at the top of the 6-yard box and blasted it inside the far post.

Utah leveled the score in the 13th minute with Mozingo's goal. Mozingo slipped behind the Pride defense and beat a defender one-on-one before burying the ball at the back post.

Banda put away the Royals after scoring a pair of goals a minute apart.

She gave Orlando the lead again in the 37th minute after forcing an errant pass and beating Mandy McGlynn one-on-one. Banda dribbled around the Utah keeper and buried the ball in an open net. Then, Banda made it 3-1 a minute later when she chased down a long pass from Haley McCutcheon and squeezed the ball inside the near post.

The Pride tallied nine shots before halftime, putting eight on frame.

--Field Level Media