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After a headline-making week that included three goals and 180 minutes of near-flawless soccer, Breakers forward Sydney Leroux earned NWSL Player of the Week honors. The week 13 winner also claimed the award after a strong showing in week four, becoming the third Breakers player to earn that recognition; midfielder Heather O'Reilly and forward Lianne Sanderson received the award in previous weeks.
On Wednesday, Leroux rescued the Breakers after a lackluster team performance, slotting home a 63rd minute equalizer to earn a point on the road. Saturday's highly-anticipated matchup with Portland again provided room for Leroux to shine, as the U.S. International scored twice in a 2-0 rout of the Thorns. Leroux's first goal arrived when the Scottsdale, Ariz. native ripped a low shot from the top of the arc, beating outstretched goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc; her second followed a perfectly-paced through ball from O'Reilly, enabling Leroux to race past Portland's back line and beat LeBlanc once more.
Now sitting alone atop the NWSL table with 10 goals, Leroux has become a national sensation, taking the league by storm after a mid-June return from international duty. The red-hot forward has led the way during Boston's recent resurgence; the Breakers' three-game unbeaten streak now places them just four points out of playoff contention.
On Saturday, the Breakers will make a run at top-ranked Sky Blue FC, providing Leroux and co. with another opportunity make national noise. Stay tuned for full match coverage and analysis.