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Alex Morgan ties NWSL record with four goals in San Diego win

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Alex Morgan tied an NWSL record with four goals in San Diego's win Saturday. (Ray Acevedo/USA TODAY Sports)

San Diego Wave FC beat NJ/NY Gotham FC 4-0 Saturday night in their inaugural regular season home opener, thanks to a history-making performance from Alex Morgan.

Morgan scored four times in the win, tying the record for most goals scored by a single player in an NWSL game. Sam Kerr scored four for Sky Blue in 2017 while Kristen Hamilton had four for North Carolina in 2019.

The Wave midfielder also recorded 14 shots, breaking Lynn Williams’ record, which had stood at 13. Of those 14 shots, 13 came inside the box – another NWSL record.

San Diego totaled 29 shots inside the box, the highest total by any NWSL team.

The first goal Morgan scored, a penalty kick, was her fifth in eight games and first of the regular season.

“We couldn’t have asked for a better night for ourselves and for our city,” said Morgan, who was celebrating daughter Charlie’s birthday on Saturday. “There’s no doubt about it that I’m home.”

“They looked like they had fun tonight and that was so pleasing for me as a coach to see that they were having so much fun,” said Wave coach Casey Stoney. “Another clean sheet; I think we’ve got the best goalkeeper in the world.”