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 Sarah Hagen (Appleton North) and FC Milwaukee picked up right where they left off last summer.
The UW-Milwaukee standout forward had a hat trick as the Nationals thumped the Iowa Rush 4-0 Sunday in a Women's Premier Soccer League Midwest Conference North Division opener in Ankeny, Iowa.
University of Wisconsin forward Laurie Nosbusch (Mequon Homestead) added the other goal for FC Milwaukee, which advanced to the WPSL national semifinals in its first season in the league last year.
"I couldn't be happier. They did a great job," said FC Milwaukee assistant Monica White, who coached the team with head coach Christian Lavers attending U.S. Soccer meetings in New York. "They looked like they hadn't skipped a beat from last year."
Hagen, last season's Midwest Conference Player of the Year and a first-team All-WPSL selection, was named to the WPSL Team of the Week for her performance.
Marquette's Ally Miller (Mequon Homestead) and UW's Lindsey Johnson (Mequon Homestead) had assists, as did two of the Nationals' young newcomers – incoming Marquette freshman Mary Luba (Shorewood) and 16-year-old youth player Sarah Waters.
FC Milwaukee goalkeeper Monica Gonyo (Waukesha Catholic Memorial), who is headed to Loyola (Ill.) in the fall, didn't need to make a save in the shutout.
"I thought there were a couple missed opportunities, those first-game jitters type of opportunities that went by, but it was a great game," White said.
The Nationals have three matches this week: Tuesday night at Chicago Eclipse Select and home games against the Rush at 7 p.m. Saturday and newcomer Minnesota Kings FC at 4 p.m. Sunday in Germantown.
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Hagen likely will miss four FC Milwaukee matches as she leaves Saturday for Falun, Sweden, with the U.S. Under-23 national team. It's the final activity of the year for the Americans, who will take on their counterparts from Norway on June 17 and the Swedish Under-23 team on June 19 and 21. Hagen is tied for second on the team this year with three goals.
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