[**Sam Kerr**](https://www.nwslsoccer.com/players/sam-kerr) exploded for the Chicago Red Stars on Saturday night, scoring twice and earning an assist to lead her team to a 3-1 victory over the Orlando Pride at Orlando City Stadium in Orlando, Florida.The loss for the Pride knocks them out of the playoff race and drops them to 8-9-6 and 30 points. The Red Stars keep their playoff hopes alive and improve to 8-4-10 and 34 points. The win for the Red Stars snaps their three-game tie streak and puts them in fourth place in the league standings, leaping over Utah Royals FC. They are unbeaten in their last six games. Kerr took the lead in the Golden Boot race on Saturday night and now has 14 goals on the season. She opened up scoring for the Red Stars in the 44th minute and then chipped in an assist to [**Vanessa DiBernardo**](https://www.nwslsoccer.com/players/vanessa-di-bernardo) in the 46th minute. Kerr’s second goal of the night came in the 59th minute. Orlando Pride forward [**Alex Morgan**](https://www.nwslsoccer.com/players/alex-morgan) got one back for her team in the 65th minute. Orlando Pride goalkeeper [**Ashlyn Harris**](https://www.nwslsoccer.com/players/ashlyn-harris) had her work cut out for her on the night and came up with her first big save of the night in the 26th minute, denying Chicago Red Stars midfielder [**Alyssa Mautz**](https://www.nwslsoccer.com/players/alyssa-mautz)’s shot. [Empty Body] Kerr continued to sniff for the goal in the first half and Harris made a huge kick-save in the 30th minute to deny Kerr’s one-v-one chance. [Empty Body] Pride defender [**Carson Pickett**](https://www.nwslsoccer.com/players/carson-pickett) had Orlando’s best offensive chance in the first half striking one on frame from a distance, but Red Stars goalkeeper [**Alyssa Naeher**](https://www.nwslsoccer.com/players/alyssa-naeher) made the stop to keep it scoreless in Orlando. Kerr scored her 13th goal of the season in the 44th minute, breaking down the Pride’s backline and then slipping one far post past Harris for the 1-0 lead. [Empty Body] In the first minute of first half stoppage time, Kerr played DiBernardo a pass back to the top of the box and DiBernardo hit it one-time past Harris for the 2-0 lead before the half. [Empty Body] In the second half, Pride defender **[Ali Krieger](https://www.nwslsoccer.com/players/ali-krieger)** made a recovery run and denied a dangerous Chicago chance in the box. She managed to beat Nagasato to the goal and made a crucial stop to keep the game within two. [Empty Body] Kerr wasn’t done yet, and in the 59th minute stole the ball from Pride defender [**Alanna Kennedy**](https://www.nwslsoccer.com/players/alanna-kennedy) and slipped it past Harris for the 3-0 lead. Kerr finished the game with 10 shots and four key passes. [Empty Body] In the 65th minute, [**Marta**](https://www.nwslsoccer.com/players/marta) and Morgan combined to get one back for the Pride. With the ball on the left side, Marta sent a cross to the near post, finding Morgan’s head. Morgan flicked it past Naeher — her fifth goal of the season. [Empty Body] Harris made six saves in the loss and Naeher collected five. The Red Stars outshot the Pride 9-5. The Red Stars have two more games remaining on the season and will next face Sky Blue FC on September 4. The Pride will close out their season against Sky Blue FC on Saturday, September 8.

Match Highlights

Match Highlights