Nia Christopher Scores Hat Trick, Earns Award
Bermuda’s Nia Christopher continues to be in top form, this time scoring a hat-trick for the Towson University women’s soccer team and also earning the CAA Offensive Player of the Week award.
In announcing the Bermudian footballer’s award, the CAA — a collegiate athletic conference made up of various East Coast universities — also noted that she is the leading goal scorer in the CAA, with a total of six goals so far this season.
The CAA said, “Christopher scored in the Tigers’ win over Temple before erupting for a hat trick and golden goal in Sunday’s victory at Mount St. Mary’s, providing all three goals in a 3-2 win in Emmitsburg. Christopher’s six goals lead the CAA and her 12 points through six contests rank second in the conference.”
Her University also announced her award win, saying, “A four-goal week for Nia Christopher makes the Bermuda native the Colonial Athletic Association [CAA] Offensive Player of the Week, announced by the league on Monday. This is Christopher’s first-ever conference weekly honor after earning All-CAA Second Team honors as a freshman in the spring. .
“The sophomore forward scored four goals this week, including the insurance score in a home win vs. Temple on Thursday. Yesterday, she earned the team’s first hat trick since Sept. 9, 2019, including a golden goal score in the final minute of the first overtime period at Mount St. Mary’s. As of Sept. 6, Christopher is the leading goal-scorer in the CAA with six, being the only league player to average a goal per game. ‘”
The award followed after her highly impressive showing during a recent match which saw her record a hat-trick.
The school’s match report said, “On a rainy afternoon in western Maryland, Nia Christopher took a through ball from Jasmine Hamid and buried a shot inside the left post in overtime to send the Towson University women’s soccer team to a 3-2 golden goal victory at Mount St. Mary’s.
“Towson [3-1-2] and Mount St. Mary’s [1-5] each scored goals in each half, with the Mount equalizing in the 83rd minute to force overtime. Christopher scored in the final minute of the first overtime period to win the game for the Tigers.
“Nia Christopher got up top the box on a pass from Pierre in the 20th minute. She took aim from 20 yards out and buried the ball in the upper left corner to put Towson ahead 1-0.
“Christopher nearly got the lead back for Towson in the 42nd minute off another long range shot, slamming the crossbar and going over the net. The two sides were tied 1-1 at the half.
“As Jasmine Hamid raced into the box in the 70th minute, a cross was blocked by a Mount player with her arm, resulting in a handball. Christopher put away the penalty kick left side to put Towson back ahead 2-1.
“Hamid had a perfect through ball to Christopher, who put away the shot in the left side with 37 seconds left in the first overtime, sending Towson to the 3-2 golden goal win.
“Nia Christopher earns her first-ever hat trick for Towson and first for the program since 2019. She notched goals in the 20th, 70th and 100th minutes.“
