Sophie Hirst
{{Short description|American soccer player (born 2000)}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Sophie Hirst
| image = NC Courage vs Houston Dash (Mar 2024) 025.jpg
| caption = Hirst with the Houston Dash in 2024
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2000|2|25}}{{cite web |url=https://us.women.soccerway.com/players/sophie-hirst/711911/ |title=S. HIRST |accessdate=July 31, 2024 |publisher=Perform Group}}
| height = 5 ft 8 in{{cite web |url=https://www.houstondynamofc.com/houstondash/players/sophie-hirst/ |title=Sophie Hirst |accessdate=July 31, 2024 |publisher=MLS}}
| position = Midfielder
| currentclub = Portland Thorns
| clubnumber = 14
| years1 = 2023–2024
| clubs1 = Houston Dash
| caps1 = 19
| goals1 = 1
| college1 = Harvard Crimson
| collegecaps1 = 60
| collegegoals1 = 10
| collegeyears1 = 2018–2022
| youthclubs1 = Crossfire Premier
| nationalyears1 = 2015–2016
| nationalteam1 = United States U16
| club-update = September 2, 2024
| years2 = 2024–
| clubs2 = Portland Thorns
| caps2 = 0
| goals2 = 0
| birth_place = Seattle, Washington, United States
}}
Sophie Hirst (born February 25, 2000) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Portland Thorns FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She played college soccer for the Harvard Crimson.
Early life
Hirst was born and raised in Seattle, Washington,{{Cite web |title=Sophie Hirst - Portland Thorns |url=https://www.thorns.com/players/sophie-hirst |access-date=2024-12-28 |website=www.thorns.com}} where she attended Seattle Prep for high school.{{Cite web |title=Sophie Hirst - 2022 - Women's Soccer |url=https://gocrimson.com/sports/womens-soccer/roster/sophie-hirst/25450 |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=Harvard University |language=en}} With Seattle Prep, Hirst played as a forward{{Cite web |date=2016-11-16 |title=Seattle Prep girls seek 3A girls soccer title repeat |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/high-school/seattle-prep-girls-seek-3a-girls-soccer-title-repeat/ |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=The Seattle Times |language=en-US}} and helped the soccer team win the 2015 state championship,{{Cite web |date=2016-09-05 |title=Girls soccer 3A preview: Sophie Hirst serious about leading Seattle Prep to repeat |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/high-school/girls-soccer-3a-preview-sophie-hirst-serious-about-leading-seattle-prep-to-repeat/ |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=The Seattle Times |language=en-US}} where she was named the MVP of the tournament. She was a three-year letterwinner for her school. Hirst played her club soccer for Crossfire Premier Soccer Club, where she helped the team to two consecutive top-three finishes in the ECNL National Finals.{{Cite web |title=Hawks, FC Dallas, Blues win ECNL titles {{!}} Club Soccer {{!}} Youth Soccer |url=https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/club-soccer-articles/hawks-fc-dallas-blues-win-ecnl-titles_aid42062 |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=TopDrawerSoccer.com |language=en}}
College career
Hirst played for the Harvard Crimson women's soccer team from 2018 to 2022. In her first year with Harvard, she appeared in 11 games and started all but one, contributing 3 goals and 3 assists to the team. Her first collegiate goal came on August 30, 2018, with Hirst netting a penalty kick in a 4–0 victory over Syracuse.{{Cite web |date=August 30, 2018 |title=Syracuse 2-2 -VS- Harvard 1-2 |url=https://ivyleague.com/boxscore.aspx?id=JcLFfL9RUu0H5ystoOMbjQ7A58QMysWHEEqi7hufVoTI16ISPxsV8Z%2BOa0ZKvNuKPMMP9TbOLpFLjoR2T14sHpDP7ush9LNGOJ6R%2F1w%2Fvh7O4h0b0ivvzjdjvnrbKi5N%2FMjDt9RSbxvfxMgNwq9Bi%2BEW9Xm8UHA1jsclkkrQZoUOVIEFMjml1tl9%2Fzu2Ghu2&path=wsoc |access-date=July 31, 2024 |website=Ivy League |publisher=Sidearm Sports}} The match was also Hirst's Harvard debut.
As a Sophomore, Hirst recorded 5 goals and 5 assists, receiving Second Team All-Ivy honors. She operated out of central midfield, helping Harvard tally 8 shutouts on the year. Hirst was also active offensively, scoring a college-high 5 goals and 5 assists. In 2020, the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Hirst returned in 2021 as a Senior and garnered 16 appearances, 14 of them starts. She was named to the All-Ivy First Team, stepping up from the Second-Team honor she earned in the prior season. In her senior season, Hirst was also elected as the team's co-captain, sharing duties with teammate Jillian Wachira.{{Cite web |date=2021-04-29 |title=Hirst, Wachira Elected Women's Soccer Team Captains for 2021 |url=https://gocrimson.com/news/2021/4/29/womens-soccer-hirst-wachira-elected-womens-soccer-team-captains-for-2021 |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=Harvard University |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Harvard women's soccer captains revealed for 2021-22 |url=https://www.soccerwire.com/news/harvard-womens-soccer-captains-revealed-for-2021-22/ |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=SoccerWire |language=en}} During her final year at Harvard, Hirst played in a career-high 17 of Harvard's games, starting in 16. She was an Academic All-Ivy honoree and was named to the All-Ivy First Team for the second year in a row.{{Cite web |date=2022-11-09 |title=Ivy League Announces Women's Soccer All-Ivy Teams, Major Awards |url=https://ivyleague.com/news/2022/11/9/ivy-league-announces-womens-soccer-major-awards.aspx |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=ivyleague.com |language=en}}
Hirst finished her college career with 60 games and 10 goals under her belt. She also shined academically, earning high grades throughout her Harvard career while studying neuroscience.{{Cite web |date=2023-01-12 |title=Sophie Hirst Selected No. 20 Overall By Houston Dash in NWSL Draft |url=https://gocrimson.com/news/2023/1/12/womens-soccer-sophie-hirst-selected-no-20-overall-by-houston-dash-in-nwsl-draft |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=Harvard University |language=en}}
Club career
= Houston Dash, 2023–2024 =
On January 12, 2023, Hirst was selected in the 2nd round of the 2023 NWSL Draft by the Houston Dash.{{Cite web |date=2023-01-13 |title=2023 NWSL Draft tracker: Complete list of picks as phenom Alyssa Thompson goes No. 1 to Angel City FC |url=https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/2023-nwsl-draft-tracker-complete-list-of-picks-as-phenom-alyssa-thompson-goes-no-1-to-angel-city-fc/live/ |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=CBSSports.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=NWSL |title=National Women's Soccer League Official Site |url=https://www.nwslsoccer.com/draft-results |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=NWSL |language=en}} She was the 20th overall pick and the second-ever Harvard Crimson player to be drafted into the National Women's Soccer League, behind Midge Purce in the 2017 Draft.{{Cite web |date=2023-01-12 |title=Sophie Hirst Selected No. 20 Overall By Houston Dash in NWSL Draft |url=https://gocrimson.com/news/2023/1/12/womens-soccer-sophie-hirst-selected-no-20-overall-by-houston-dash-in-nwsl-draft.aspx |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=Harvard University |language=en}} The Dash signed Hirst to her first professional contract on March 25, 2023.{{Cite web |last=FC |first=Houston Dynamo |title=Houston Dash announce draft pick signings {{!}} Houston Dynamo |url=https://www.houstondynamofc.com/houstondash/news/houston-dash-announce-draft-pick-signings |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=Houston Dynamo FC |language=en}}
Hirst made her debut and first start for the Dash on May 12, 2023 in a fixture against Portland Thorns FC. During the match, she made a crucial block and had a chance to score a goal in the first half.{{Cite web |last=FC |first=Houston Dynamo |title=Houston Dash put a thorn in Portland's undefeated record with a 2-1 win {{!}} Houston Dynamo |url=https://www.houstondynamofc.com/houstondash/news/houston-dash-put-a-thorn-in-portland-s-undefeated-record-with-a-2-1-win |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=Houston Dynamo FC |language=en}} Hirst nearly played a full 90 in her debut before being substituted off for teammate Havana Solaun.{{Cite web |title=Houston 2-1 Portland (May 12, 2023) Commentary |url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/commentary/_/gameId/665468 |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=ESPN |language=en}} Hirst notched her first professional goal three games later, scoring the opening goal in a 2–0 win over the Orlando Pride on June 3, 2023.{{Cite web |last=Montaño |first=Alvaro |date=June 3, 2023 |title=Sophie Hirst and Michelle Alozie send Dash past Pride |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/dynamo/article/houston-dash-orlando-pride-recap-18134189.php |access-date=July 31, 2024 |website=Houston Chronicle |publisher=Hearst Newspapers}} In the 6th minute of the match, Orlando goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse spilled the ball from a corner kick right to the feet of Hirst, who pounced upon the opportunity and kicked the ball into the net with the outside of her foot.{{Cite web |last=Rollins |first=Sean |date=2023-06-04 |title=Orlando Pride vs. Houston Dash: Final Score 2-0 as Pride Drop Second Straight |url=https://themaneland.com/2023/06/04/orlando-pride-vs-houston-dash-final-score-2-0-as-pride-drop-second-straight/ |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=themaneland.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=FC |first=Houston Dynamo |title=Houston leaves Orlando prideless with a 2-0 win {{!}} Houston Dynamo |url=https://www.houstondynamofc.com/houstondash/news/houston-leaves-orlando-prideless-with-a-2-0-win |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=Houston Dynamo FC |language=en}}
While Hirst did not score any other goals in 2023, she finished the season with 12 regular season games and 2 NWSL Challenge Cup games under her belt.{{Cite web |last=NWSL |title=National Women's Soccer League Official Site |url=https://www.nwslsoccer.com/players/faf778a5cecc4e5e995574a0ba47a808/sophie-hirst/index |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=NWSL |language=en}} Following Hirst's performance in her rookie season, the Dash decided to exercise Hirst's contract option, keeping her in Houston.{{Cite web |last=FC |first=Houston Dynamo |title=Houston Dash announce end of season roster decisions {{!}} Houston Dynamo |url=https://www.houstondynamofc.com/houstondash/news/houston-dash-announce-end-of-season-roster-decisions |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=Houston Dynamo FC |language=en}} During 2024, Hirst appeared in 7 games for the Houston Dash, starting 3.
= Portland Thorns, 2024– =
On September 2, 2024, the Dash traded Hirst to Portland Thorns FC in exchange for a conditional $10,000 in intra-league transfer funds and $25,000 in allocation money.{{Cite web |title=Portland Thorns FC Acquire Midfielder Sophie Hirst - Portland Thorns |url=https://www.thorns.com/news/portland-thorns-fc-acquire-midfielder-sophie-hirst |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=www.thorns.com}} She made her club debut two days later in a CONCACAF W Champions Cup victory over Club América.{{Cite web |title=Thorns kick off the 2024 CONCACAF W Champions Cup with a 3-1 win vs Club America - Portland Thorns |url=https://www.thorns.com/news/thorns-kick-off-the-2024-concacaf-w-champions-cup-with-a-3-1-win-vs-club-america |access-date=2024-12-28 |website=www.thorns.com}} After her first season with the Thorns, Hirst signed a contract extension with the club lasting through 2026.{{Cite web |title=Portland Thorns FC Extend Midfielder Sophie Hirst - Portland Thorns |url=https://www.thorns.com/news/portland-thorns-fc-extend-midfielder-sophie-hirst |access-date=2024-12-28 |website=www.thorns.com}}
International career
Hirst played for the United States U-16 women's national soccer team, receiving call-ups in 2015 and 2016.{{Cite web |title=Sophie Hirst |url=https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/club-player-profile/sophie-hirst/pid-10031728 |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=TopDrawerSoccer.com |language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{sports links}}
- [https://www.thorns.com/players/sophie-hirst Sophie Hirst] at Portland Thorns FC
{{Portland Thorns FC squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hirst, Sophie}}
Category:American women's soccer players
Category:Women's association football midfielders
Category:Harvard Crimson women's soccer players
Category:Houston Dash draft picks
Category:National Women's Soccer League players
Category:United States women's youth international soccer players
Category:Soccer players from Seattle