Neagle named MLS Player of the Week

Lamar Neagle scores hat trick in record-setting win over Columbus.

NEW YORK – Seattle Sounders FC midfielder Lamar Neagle was voted Major League Soccer Player of the Week by the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) for Week 24 of the 2011 MLS season. Neagle scored three goals—only the second hat trick in club history-- in Seattle’s 6-2 victory over the Columbus Crew on Saturday on the Xbox Pitch at CenturyLink Field.

Neagle became the fourth Sounder to win Player of the Week this season. Mauro Rosales won the award for Week 18, Fredy Montero for Week 17 and Jeff Parke won it in Week 10.

Saturday’s win tied the MLS team record for goals scored in a first half (4) and established a Sounders FC standard for total goal scored. Neagle, 24, tied club records for earliest goal (4th minute) and goals in a match. Blaise Nkufo got the first Seattle hat trick in a 4-0 win at Columbus in 2010.

Sounders FC are unbeaten in their last four MLS games and have won four straight and are unbeaten in seven games across all competitions. They host FC Dallas in a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semifinal game on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. PT at Starfire Sports Stadium in Tukwila, Wash.

Rosales, FC Dallas midfielder Brek Shea and Columbus forward Jeff Cunningham, who broke the all-time MLS scoring record in the same match, also received first-place votes.

The MLS Player of the Week is selected each week of the regular season by a panel of journalists from NASR. The group consists of members of print, television, radio and online media. More information and membership information can be found at http://www.soccerreporters.com.