(In case you missed it on KSDK)…

If you didn’t know who Carli Lloyd was before Sunday evening, there’s a good chance you will know her name Monday morning. Yesterday, I had no idea who Lloyd was and then I turned the television on and saw her devastate Japan in the FIFA World Cup final. Suddenly, everyone will know Lloyd’s name. She set a World Cup record for fastest hat trick(netting #3 right past the 15 minute mark), and I am sure it will not be broken for a long time. It’s one thing for a team to score 4 quick goals in the World Cup game, but quite a historical event to see it done by one player.

When she isn’t doing amazing things on an international stage, the midfielder, a native of Delran Township, New Jesery, has played soccer for nine different teams, the latest being the Houston Dash. This isn’t the first time she has achieved national glory, as she was named, along with Tim Howard, The U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year in 2008. Lloyd scored her first World Cup goal in 2011 against Columbia and netted an assist and a successful penalty kick against Brazil yet missed a pivotal penalty kick against Japan that ended up giving the USA team the silver medal. One can say this beatdown of Japan brings a little retribution not only to the team but to Lloyd herself.

Lloyd is also an Olympic hero as well, putting on a show in the 2012 Summer Olympics. She scored four goals in the tournament, including both USA goals against Japan in the Gold Medal game. Two of the four goals were game winning goals. Clutch goals is what Lloyd does on a regular basis. (more…)