The second-year WNY forward tops the NWSL with 11 goals and 5 assists.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Western New York Flash forward Lynn Williams was honored Monday as the winner of 2016 NWSL Golden Boot, awarded to the player with the most goals during the regular season.
Williams, 23, finished the season with 11 goals in 19 appearances – tied for the league lead with Houston Dash forward Kealia Ohai. It was the first time in NWSL history that two players tied for the most goals in a season – with Williams edging Ohai for the Golden Boot thanks to her five assists compared to the Dash player’s four in 2016.
The Pepperdine University product scored seven more goals this year compared to the four she netted during her rookie season after she was the No. 6 overall selection in the 2015 NWSL College Draft.
The 11 goals for Williams represent more than 25 percent of her team’s goals on the year – with fellow forwards Jessica McDonald and Makenzy Doniak each assisting on four of her goals as Western New York became the third team in NWSL history to average two or more goals per game for an entire season. The Flash finished the year with 40 goals in 20 games (2.00 GPG) – just behind the 2014 Reign (2.08 GPG) and 2015 Reign (2.05 GPG).
The Fresno, Calif. native had two game-winning goals during the 2016 campaign. She scored against six of the nine other teams in the league, with her six goals against the Boston Breakers the most she scored against any single opponent – and accounting for more than half of her 11 goals on the season.