2008 USL W-League season

USL W-League
Season 2008
Champions Pali Blues
← 2007
2009 →

The 2008 W-League Season was the league's 14th. The regular season began on May 10, 2008, and ended on July 20.

Pali Blues finished the season as national champions, beating FC Indiana 2-1 in the W-League Championship game in Virginia Beach, Virginia on 2 August 2008.

The Pali Blues also finished with the best regular season record in the league, winning all 12 of their matches, and finishing with a +35 goal difference.

Atlanta Silverbacks Women's striker Sarah Steinmann was the league's top scorer, with 19 goals. FC Indiana's Laura Del Rio led the league with 13 assists, while Pali Blues goalkeeper Valerie Henderson enjoyed the best goalkeeping statistics, with a goals-against average of 0.142 per game, and posting 6 shutouts.

Changes from 2007 season

Nine teams were added for the season:

Team Name Metro Area Location Previous Affiliation
North Carolina Carolina Dynamo Greensboro area Greensboro, NC expansion
North Carolina Carolina RailHawks Research Triangle area Cary, NC expansion
Connecticut Connecticut Passion Hartford and New Haven areas Berlin, CT expansion
Indiana FC Indiana Indianapolis area Indianapolis, IN previously in WPSL
Michigan Kalamazoo Outrage Kalamazoo area Kalamazoo, MI expansion
California Los Angeles Legends suburban Los Angeles area Azusa, CA expansion
California Pali Blues Los Angeles area Los Angeles, CA expansion
Florida Tampa Bay Hellenic Tampa Bay area Tampa, FL expansion
West Virginia West Virginia Illusion Morgantown/North-Central West Virginia areas Fairmont, WV expansion

Three teams folded after the 2007 season: Mile High Edge, and San Diego Sunwaves. Cocoa Expos Women left the league for the WPSL.

Standings

Orange indicates W-League title and bye into W-League semifinals.
Blue indicates division title clinched
Green indicates playoff berth clinched

Central Conference

Midwest Division

Place Team P W L T GF GA GD Points
1 FC Indiana 14 13 0 1 67 3 +64 40
2 Chicago Gaels 14 11 3 0 39 9 +30 33
3 Minnesota Lightning 14 9 3 2 32 19 +13 29
4 Cleveland Internationals Women 14 8 4 2 31 23 +8 26
5 Michigan Hawks 14 4 9 1 12 33 -21 13
6 Kalamazoo Outrage 14 2 10 2 6 36 -30 8
7 Fort Wayne Fever * 13 2 10 1 16 39 -23 7
8 West Michigan Firewomen * 13 1 11 1 11 52 -41 4

* Fort Wayne and West Michigan did not play each other a second time, as the game could not be rescheduled before July 20 and would not affect the playoffs.

Northern Division

Place Team P W L T GF GA GD Points
1 Ottawa Fury Women 14 13 1 0 51 7 +44 39
2 Toronto Lady Lynx 14 11 2 1 40 14 +26 34
3 Laval Comets 14 9 4 1 39 17 +22 28
4 Rochester Rhinos Women 14 6 6 2 18 33 -14 20
5 Hamilton Avalanche 14 5 6 3 19 21 -2 18
6 Western Mass Lady Pioneers 14 3 9 2 18 34 -16 11
7 London Gryphons 14 3 9 2 15 35 -20 11
8 Vermont Lady Voltage 14 0 13 1 5 44 -39 1

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

Place Team P W L T GF GA GD Points
1 Atlanta Silverbacks Women 14 13 0 1 50 6 +44 40
2 Charlotte Lady Eagles 14 11 2 1 44 13 +31 34
3 Tampa Bay Hellenic 14 8 4 2 27 16 +11 26
4 Hampton Roads Piranhas 14 7 6 1 29 19 +9 22
5 Carolina RailHawks 14 7 6 1 22 17 +5 22
6 Richmond Kickers Destiny 14 6 8 0 18 28 -10 18
7 Carolina Dynamo 14 4 8 2 23 30 -7 14
8 Bradenton Athletics 14 2 12 0 11 52 -41 6
9 West Virginia Illusion 14 1 13 0 6 46 -40 3

Northeast Division

Place Team P W L T GF GA GD Points
1 Washington Freedom 14 11 1 2 32 7 +25 35
2 Long Island Rough Riders 14 9 3 2 28 13 +15 29
3 Boston Renegades 14 9 3 2 32 12 +20 29
4 Jersey Sky Blue 14 8 4 2 14 10 +4 26
5 Connecticut Passion 14 7 5 2 24 23 +1 23
6 Northern Virginia Majestics 14 3 6 5 17 23 -6 14
7 New York Magic 14 3 7 4 14 23 -9 13
8 New Jersey Wildcats 14 2 10 2 17 35 -18 8
9 Fredericksburg Lady Gunners 14 0 13 1 5 37 -32 1

Western Conference

Place Team P W L T GF GA GD Points
1 Pali Blues 12 12 0 0 39 4 +35 36
2 Vancouver Whitecaps Women 12 7 2 3 21 18 +3 24
3 Seattle Sounders Women 12 5 3 4 19 11 +8 19
4 Real Colorado Cougars 12 5 4 3 15 19 -4 18
5 Fort Collins Force 12 3 6 3 15 19 -4 12
6 Los Angeles Legends 12 1 9 2 11 26 -15 5
7 Ventura County Fusion 12 1 10 1 9 32 -23 4

Playoffs

Format

Five teams each from the Central and Eastern Conferences, and two from the Western Conference, qualify for the playoffs.

In the Central Conference, the second and third place teams from the Northern Division play a one-leg playoff with the winner advancing to the Conference Semifinals, where they will play the Midwest Division champion. The other semifinal will have the second place team from the Midwest Division playing the Northern Division champion.

In the Eastern Conference, the second and third place teams from the Northeast Division play a one-leg playoff with the winner andvancing to play the Atlantic Division champion. The other semifinal will have the second place team from the Atlantic Division playing the Northeast Division champion.

The two teams in the Western Conference will play each other to advance to the W-League Semifinals.

The Regular Season champion, Pali Blues, receive a bye into the W-League semifinals, with the second and third place teams from the Western Conference receiving playoff berths.

Conference Brackets

Central Conference

  Central Divisional Round     Central Semifinals     Central Championship
                           
        MW1 Indiana FC Indiana 5  
  NO2 Ontario Toronto Lady Lynx 0     NO3 Quebec Laval Comets 1    
  NO3 Quebec Laval Comets 2         MW1 Indiana FC Indiana (AET) 4
      NO1 Ontario Ottawa Fury Women 3
        NO1 Ontario Ottawa Fury Women 3    
        MW2 Illinois Chicago Gaels 2  

Eastern Conference

  Eastern Divisional Round     Eastern Semifinals     Eastern Championship
                           
        AT1 Georgia (U.S. state) Atlanta Silverbacks Women 1  
  NE2 New York (state) Long Island Rough Riders 1     NE2 New York (state) Long Island Rough Riders 0    
  NE3 Massachusetts Boston Renegades 0         AT1 Georgia (U.S. state) Atlanta Silverbacks Women 1
      NE1 Washington, D.C. Washington Freedom (AET) 2
        NE1 Washington, D.C. Washington Freedom (AET) 6    
        AT2 North Carolina Charlotte Lady Eagles 5  

Western Conference

Western Finals
   
W1 British Columbia Vancouver Whitecaps Women 0
W2 Washington (state) Seattle Sounders Women 1

Pali captured the W-League regular season title and bye into W-League semifinals, enabling Vancouver to take their spot in the Conference Playoffs, and allowing Seattle to clinch a playoff berth.

W-League Championship Bracket

  Semifinal            
  WL California Pali Blues 2  
  NE1 Washington, D.C. Washington Freedom 0   Championship
      WL California Pali Blues 2
  Semifinal   MW1 Indiana FC Indiana 1
  MW1 Indiana FC Indiana 1
  W2 Washington (state) Seattle Sounders Women 0   Consolation
    NE1 Washington, D.C. Washington Freedom 2
    W1 Washington (state) Seattle Sounders Women 0

Divisional Rounds

July 23, 2008
7:30 ET
Quebec Laval Comets 2 – 0 Ontario Toronto Lady Lynx
Gagné  8'  40'
Walsh Red card 89'		 (Report) Chapman YC 40' Red card 89'
Afonso YC 66'
Centennial Park Stadium
Toronto, Ontario
Attendance: 344
Referee: Michael Izzo (CAN)

Conference Semifinals

July 25, 2008
4:00 ET
Illinois Chicago Gaels 2 – 3 Ontario Ottawa Fury Women
Mutters YC 12'
Spacht  26'
Trevillian YC 74'
Maynard  89' (PK)		 (Report) Taylor  12'  62' (PK)
Powell  15'
Varsity Soccer Complex
West Lafayette, Indiana
Attendance: 50
Referee: Tony Deldis (USA)

July 25, 2008
5:00 ET
North Carolina Charlotte Lady Eagles 5 – 6
(AET) 		Washington, D.C. Washington Freedom
Rife  11'
Schmedes  29'
Murphy  59'  107'
Lyons  66'		 (Report) Welsh  2'  16'  103'
Keller  22'
Moros  70' (PK)
Janss  97'
RE/MAX Greater Atlanta Stadium
Atlanta, Georgia
Attendance: 152
Referee: William Deland (USA)

July 25, 2008
6:30 ET
Quebec Laval Comets 1 – 5 Indiana FC Indiana
Gagné  55' (PK) (Report) Hamel  14'
Sesselmann  16'  25' YC 27'
Parker  63'
Phewa  72'
Varsity Soccer Complex
West Lafayette, Indiana
Attendance: 128
Referee: Andrew Scott (USA)

July 25, 2008
8:00 ET
New York (state) Long Island Rough Riders 0 – 1 Georgia (U.S. state) Atlanta Silverbacks Women
Fitzgerald (coach) Red card 82'
Speck YC 90'		 (Report) Latham  51'
Buff YC 70'
Harbrueger YC 90'
RE/MAX Greater Atlanta Stadium
Atlanta, Georgia
Attendance: 485
Referee: Patrick Baker (USA)

Conference Finals

July 26, 2008
8:00 ET
Washington, D.C. Washington Freedom 2 – 1
(AET) 		Georgia (U.S. state) Atlanta Silverbacks Women
Golebiowski YC 48'
Welsh  77' YC 90'
Andrzejewski  118'		 (Report) Bobo YC 16'
Latham  23'
Phillips YC 73'
RE/MAX Greater Atlanta Stadium
Atlanta, Georgia
Attendance: 428
Referee: Tony Russo (USA)

July 27, 2008
6:30 ET
Ontario Ottawa Fury Women 3 – 4
(AET) 		Indiana FC Indiana
Kennedy YC 27'
Milyak  53' (OG)
Hance  65'
Avner YC 85'
Taylor  116' (PK)
Raber YC 120'		 (Report) Sesselmann  15'
Nault YC 63'
Del Rio  90+2'  96'
Phewa  101'

W-League Semifinals

July 31, 2008
5:00 PM ET
Washington (state) Seattle Sounders Women 0 – 1 Indiana FC Indiana
Phewa YC 16'
Leyva  87'
Foster Field
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Referee: Debbie Coleman (USA)

July 31, 2008
8:00 PM ET
Washington, D.C. Washington Freedom 0 – 2 California Pali Blues
Welsh YC 76' Adams  26'  82'
Foster Field
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Attendance: 427
Referee: Meredith Hackett (USA)

W-League Third-Place Game

August 2, 2008
4:30 PM ET
Washington (state) Seattle Sounders Women 0 – 2 Washington, D.C. Washington Freedom
Welsh  11' YC 40'
Huffman YC 76'
Andrzejewski  86'
Foster Field
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Referee: Shawn Fitch (USA)

W-League Finals

August 2, 2008
7:30 PM ET
Indiana FC Indiana 1 – 2 California Pali Blues
O'Rourke  47' Wilson YC 49'
LePeilbet  83'
Pasqui  88'
Foster Field
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Attendance: 558
Referee: Sandra Serafini (USA)

References

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