2008 USL W-League season
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 |
---|---|---|---|
![]() | Greensboro area | Greensboro, NC | expansion |
![]() | Research Triangle area | Cary, NC | expansion |
![]() | Hartford and New Haven areas | Berlin, CT | expansion |
![]() | Indianapolis area | Indianapolis, IN | previously in WPSL |
![]() | Kalamazoo area | Kalamazoo, MI | expansion |
![]() | suburban Los Angeles area | Azusa, CA | expansion |
![]() | Los Angeles area | Los Angeles, CA | expansion |
![]() | Tampa Bay area | Tampa, FL | expansion |
![]() | 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
Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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[a] |
8 | West Michigan Firewomen | 13 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 11 | 52 | −41 | 4[a] |
Notes:
- ^ a b 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
Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 | −15 | 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
Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 | +10 | 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
Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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
Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 advancing 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 | ![]() | 5 | ||||||||||||
NO3 | ![]() | 1 | ||||||||||||
NO2 | ![]() | 0 | ||||||||||||
NO3 | ![]() | 2 | ||||||||||||
MW1 | ![]() | 4 | ||||||||||||
NO1 | ![]() | 3 | ||||||||||||
NO1 | ![]() | 3 | ||||||||||||
MW2 | ![]() | 2 |
Eastern Conference
Eastern Divisional Round | Eastern Semifinals | Eastern Championship | ||||||||||||
AT1 | ![]() | 1 | ||||||||||||
NE2 | ![]() | 0 | ||||||||||||
NE2 | ![]() | 1 | ||||||||||||
NE3 | ![]() | 0 | ||||||||||||
AT1 | ![]() | 1 | ||||||||||||
NE1 | ![]() | 2 | ||||||||||||
NE1 | ![]() | 6 | ||||||||||||
AT2 | ![]() | 5 |
Western Conference
Western Finals | ||||
W1 | ![]() | 0 | ||
W2 | ![]() | 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
Semifinals | Championship | ||||||||
WL | ![]() | 2 | |||||||
NE1 | ![]() | 0 | |||||||
WL | ![]() | 2 | |||||||
MW1 | ![]() | 1 | |||||||
MW1 | ![]() | 1 | |||||||
W2 | ![]() | 0 | Consolation | ||||||
NE1 | ![]() | 2 | |||||||
W1 | ![]() | 0 |
Divisional Rounds
![]() | 0 – 1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
(Report) | DeRosa ![]() |
![]() | 2 – 0 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Gagné ![]() ![]() Walsh ![]() | (Report) | Chapman ![]() ![]() Afonso ![]() |
Conference semifinals
![]() | 2 – 3 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Mutters ![]() Spacht ![]() Trevillian ![]() Maynard ![]() | (Report) | Taylor ![]() ![]() Powell ![]() |
![]() | 5 – 6 (AET) | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Rife ![]() Schmedes ![]() Murphy ![]() ![]() Lyons ![]() | (Report) | Welsh ![]() ![]() ![]() Keller ![]() Moros ![]() Janss ![]() |
![]() | 1 – 5 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Gagné ![]() | (Report) | Hamel ![]() Sesselmann ![]() ![]() ![]() Parker ![]() Phewa ![]() |
![]() | 0 – 1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Fitzgerald (coach) ![]() Speck ![]() | (Report) | Latham ![]() Buff ![]() Harbrueger ![]() |
Conference finals
![]() | 1 – 0 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Baysa ![]() ![]() | (Report) |
![]() | 2 – 1 (AET) | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Golebiowski ![]() Welsh ![]() ![]() Andrzejewski ![]() | (Report) | Bobo ![]() Latham ![]() Phillips ![]() |
![]() | 3 – 4 (AET) | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Kennedy ![]() Milyak ![]() Hance ![]() Avner ![]() Taylor ![]() Raber ![]() | (Report) | Sesselmann ![]() Nault ![]() Del Rio ![]() ![]() Phewa ![]() |
W-League Semifinals
![]() | 0 – 1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Phewa ![]() Leyva ![]() |
Virginia Beach, Virginia
![]() | 0 – 2 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Welsh ![]() | Report | Adams ![]() ![]() |
W-League Third-Place Game
![]() | 0 – 2 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Welsh ![]() ![]() Huffman ![]() Andrzejewski ![]() |
Virginia Beach, Virginia
W-League Finals
![]() | 1 – 2 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
O'Rourke ![]() | Wilson ![]() LePeilbet ![]() Pasqui ![]() |
References
External links
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