2008 USL W-League season

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

USL W-League
Season2008
ChampionsPali Blues
← 2007
2009 →

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

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[lower-alpha 1]
8 West Michigan Firewomen 13 1 11 1 11 52 −41 4[lower-alpha 1]
Source:
Notes:
  1. 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
Source:

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
Source:

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
Source:

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
Source:

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 Indiana FC Indiana 5
NO3 Quebec Laval Comets 1
NO2 Ontario Toronto Lady Lynx 0
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 0
NE2 New York (state) Long Island Rough Riders 1
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
Semifinals Championship
      
WL California Pali Blues 2
NE1 Washington, D.C. Washington Freedom 0
WL California Pali Blues 2
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
Massachusetts Boston Renegades0 – 1New York (state) Long Island Rough Riders
(Report) DeRosa
Attendance: 387
Referee: Samir Souidi (USA)
Quebec Laval Comets2 – 0Ontario Toronto Lady Lynx
Gagné 8' 40'
Walsh Red card 89'		 (Report) Chapman Yellow card 40' Red card 89'
Afonso Yellow card 66'
Attendance: 344
Referee: Michael Izzo (CAN)

Conference semifinals
Illinois Chicago Gaels2 – 3Ontario Ottawa Fury Women
Mutters Yellow card 12'
Spacht 26'
Trevillian Yellow card 74'
Maynard 89' (PK)		 (Report) Taylor 12' 62' (PK)
Powell 15'
Attendance: 50
Referee: Tony Deldis (USA)
North Carolina Charlotte Lady Eagles5 – 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'
Attendance: 152
Referee: William Deland (USA)
Quebec Laval Comets1 – 5Indiana FC Indiana
Gagné 55' (PK) (Report) Hamel 14'
Sesselmann 16' 25' Yellow card 27'
Parker 63'
Phewa 72'
Attendance: 128
Referee: Andrew Scott (USA)
New York (state) Long Island Rough Riders0 – 1Georgia (U.S. state) Atlanta Silverbacks Women
Fitzgerald (coach) Red card 82'
Speck Yellow card 90'		 (Report) Latham 51'
Buff Yellow card 70'
Harbrueger Yellow card 90'
Attendance: 485
Referee: Patrick Baker (USA)

Conference finals
Washington (state) Seattle Sounders Women1 – 0British Columbia Vancouver Whitecaps Women
Baysa 67' Yellow card 84' (Report)
Attendance: 4,991
Referee: Darci Kurse (USA)
Washington, D.C. Washington Freedom2 – 1
(AET)		Georgia (U.S. state) Atlanta Silverbacks Women
Golebiowski Yellow card 48'
Welsh 77' Yellow card 90'
Andrzejewski 118'		 (Report) Bobo Yellow card 16'
Latham 23'
Phillips Yellow card 73'
Attendance: 428
Referee: Tony Russo (USA)
Ontario Ottawa Fury Women3 – 4
(AET)		Indiana FC Indiana
Kennedy Yellow card 27'
Milyak 53' (OG)
Hance 65'
Avner Yellow card 85'
Taylor 116' (PK)
Raber Yellow card 120'		 (Report) Sesselmann 15'
Nault Yellow card 63'
Del Rio 90+2' 96'
Phewa 101'
Referee: (USA)

W-League Semifinals
Washington (state) Seattle Sounders Women0 – 1Indiana FC Indiana
Phewa Yellow card 16'
Leyva 87'
Referee: Debbie Coleman (USA)
Washington, D.C. Washington Freedom0 – 2California Pali Blues
Welsh Yellow card 76' Report Adams 26' 82'
Attendance: 427
Referee: Meredith Hackett (USA)

W-League Third-Place Game
Washington (state) Seattle Sounders Women0 – 2Washington, D.C. Washington Freedom
Welsh 11' Yellow card 40'
Huffman Yellow card 76'
Andrzejewski 86'
Referee: Shawn Fitch (USA)

W-League Finals
Indiana FC Indiana1 – 2California Pali Blues
O'Rourke 47' Wilson Yellow card 49'
LePeilbet 83'
Pasqui 88'
Attendance: 558
Referee: Sandra Serafini (USA)

References
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