W-League News Release
Friday, July 5, 2013
TAMPA, Fla. – The W-League enters the penultimate weekend of the season this weekend with a packed schedule and more than half the teams alive in the chase for the W-League Playoffs that begin in two weeks. Action from coast to coast could bring clarity to the playoff picture, or could set up a thrilling final weekend where every result will matter as the regular season hurtles down the home stretch.
NORTHEASTERN CONFERENCE
The two teams that will contest the Northeastern Conference Championship could be set this weekend with the Virginia Beach Piranhas and Long Island Rough Riders set to meet in the big game of the weekend on Saturday night at Long Island’s Cy Donnelly Stadium. The Piranhas currently sit first in the standings, and can secure their place in the postseason with a point against the Rough Riders.
Long Island, on the other hand, needs a victory to try and bridge the gap to the second-place Washington Spirit Reserves. Should the Rough Riders fall, and the Spirit Reserves take victory, Long Island would be eliminated from contention from the postseason, and the Piranhas and Spirit Reserves would battle for the right to host the conference championship game.
SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE
The Dayton Dutch Lions have been the surprise story of the W-League season, and can close in on a place in the playoffs as they hit the road this weekend for a pair of games. Standing in their way, however, are two of the perennial powerhouses in the W-League, with the Charlotte Lady Eagles and Atlanta Silverbacks both harboring playoff aspirations of their own.
Dayton opens on Friday night with a contest against the Lady Eagles at 7:30 p.m. ET (USLNation.com), with the Eagles sitting two points behind the first-place Dutch Lions with two games to play. Atlanta then plays host to Dayton on Sunday afternoon as it enters the weekend three points back. The Dutch Lions could clinch a place in the playoffs, and even the right to host the conference championship, with the right results, but could also be on the outside looking in should Charlotte and Atlanta both win.
CENTRAL CONFERENCE
The Central Conference race has been fought between three teams for much of the season, but K-W United could make it a four-horse race this weekend as it faces a pair of key contests against London and Laval. Currently sitting seven points out of the second playoff position in the conference, currently held by Laval, K-W opened up its week with a 2-1 win against the Toronto Lady Lynx, and faces London on Friday night knowing a win would set up a big game on Sunday against the Comets.
Sunday’s game will also be a key one for Laval, regardless of K-W’s result on Friday night, as first-place Ottawa and third-place Toronto both host Quebec City, which has just one win this season. With the Fury and Lynx both looking set for three points, the Comets would need to win to hold onto second with two games remaining.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
After both the Seattle Sounders Women and Pali Blues fell a weekend ago, both will be looking to bounce back this weekend as they face key home contests while hoping to keep the LA Strikers at arm’s length in the race for the playoffs. The Sounders Women face a Santa Clarita Blue Heat side it defeated 2-1 earlier this season on Friday night at 7 p.m. PT (USLNation.com), while Pali is also in action on Friday as it faces the Colorado Rush.
Pali, which sits a point behind the Sounders with a game in hand, could take top spot in the conference on Sunday as it hosts a Bay Area Breeze side that has struggled in its first W-League season. Should the Blues slip up in either contest, however, the door could open up for the LA Strikers, who will try to build off their win against Pali last week as they host the Rush in their final home game of the season.
The Colorado Rapids Women have won their past four outings to remain mathematically alive, though they will need help to stay in the race as they trail Pali by two points with only one game remaining.