W-League Feature
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
TAMPA, Fla. – The W-League’s Central Conference had been for many years the domain of the Ottawa Fury, but in 2013 the Laval Comets made a brilliant run all the way to the W-League Championship title match. This season, both teams have reloaded with international talent and both K-W United and the Toronto Lady Lynx with also be looking to build on strong seasons.
K-W UNITED FC: United finished fourth, four points behind Toronto a season ago, but has returned a good number of its squad as it aims for a place in the postseason this summer. Forward Maxine Murchie is back looking to add to her four-goal haul a season ago, and she is joined by Emily Brown, who had 18 goals in 16 games for Wilfrid Laurier University to take Ontario University Athletics’ West Most Valuable Player award.
LAVAL COMETS: After a remarkable 2013 season the Comets have a strong squad set to defend their conference crown. Last season’s Coach of the Year, Cindy Walsh, will again have Goalkeeper of the Year Genevieve Richard behind her defense, and Canadian international Melissa Busque joins the side for the new season after earning an All-Western Conference selection for the Seattle Sounders Women. Joint-top scorer from last season Amy Pietrangelo also returns, but the biggest addition may be that of Busque’s international teammate Rhian Wilkinson, who played last season with the NWSL’s Boston Breakers and brings more than 150 international caps of experience.
LONDON GRYPHONS: The Gryphons finished winless at the bottom of the conference standings a season ago, and it will certainly be a challenge to find their way up the standings considering some of the opposition they will be facing this summer. The team’s two leading scorers from a season ago, Chantelle Campbell and Alex Charlebois, are both set to return, but the biggest key for the Gryphons will be improving a defense that conceded 24 goals in 12 games a year ago.
OTTAWA FURY: After losing their crown in 2013, the Fury have reloaded their squad impressively ahead of the new season. Among those joining the squad are former Toronto Lady Lynx standout and Canadian international Kadeisha Buchanan, who is one of five Canadian internationals to join the side. Fellow defensive standout Shelina Zadorsky returns after earning All-Conference honors a season ago, while former Washington Spirit player and U.S. U23 international Danielle Hubka also joins the side as it looks to make the Comets’ reign a short one.
QUEBEC DYNAMO ARSQ: Formerly the Quebec City Amiral, the Dynamo return for the new season with a new name and the goal of making a move up the standings. The side will be without Canadian international Josee Belanger, who made the jump to the Laval Comets, but does return last season’s leading scorer Kathleen Berube-Garneau. Also back is defender Melissa Roy, who played in every minute last season, and she will hope alongside new goalkeeper Charlotte Boudreau to improve a defense that gave up 22 goals in 2013.
TORONTO LADY LYNX: Toronto finished third in the conference last season, good for a place in the playoffs, but the Lady Lynx will aim to push on and try to challenge the Comets and Fury this summer. The squad includes Canadian U20 international Jade Kovacevic who made nine appearances in defense in 2013, but there are some absences from last year’s team, most notably that of All-League defender and Canadian international Kadeisha Buchanan, who has joined Ottawa for the new season. If Canadian U20 goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan and forward Nichelle Prince are also absent, that could make the gap the Lady Lynx are hoping to bridge a tricky one.