USL News Release
Monday, July 25, 2011
TAMPA, Fla. – The field for the 2011 USL PDL Playoffs has been set after the Des Moines Menace and Victoria Highlanders became the final two teams to clinch their berths in the tournament’s field of 20 with victories on Sunday night. With 2010 PDL champion the Portland Timbers U-23s missing out on the postseason, a new champion will be crowned for the eighth consecutive season.
The playoffs will begin on Tuesday night as eight teams face conference quarterfinals to the tournament’s main bracket. A pair of division champions will be crowned as the MPS Portland Phoenix host the New Hampshire Phantoms for the Northeast Division title at Deering High School at 8:15 p.m. while the Carolina Dynamo will host the Northern Virginia Royals at MacPherson Stadium at 7 p.m. for the South Atlantic Division title.
Also meeting in the conference quarterfinals will be the Mid Atlantic Division’s Reading United and Jersey Express, who will meet at Reading’s Exeter High School for the second berth from their division to join the Long Island Rough Riders, and the Chicago Fire Premier and Forest City London, who will meet at Chicago’s Toyota Park Turf Field for the second berth from the Great Lakes Division.
The Conference Championship weekend will then begin on Friday night in four locations. The Eastern Conference Championship will be hosted by the Long Island Rough Riders, with the championship game being scheduled for Saturday evening at 5 p.m.
The Central Conference Championship will be hosted by the Michigan Bucks, who will face the Des Moines Menace in the opening round on Friday night before the championship game at 8 p.m.
The Southern Conference Championship will be hosted by the Mississippi Brilla FC, who will meet the Chivas El Paso Patriots on Friday night before the championship game against either the Central Florida Kraze and Laredo Heat on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. CDT.
The Western Conference Championship will be hosted by the Fresno Fuego, who will face the Victoria Highlanders on Saturday afternoon with the Kitsap Pumas and Ventura County Fusion meeting in the first semifinal before Sunday’s championship game.
The 2011 PDL Championships will be held on August 5-6, 2011 at a location to be announced following this week’s Conference Championship weekend.