2008 USL W-League season

August 2023 USL W-League 2008 Regular Season title Pali Blues (1st Title) Pali Blues (1st Title) USA Sarah Steinmann Atlanta Silverbacks Women (19 Goals) USA Valerie Henderson Pali Blues 279 961 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 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 Central Conference Midwest Division main WDL Q y y IND FC Indiana CHI Chicago Gaels MIN Minnesota Lightning CIW Cleveland Internationals Women MIC Michigan Hawks KAL Kalamazoo Outrage FWF Fort Wayne Fever WMF West Michigan Firewomen 13 0 1 67 3 11 3 0 39 9 9 3 2 32 19 8 4 2 31 23 4 9 1 12 33 2 10 2 6 36 2 10 1 16 39 1 11 1 11 52 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. FWF #ADD8E6 A #ccffcc B complete Northern Division main WDL Q y y OTT Ottawa Fury Women TOR Toronto Lady Lynx LAV Laval Comets RRW Rochester Rhinos Women HAM Hamilton Avalanche WMP Western Mass Lady Pioneers LON London Gryphons VLV Vermont Lady Voltage 13 1 0 51 7 11 2 1 40 14 9 4 1 39 17 6 6 2 18 33 5 6 3 19 21 3 9 2 18 34 3 9 2 15 35 0 13 1 5 44 #ADD8E6 A #ccffcc B B complete Eastern Conference Atlantic Division main WDL Q y y ASW Atlanta Silverbacks Women CHE Charlotte Lady Eagles TBH Tampa Bay Hellenic HRP Hampton Roads Piranhas CRH Carolina RailHawks RKD Richmond Kickers Destiny CDY Carolina Dynamo BRA Bradenton Athletics WVI West Virginia Illusion 13 0 1 50 6 11 2 1 44 13 8 4 2 27 16 7 6 1 29 19 7 6 1 22 17 6 8 0 18 28 4 8 2 23 30 2 12 0 11 52 1 13 0 6 46 #ADD8E6 A #ccffcc B complete Northeast Division main WDL Q y y WFR Washington Freedom LIR Long Island Rough Riders BOS Boston Renegades JSB Jersey Sky Blue CON Connecticut Passion NVM Northern Virginia Majestics NYM New York Magic NJW New Jersey Wildcats FLG Fredericksburg Lady Gunners 11 1 2 32 7 9 3 2 28 13 9 3 2 32 12 8 4 2 14 10 7 5 2 24 23 3 6 5 17 23 3 7 4 14 23 2 10 2 17 35 0 13 1 5 37 #ADD8E6 A #ccffcc B B complete Western Conference main WDL Q y y LAB Pali Blues VWW Vancouver Whitecaps Women SEA Seattle Sounders Women RCC Real Colorado Cougars FCF Fort Collins Force LAL Los Angeles Legends VCF Ventura County Fusion 12 0 0 39 4 7 2 3 21 18 5 3 4 19 11 5 4 3 15 19 3 6 3 15 19 1 9 2 11 26 1 10 1 9 32 #FFBF00 H #ccffcc B B complete 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 NO2 Ontario Toronto Lady Lynx 0 NO3 Quebec Laval Comets 2 MW1 Indiana FC Indiana 5 NO3 Quebec Laval Comets 1 NO1 Ontario Ottawa Fury Women 3 MW2 Illinois Chicago Gaels 2 MW1 Indiana FC Indiana (AET) 4 NO1 Ontario Ottawa Fury Women 3 Eastern Conference Eastern Divisional Round Eastern Semifinals Eastern Championship NE2 New York Long Island Rough Riders 1 NE3 Massachusetts Boston Renegades 0 AT1 Georgia (U.S. state) Atlanta Silverbacks Women 1 NE2 New York Long Island Rough Riders 0 NE1 Washington, D.C. Washington Freedom (AET) 6 AT2 North Carolina Charlotte Lady Eagles 5 AT1 Georgia (U.S. state) Atlanta Silverbacks Women 1 NE1 Washington, D.C. Washington Freedom (AET) 2 Western Conference Western Finals W1 British Columbia Vancouver Whitecaps Women 0 W2 Washington 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 y y Semifinals Championship Consolation WL California Pali Blues 2 NE1 Washington, D.C. Washington Freedom 0 MW1 Indiana FC Indiana 1 W2 Washington Seattle Sounders Women 0 WL California Pali Blues 2 MW1 Indiana FC Indiana 1 NE1 Washington, D.C. Washington Freedom 2 W1 Washington Seattle Sounders Women 0 Divisional Rounds July 23, 2008 7:00 ET Massachusetts Boston Renegades 1 – 0 (Report) New York Long Island Rough Riders DeRosa St. Anthony's High School South Huntington, New York 387 Samir Souidi (USA) July 23, 2008 7:30 ET Quebec Laval Comets 0 – 2 (Report) Ontario Toronto Lady Lynx Gagné 8 40 Walsh 0 89 Chapman 40 0 89 Afonso 66 Centennial Park Stadium Toronto, Ontario 344 Michael Izzo (CAN) Conference semifinals July 25, 2008 4:00 ET Illinois Chicago Gaels 3 – 2 (Report) Ontario Ottawa Fury Women Mutters 12 Spacht 26 Trevillian 74 Maynard 89 (PK) Taylor 12 62 (PK)Powell 15 Varsity Soccer Complex West Lafayette, Indiana 50 Tony Deldis (USA) July 25, 2008 5:00 ET North Carolina Charlotte Lady Eagles 6 – 5(AET) (Report) Washington, D.C. Washington Freedom Rife 11 Schmedes 29 Murphy 59 107 Lyons 66 Welsh 2 16 103 Keller 22 Moros 70 (PK) Janss 97 RE/MAX Greater Atlanta Stadium Atlanta, Georgia 152 William Deland (USA) July 25, 2008 6:30 ET Quebec Laval Comets 5 – 1 (Report) Indiana FC Indiana Gagné 55 (PK) Hamel 14 Sesselmann 16 25 27 Parker 63 Phewa 72 Varsity Soccer Complex West Lafayette, Indiana 128 Andrew Scott (USA) July 25, 2008 8:00 ET New York Long Island Rough Riders 1 – 0 (Report) Georgia (U.S. state) Atlanta Silverbacks Women Fitzgerald (coach) 0 82 Speck 90 Latham 51 Buff 70 Harbrueger 90 RE/MAX Greater Atlanta Stadium Atlanta, Georgia 485 Patrick Baker (USA) Conference finals July 26, 2008 7:00 ET Washington Seattle Sounders Women 0 – 1 (Report) British Columbia Vancouver Whitecaps Women Baysa 67 84 Swangard Stadium Burnaby, British Columbia 4,991 Darci Kurse (USA) July 26, 2008 8:00 ET Washington, D.C. Washington Freedom 1 – 2(AET) (Report) Georgia (U.S. state) Atlanta Silverbacks Women Golebiowski 48 Welsh 77 90 Andrzejewski 118 Bobo 16 Latham 23 Phillips 73 RE/MAX Greater Atlanta Stadium Atlanta, Georgia 428 Tony Russo (USA) July 27, 2008 6:30 ET Ontario Ottawa Fury Women 4 – 3(AET) (Report) Indiana FC Indiana Kennedy 27 Milyak 53 (OG) Hance 65 Avner 85 Taylor 116 (PK) Raber 120 Sesselmann 15 Nault 63 Del Rio 90+2 96 Phewa 101 Varsity Soccer Complex West Lafayette, Indiana (USA) W-League Semifinals July 31, 2008 5:00 PM ET Washington Seattle Sounders Women 1 – 0 Indiana FC Indiana Phewa 16 Leyva 87 Foster Field Virginia Beach, Virginia Debbie Coleman (USA) July 31, 2008 8:00 PM ET Washington, D.C. Washington Freedom 2 – 0 https://equalizersoccer.com/2009/08/08/pali-repeats-as-w-league-champion/ California Pali Blues Welsh 76 Adams 26 82 Foster Field Virginia Beach, Virginia 427 Meredith Hackett (USA) W-League Third-Place Game August 2, 2008 4:30 PM ET Washington Seattle Sounders Women 2 – 0 Washington, D.C. Washington Freedom Welsh 11 40 Huffman 76 Andrzejewski 86 Foster Field Virginia Beach, Virginia Shawn Fitch (USA) W-League Finals August 2, 2008 7:30 PM ET Indiana FC Indiana 2 – 1 California Pali Blues O'Rourke 47 Wilson 49 LePeilbet 83 Pasqui 88 Foster Field Virginia Beach, Virginia 558 Sandra Serafini (USA) References External links USL historical stats defunct Category:USL W-League (1995–2015) seasons Women 1 W