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 nameMetro areaLocationPrevious affiliation
North Carolina Carolina DynamoGreensboro areaGreensboro, NCexpansion
North Carolina Carolina RailHawksResearch Triangle areaCary, NCexpansion
Connecticut Connecticut PassionHartford and New Haven areasBerlin, CTexpansion
Indiana FC IndianaIndianapolis areaIndianapolis, INpreviously in WPSL
Michigan Kalamazoo OutrageKalamazoo areaKalamazoo, MIexpansion
California Los Angeles Legendssuburban Los Angeles areaAzusa, CAexpansion
California Pali BluesLos Angeles areaLos Angeles, CAexpansion
Florida Tampa Bay HellenicTampa Bay areaTampa, FLexpansion
West Virginia West Virginia IllusionMorgantown/North-Central West Virginia areasFairmont, WVexpansion

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

PosTeamPldWLTGFGAGDPts
1FC Indiana141301673+6440
2Chicago Gaels141130399+3033
3Minnesota Lightning149323219+1329
4Cleveland Internationals Women148423123+826
5Michigan Hawks144911233−2113
6Kalamazoo Outrage142102636−308
7Fort Wayne Fever1321011639−237
8West Michigan Firewomen1311111152−414

Northern Division

PosTeamPldWLTGFGAGDPts
1Ottawa Fury Women141310517+4439
2Toronto Lady Lynx1411214014+2634
3Laval Comets149413917+2228
4Rochester Rhinos Women146621833−1520
5Hamilton Avalanche145631921−218
6Western Mass Lady Pioneers143921834−1611
7London Gryphons143921535−2011
8Vermont Lady Voltage140131544−391

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

PosTeamPldWLTGFGAGDPts
1Atlanta Silverbacks Women141301506+4440
2Charlotte Lady Eagles1411214413+3134
3Tampa Bay Hellenic148422716+1126
4Hampton Roads Piranhas147612919+1022
5Carolina RailHawks147612217+522
6Richmond Kickers Destiny146801828−1018
7Carolina Dynamo144822330−714
8Bradenton Athletics1421201152−416
9West Virginia Illusion141130646−403

Northeast Division

PosTeamPldWLTGFGAGDPts
1Washington Freedom141112327+2535
2Long Island Rough Riders149322813+1529
3Boston Renegades149323212+2029
4Jersey Sky Blue148421410+426
5Connecticut Passion147522423+123
6Northern Virginia Majestics143651723−614
7New York Magic143741423−913
8New Jersey Wildcats1421021735−188
9Fredericksburg Lady Gunners140131537−321

Western Conference

PosTeamPldWLTGFGAGDPts
1Pali Blues121200394+3536
2Vancouver Whitecaps Women127232118+324
3Seattle Sounders Women125341911+819
4Real Colorado Cougars125431519−418
5Fort Collins Force123631519−412
6Los Angeles Legends121921126−155
7Ventura County Fusion121101932−234

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 RoundCentral SemifinalsCentral Championship
MW1Indiana FC Indiana5
NO3Quebec Laval Comets1
NO2Ontario Toronto Lady Lynx0
NO3Quebec Laval Comets2
MW1Indiana FC Indiana (AET)4
NO1Ontario Ottawa Fury Women3
NO1Ontario Ottawa Fury Women3
MW2Illinois Chicago Gaels2

Eastern Conference

Eastern Divisional RoundEastern SemifinalsEastern Championship
AT1Georgia (U.S. state) Atlanta Silverbacks Women1
NE2New York (state) Long Island Rough Riders0
NE2New York (state) Long Island Rough Riders1
NE3Massachusetts Boston Renegades0
AT1Georgia (U.S. state) Atlanta Silverbacks Women1
NE1Washington, D.C. Washington Freedom (AET)2
NE1Washington, D.C. Washington Freedom (AET)6
AT2North Carolina Charlotte Lady Eagles5

Western Conference

Western Finals
W1British Columbia Vancouver Whitecaps Women0
W2Washington (state) Seattle Sounders Women1

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

SemifinalsChampionship
WLCalifornia Pali Blues2
NE1Washington, D.C. Washington Freedom0
WLCalifornia Pali Blues2
MW1Indiana FC Indiana1
MW1Indiana FC Indiana1
W2Washington (state) Seattle Sounders Women0Consolation
NE1Washington, D.C. Washington Freedom2
W1Washington (state) Seattle Sounders Women0

Divisional Rounds

New York (state) Long Island Rough Riders1 – 0Massachusetts Boston Renegades
DeRosa
Ontario Toronto Lady Lynx0 – 2Quebec Laval Comets
Chapman 40' 89' Afonso 66'Gagné 8' 40' Walsh 89'

Conference semifinals

Ontario Ottawa Fury Women3 – 2Illinois Chicago Gaels
Taylor 12' 62' (PK) Powell 15'Mutters 12' Spacht 26' Trevillian 74' Maynard 89' (PK)
Washington, D.C. Washington Freedom6 – 5 (AET)North Carolina Charlotte Lady Eagles
Welsh 2' 16' 103' Keller 22' Moros 70' (PK) Janss 97'Rife 11' Schmedes 29' Murphy 59' 107' Lyons 66'
Indiana FC Indiana5 – 1Quebec Laval Comets
Hamel 14' Sesselmann 16' 25' 27' Parker 63' Phewa 72'Gagné 55' (PK)
Georgia (U.S. state) Atlanta Silverbacks Women1 – 0New York (state) Long Island Rough Riders
Latham 51' Buff 70' Harbrueger 90'Fitzgerald (coach) 82' Speck 90'

Conference finals

British Columbia Vancouver Whitecaps Women0 – 1Washington (state) Seattle Sounders Women
Baysa 67' 84'
Georgia (U.S. state) Atlanta Silverbacks Women1 – 2 (AET)Washington, D.C. Washington Freedom
Bobo 16' Latham 23' Phillips 73'Golebiowski 48' Welsh 77' 90' Andrzejewski 118'
Indiana FC Indiana4 – 3 (AET)Ontario Ottawa Fury Women
Sesselmann 15' Nault 63' Del Rio 90+2' 96' Phewa 101'Kennedy 27' Milyak 53' (OG) Hance 65' Avner 85' Taylor 116' (PK) Raber 120'

W-League Semifinals

Indiana FC Indiana1 – 0Washington (state) Seattle Sounders Women
Phewa 16' Leyva 87'
California Pali Blues2 – 0Washington, D.C. Washington Freedom
Adams 26' 82'Welsh 76'

W-League Third-Place Game

Washington, D.C. Washington Freedom2 – 0Washington (state) Seattle Sounders Women
Welsh 11' 40' Huffman 76' Andrzejewski 86'

W-League Finals

California Pali Blues2 – 1Indiana FC Indiana
Wilson 49' LePeilbet 83' Pasqui 88'O'Rourke 47'

External links