Saturday, July 26, 2008 (Courtesy USL Soccer)

VANCOUVER, BC -- The Vancouver Whitecaps saw their season come to a disappointing end on Saturday, as they lost 1-0 to Seattle Sounders in the USL W-League Western Conference playoff at Swangard Stadium.

A spectacular bicycle kick from Sounders top scorer Chalise Baysa on minute 67 was the difference, as Seattle now advance to the W-League semifinals in Virginia Beach, Virginia, next week.

Whitecaps leading scorer Tiffeny Milbrett started the game on the substitutes’ bench, as she was suffering from back pains. Midfielder Chelsea Stewart was also a scratch, which meant that Paige Adams and veteran Rosalyn Hicks both came in to get the start in midfield.

The visitors started brightly, as Vancouver goalkeeper Erin McNulty had to make a couple of good early saves. On 10 minutes, she did well to hold a 25-yard shot from Annie Schefter. Three minutes later, Lisa Sari hit a 30-yard blast that was heading to the top right corner of the goal, but McNulty was able to get her gloves to it.

The Whitecaps came more into the play as the half progressed, and twice tested Seattle goalkeeper Jessica Salvi on minute 21. First, a header from Julie Armstrong was gathered comfortably, then a few ticks later, midfielder Paige Adams tried her luck with a powerful shot from 25 yards that was right at the Sounders shot-stopper.

There was a moment of controversy on minute 28, as Vancouver had a goal called back by referee Darci Kruse. Defender Chelsea Stang was apparently called for a foul on a defender, as she challenged for a high ball in the area from an Adams' free kick. Salvi came out and missed the ball, which Armstrong fired at goal and Lexi Marton tapped over the goal line, but by that point, the whistle had already been blown.

It was scoreless at halftime.

Both teams had chances just after the break. On minute 46 following a Seattle corner kick, the ball bounced around dangerously in front, before it was finally scrambled away. Back up the field the other way, Katrin Schmidt turned and hit a 25-yard effort just over the bar. Five minutes later from a free kick in a similar position, Kaylyn Kyle landed a dipping shot on to the roof of the net.

Schmidt's attacking play up the left was a problem for Seattle for most of the game, and on minute 59, the German fullback surged forward again and hit a bending shot that Salvi dove to save.

A minute later, Karla Schacher gained possession to the left of goal and centered it for Monica Lam-Feist in front, but her first touch let her down, allowing Salvi to pounce on the loose ball.

A minute after that, Schmidt made another great run into the box, and when her centering pass rebounded back to her, she snatched a shot just wide, with the Seattle keeper beaten.

After this flurry of Vancouver chances, it was Seattle who got on the scoresheet on 67 minutes. From a Sounders corner on the left, Kate Deines stabbed a bouncing ball high towards goal, which McNulty clawed off the line. Shannon Lovejoy headed it back in front to Baysa on the doorstep and she acrobatically scored off a bicycle kick from two yards out.

Vancouver pressed for the equalizer. On minute 78, Schmidt on the left sent across a good ball to Karla Schacher, who did well to get a head to it, but only to see it come back off the left post. It ran to Milbrett, who had just been subbed into the game, and her shot from 12 yards was superbly saved by Salvi on the Seattle goal line.

The Whitecaps last chance came in minute 82, as Lam-Feist sent a ball ahead to Schacher breaking on the left. When the keeper came out to challenge, the Vancouver striker did well to fire the ball past her from a sharp angle, but it rolled inches wide of the far post.

It is only the third time in the Whitecaps eight-year history they have failed to reach the league semifinals. Seattle has kept them out all three times, eliminating the Whitecaps in Vancouver in 2003 via penalties 3-1 after a 2-2 draw and finishing one point ahead of them for the second playoff berth in the conference standings last season.

The Sounders advanced to the W-League Championship tournament starting July 31 at the Virginia Beach SportsPlex. Hosted by the Hampton Roads Piranhas, the Semifinals will be July 31 with the the Championship match August 2, which will be aired on Fox Soccer Channel.

As the lowest seed not from the Western Conference, the defending champion Washington Freedom (seeded fifth overall) will face the regular season champion Pali Blues in the Semifinals with Seattle (seeded 13th) facing the winner of Sunday’s Central Conference Championship between FC Indiana (seeded second) and Ottawa (seeded fourth).

90 FULL MINUTES

The Whitecaps would like to thank their many fans for their fantastic support throughout a challenging season, in which Vancouver fielded a record 39 different players. Vancouver will be back in 2009 to again challenge for the W-League title.

Friday, July 25, 2008 (Courtesy USL Soccer)

ATLANTA, GA -- The first game of the Eastern Conference Championship was full of excitement as fans witnessed 11 goals, the second most in league playoff history, in a match between the Washington Freedom and the Charlotte Lady Eagles that was extended to extra time. The night began with strong play from the Washington Freedom as they looked to defend their 2007 W-League title.

Washington put on the pressure from the beginning and got on the board in the second minute. Christy Welsh received the ball from Emily Janss with her back to the goal and standing just outside the box. She turned to the inside, blew through the defense, and placed the ball to the left of Charlotte goalkeeper Laura Armstrong.

Charlotte began to string together a bit of passing and was able to score the equalizer in the 11th minute. Nikki Lyons got the ball to Christy Rife who just got a foot on the ball and was able to deflect it into the side netting.

Washington quickly regained possession and continued their assault on the Charlotte defense. Washington’s Ella Masar fed the ball to Welsh in the center of the box and Welsh sent it to Armstrong’s left for her second goal on the night, putting Washington up 2-1 in the 16th minute.

Washington continued to dominate possession as several players got a look at the goal. In the 22nd minute, Washington scored their third goal of the match as Madison Keller lifted the ball past Armstrong off a feed from Sarah Huffman.

Charlotte got down the field in the 28th minute and was able to get on the board again to come within a goal of the Freedom. Charlotte’s Kelly Schmedes received the ball from Nikki Lyons, nimbly moved past her defender and finished with a fine shot to the far side netting past an outstretched Chante Sandiford.

Masar was forced to make an early exit in the 31st minute after sustaining an injury. Rebecca Moros came on for Masar and play continued with both teams getting some looks on goal. Charlotte had a good chance in the 44th minute, but the shot by Schmedes was saved by Sandiford and the follow up by Lyons was sent into the side netting.

Late in stoppage time, Charlotte’s Tina Murphy uncorked a long-range shot that Sandiford just tipped over the bar as the ball dipped toward the goal.

Washington had some good chances to start off the second half, but Charlotte got on the board first to draw the game even at 3-3. Murphy scored straight off a corner for the Eagles.

During the 66th minute, Charlotte took the lead for the first time in the match. Charlotte took a free kick that got cleared out to Schmedes, who placed the ball perfectly to Lyons at the center of the box. Lyons’ one-timer beat Sandiford and Charlotte took the lead 4-3.

Four minutes later Welsh drew a foul inside the area and Moros evened up the match when she placed her spot kick on the ground to the right of Armstrong.

As the match wore on, the Freedom carried the momentum. Washington’s Ali Andrzejewski had a great shot on goal, but Armstrong continued her solid play and was able to push it away off the far post. Armstrong was tested a few more times, but she stood up well to the Washington onslaught. As stoppage time wound down, Charlotte made one last attempt to get the ball down field, but they were stopped by Washington just past midfield and regulation ended in a 4-4 tie.

Washington began the scoring early in extra time as Emily Janss tallied her first goal on the night. Janss received the ball from Huffman on the right flank, pushed through the defense, and tucked the ball into the right side of the goal.

Washington got on the board again in the 103rd minute and cushioned their lead – and they’d need it. Lori Lindsay took a corner for the Freedom and Huffman tipped it to Christie Welsh, who finished it to complete her hat-trick.

Charlotte continued to fight and was able to draw within a goal in the 107th minute. Murphy took a free kick just outside the area and placed the ball over the wall and to the keeper’s left.

As extra time wound down, Charlotte pushed forward in attempt to find the equalizer. They had several good looks on goal, but they were never able to get it into the back of the net and the match ended in a 6-5 win for the Freedom.

The Freedom will next play tomorrow at 8 pm when they look to claim the Eastern Conference title and earn a trip to the final four in Virginia Beach, VA. They will face the winner of the match between the Atlanta Silverbacks and the Long Island Rough Riders in the second match of the semifinal doubleheader.

Historical Footnotes:

The 11 goals scored tied for second most in the W-League’s 14-year history, equaling the Eastern Conference Final showdown in 2004 that saw the New Jersey Wildcats advance 6-5 in regulation against the Montreal Xtreme, who played a 5-4 overtime thriller the night before against the defunct Long Island Lady Riders. French star Marinette Pichon scored the opening three goals for New Jersey in the game before Montreal mounted a rally to tie the game 3-3 and again at 4-4 before two more goals from Pichon in the final five minutes of regulation provided a two-goal margin that proved just enough as Montreal only netted once more before the final whistle. The league record is 13, set in the W-2 Western Conference Championship in 2001 in which the Kansas City Mystics and Oklahoma Outrage, both now defunct, played an back-and-forth thriller. Kansas City led by two after 19 minutes with Oklahoma drawing level in the 36th only to see the hosts reclaim a two goal lead before halftime. Oklahoma scored four straight goals to open the second half to erase the deficit and make a two-goal margin of their own as they went on to score six in the half.

Only three other teams have scored more than six goals in a W-League playoff game. In addition to aforementioned Oklahoma Outrage of 2001, the Maryland Pride tallied seven in a 7-0 drubbing of the Hampton Roads Piranhas in the 1997 Mid Atlantic Division Final and the Chicago Cobras hold the mark with nine in a 9-1 thrashing of Northern Kentucky in the 2003 Midwest Division Final. There have been six other occurrences of a six-goal performance in the playoffs, including one each by the two participants in tonight’s thriller. Washington posted theirs in a 6-1 win over Toronto last year in the conference semifinal and Charlotte recorded theirs in a 2005 conference semifinal win, 6-2, over Cleveland