Metuchen, NJ — Two of the four spots at the UWS National Championship event at Lusitano Stadium (Ludlow, MA) remain up for grabs as United Women’s Soccer enters another weekend of playoff action.
Chicago Mustangs meet KC Courage to decide the Central Conference Championship, while four teams in the East will battle it out for the right to advance.
Calgary Foothills WFC has already claimed the West Conference’s bid after securing the regular-season championship.
The representative for the South Conference is the San Antonio Athenians, who were national semi finalists last season. The originally scheduled conference championship match between SA Athenians and Atlanta Panthers was canceled with Atlanta Panthers’ inability to play past this weekend due to a roster shortage.
Saturday, July 16 at 5 p.m. CT
West Chicago Area HS
326 Joliet St
West Chicago, IL 60185
Two elite teams with contrasting styles meet with a trip to the UWS National Championship on the line as Chicago Mustangs take on KC Courage Saturday in West Chicago. No club across UWS has scored more goals this season than the 56 posted by Chicago Mustangs in the regular season. Nina Nicosia leads UWS with 12 goals, and Julia Simon has also contributed 10 goals this season for Chicago Mustangs.
KC Courage has often won with a stout defense, conceding just four goals on the season and only one in the final five regular-season games. Kaylin Williams has been a stout presence between the sticks, starting all eight games for this stingy group. Courtney Claassen is the force that makes the attack run. With nine goals and five assists, she has contributed to more than half of KC Courage’s goals this season.
Friday, July 15 at 5 p.m. ET
Lusitano Stadium
400 Winsor Street
Ludlow, MA 01056
FC Buffalo has done nothing but win since arriving in UWS two seasons ago, first claiming an East Conference regular-season crown, then winning the Penn-NY Division this season. That group will be looking to punch its first ticket to the UWS National Championship after falling one step short last year. Carissima Cutrona is the player to watch for FC Buffalo. With seven goals and five assists on the season, she’s both a vital source of goals and an elite distributor.
New England Mutiny comes into this game two wins away from playing the UWS National Championship on its home turf at Lusitano Stadium. The New England Division champs won nine of their 10 regular-season games behind the goalscoring excellence of Catherine Barry, who found the back of the net eight times in four games. One of the most longstanding images of success in UWS, NE Mutiny will feel this is the season for a deep playoff run.
Friday, July 15 at 7 p.m. ET
Coppermine Norris Field
5602 Cottonworth Ave
Baltimore, MD 21209
Coppermine United made the most of its first season in the top tier of UWS, claiming the Mid-Atlantic Division title after upending Lancaster Inferno on the final day of action. Balanced scoring has benefitted Coppermine United all season, with five different players contributing multiple goals to the effort. Nia Christopher leads the line with four markers to her name in six contests.
The playoffs looked like they might be out of reach for Connecticut Fusion after a difficult midseason run, but last year’s national runners-up rebounded to claim the East Conference’s Wild Card spot on the final weekend as they look to go back to the UWS National Championship event for the second year in a row. Kacey Lawrence led the way in the regular-season with six goals, with Tori Sousa adding four tallies.
East Conference Semifinal 1
FC Buffalo 2, NE Mutiny 1
East Conference Semifinal 2
Coppermine United 1, CT Fusion 0
Sunday, July 17 at 2 p.m. ET
Coppermine Norris Field
5602 Cottonworth Ave
Baltimore, MD 21209
One East Conference club will be making its first appearance at the UWS National Championship after Coppermine United and FC Buffalo come together. Coppermine United defeated CT Fusion in extra time to advance to the East Conference title game in its first season in the UWS top tier. FC Buffalo went on the road to defeat NE Mutiny, 2-1, to punch its ticket to the championship game, and will have to win away from home again here to move on. The visitors have experience at this level, though, having advanced to the East Conference finals last season.
Watch Live at Eleven Sports
July 23 – 4:30 p.m. ET
Lusitano Stadium
400 Winsor Street
Ludlow, MA 01056
July 23 – 7 p.m. ET
Lusitano Stadium
400 Winsor Street
Ludlow, MA 01056
July 24 – 2 p.m. ET
Lusitano Stadium
400 Winsor Street
Ludlow, MA 01056
Two more regular-season contests are on the docket in the West Conference as campaign comes to its conclusion. FC Arizona will make a tour of Southern California, first visiting Los Angeles FC on Friday before taking on the defending national champs SC Blue Heat on Saturday.
Friday, July 15 at 7 p.m. PT
Citrus College
1000 W Foothill Blvd
Glendora, CA 91741
Saturday, July 16 at 7:30 p.m. PT
College of the Canyons
26455 Rockwell Canyon Rd
Santa Clarita, CA 91355
