2003 USL W-League season

USL W-League
Season	2003
Champions	Hampton Roads Piranhas
Top goalscorer	Carrie Kveton ; Jeanette Akerlund ; (14 goals each)
	← 2002 2004 →

The 2003 W-League Season was the 9th season of the USL W-League, the second-highest division of women's soccer in the United States. The Boston Renegades were the defending champions. The Hampton Roads Piranhas were crowned champions after defeating the Chicago Cobras in the Championship game.

Changes from the 2002 season

Format changes

The league went to the standard FIFA match points format: 3 points for a win (down from the previous 4), 1 for a draw, 0 for a loss, and eliminated bonus points for 3 or more goals scored.^[1]

Name changes

One team changed their name in the off-season:^[1]

Team Name	Metro Area	Previous Name
Vancouver Whitecaps Women	Vancouver area	Vancouver Breakers

Expansion teams

One team joined the league ahead of the start of the season:^[1]

Team Name	Metro Area	Location	Previous Affiliation
Columbus Lady Shooting Stars	Columbus area	Columbus, OH	Expansion

Teams leaving

Two teams left to join the WPSL:^[1]

Eight teams folded after the 2002 season:^[1]

Standings

Blue indicates division title clinched
Green indicates playoff berth clinched

Central Conference

Atlantic Division

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Hampton Roads Piranhas	12	12	0	33	5	+28	36
2	Charlotte Lady Eagles	12	9	3	35	11	+24	27
3	Northern Virginia Majestics	12	5	7	16	21	−5	15
4	Asheville Splash	12	3	9	14	24	−10	9
5	Greensboro Twisters	12	2	10	8	34	−26	6

Source: ^[2]^[1]

Midwest Division

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	T	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Chicago Cobras	12	10	1	1	33	8	+25	31
2	Northern Kentucky TC Stars	12	5	5	2	16	21	−5	17
3	Columbus Lady Shooting Stars	12	4	5	3	11	15	−4	15
4	Cincinnati Ladyhawks	12	4	7	1	12	17	−5	13
5	Windy City Bluez	12	3	8	1	18	29	−11	10

Source: ^[2]^[1]

Eastern Conference

Northeast Division

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	New Jersey Lady Stallions	14	11	3	36	11	+25	33
2	Long Island Lady Riders	14	9	5	35	21	+14	27
3	New Jersey Wildcats	14	7	7	29	20	+9	21
4	New York Magic	14	7	7	33	25	+8	21
5	South Jersey Banshees*	14	1	13	8	48	−40	0^[a]

Source: ^[2]^[1]
Notes:

^ South Jersey had 3 points deducted for violations.

Northern Division

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	T	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Boston Renegades	14	13	0	1	60	5	+55	40
2	Ottawa Fury Women	14	11	2	1	61	9	+52	34
3	Toronto Inferno	14	6	7	1	32	31	+1	19
4	New Hampshire Lady Phantoms	14	3	11	0	21	53	−32	9
5	Rochester Ravens	14	0	13	1	4	96	−92	1

Source: ^[2]^[1]

Western Conference

Pos	Team	Pld	W	L	T	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Vancouver Whitecaps Women	12	10	1	1	51	10	+41	31
2	Seattle Sounders Women	12	8	3	1	35	8	+27	25
3	Denver Lady Cougars	12	6	4	2	36	24	+12	20
4	Arizona Heatwave	12	6	6	0	21	24	−3	18
5	Fort Collins Force	12	3	8	1	16	39	−23	10
6	Mile High Mustangs	12	0	11	1	5	62	−57	1

Source: ^[2]^[1]

Playoffs

Format

Four teams from both the Central and Eastern Conferences and two from the Western Conference qualified for the playoffs. All playoff matchups were in single-leg elimination tournament format with the higher seeded team hosting until the national semifinals. Seeding was determined by league record, with the Boston Renegades seeded first with 39 points. The host of the national semifinals was determined by bids at the 2002 USL Annual General Meeting.

In the Central and Eastern Conferences, the top two teams from each division played, and then divisional winners played for the conference championship and to advance to the national semifinals.

The top two teams in the Western Conference, having only one division, played each other to advance to the semifinals.

As hosts, the Hampton Roads Piranhas received a bye into the W-League national semifinals, with the third-place team from the Atlantic Division receiving a playoff berth.^[3] The W-League Championship final was televised live on Fox Sports World.^[3]

Conference Brackets

Central Conference

Divisional Championships			Central Championship

MW1	Chicago Cobras	9

MW2	Northern Kentucky TC Stars	1
			MW1	Chicago Cobras	3

			AT1	Charlotte Lady Eagles	1
AT1	Charlotte Lady Eagles	4

AT2	Northern Virginia Majestics	1

Eastern Conference

Divisional Championships			Eastern Championship

NO1	Boston Renegades	2

NO2	Ottawa Fury Women	3
			NO2	Ottawa Fury Women	4

			NE1	New Jersey Lady Stallions	2
NE1	New Jersey Lady Stallions	4

NE2	Long Island Lady Riders	2

Western Conference

Western Finals

W1	Vancouver Whitecaps Women (AET/PK)	2 (1)

W2	Seattle Sounders Women	2 (3)

W-League Championship Bracket

Semifinals			Championship

WL	Hampton Roads Piranhas	4

W2	Seattle Sounders Women	1
			WL	Hampton Roads Piranhas	1

			MW1	Chicago Cobras	0
MW1	Chicago Cobras	3

NO2	Ottawa Fury Women	0	Third Place


			W2	Seattle Sounders Women	4

			NO2	Ottawa Fury Women	1

Divisional Championships

July 31, 2003
14:00 EDT

Chicago Cobras	9 − 1	Northern Kentucky TC Stars
Sitch 14' Cooper 18', 49', 59' Grubb 28' (pen.) Feulner 66' Graczyk 67', 83', 89'	Report	Hoffbauer 69'

Mooseheart Memorial Stadium
Mooseheart, Illinois

July 31, 2003

Charlotte Lady Eagles	4 − 1	Northern Virginia Majestics
	Report

E. E. Waddell High School
Charlotte, North Carolina

July 31, 2003

Ottawa Fury Women	3 − 2	Boston Renegades
Vermeulen 44' (pen.) Alfa 79' Akerlund 82'	Report	Totman 40' Rahko 87'

July 30, 2003

New Jersey Lady Stallions	4 − 2	Long Island Lady Riders
Negron 16' Mathelier 47', 56' Sinram 77'	Report	Forde 28' Bracco 45'

Conference championships

August 2, 2003
22:00 EDT

Seattle Sounders Women	2 − 2 (AET)	Vancouver Whitecaps Women
Frimpong 42', 43'	Report	Andrews 9' Neil 65'
Penalties
McIntosh Rodrick Van Blommestein	1 − 3	Hicks Timko Lang Potis

Swangard Stadium
Burnaby, British Columbia

Attendance: 4,089

Referee: Martin Reid (USA)

August 3, 2003
14:00 EDT

Chicago Cobras	3 − 1	Charlotte Lady Eagles
Feulner 6' Greene 67' Sitch 72'	Report	Murphy 60'

Mooseheart Memorial Stadium
Mooseheart, Illinois

August 3, 2003
16:00 EDT

Ottawa Fury Women	4 − 2	New Jersey Lady Stallions
Alfa 11', 15', 53' McConville 75'	Report	Negron 30' Flamini 37'

Keith Harris Stadium
Ottawa, Ontario

Attendance: 800

W-League Semifinals

August 8, 2003
17:00 PM EDT

Seattle Sounders Women	1 − 4	Hampton Roads Piranhas
Frimpong 15'	Report	Borski 46', 55' Hibbs 73' Ritchie 90'

Landstown HS Stadium
Virginia Beach, Virginia

Attendance: 1,006

Referee: Chip Boatright (USA)

August 8, 2003
19:30 PM EDT

Chicago Cobras	3 − 0	Ottawa Fury Women
Graczyk 12', 90' Sitch 58'	Report

Landstown HS Stadium
Virginia Beach, Virginia

W-League Third Place

August 10, 2003
14:30 PM EDT

Ottawa Fury Women	1 − 4	Seattle Sounders Women
Alfa 65'	Report	Frimpong 2', 6' Mueller 11' Milyak 82'

Landstown HS Stadium
Virginia Beach, Virginia

Attendance: 1,237

Referee: Dan Stead (USA)

W-League Championship

August 10, 2003
17:00 PM EDT

Hampton Roads Piranhas	1 − 0	Chicago Cobras
Akide 96'	Report

Landstown HS Stadium
Virginia Beach, Virginia

Attendance: 1,237

Season statistics

Scoring Champion: Jeanette Akerlund (Ottawa Fury Women) and Kelly Parker (Ottawa Fury Women) (32 points)^[4]
Goal Scoring Champion: Jeanette Akerlund (Ottawa Fury Women) and Carrie Kveton (Boston Renegades) (14 goals)^[4]
Assist Leader: Rhian Wilkinson (Ottawa Fury Women) (7 assists)^[4]

Top scorers

Rank	Player	Club	Goals^[5]
1	Carrie Kveton	Boston Renegades	14
1	Jeanette Akerlund	Ottawa Fury Women	14
3	Phebe Trotman	Vancouver Whitecaps Women	13
3	Kelly Parker	Ottawa Fury Women	13
5	Jessica Reifer	New York Magic	10
	Mary Everett	Denver Lady Cougars
	Noelle Meeke	New York Magic
8	Diana Artuso	Vancouver Whitecaps Women	8
	Melissa Shulman	Long Island Lady Riders
	Carolyn Theurer	Denver Lady Cougars

Top assists

Rank	Player	Club	Goals^[5]
1	Rhian Wilkinson	Ottawa Fury Women	7
2	Abby Leopold	Boston Renegades	6
	Megan Beasley	Denver Lady Cougars
	Melissa Bennett	Seattle Sounders Women
	Caitlin Fisher	Boston Renegades
	Carolyn Theurer	Denver Lady Cougars
	Kelly Parker	Ottawa Fury Women
8	Kelly Haxton	Vancouver Whitecaps Women	5
	Mercy Akide	Hampton Roads Piranhas
	Martina Franko	Vancouver Whitecaps Women

Awards

Most Valuable Player: Phebe Trotman (Vancouver Whitecaps Women)^[6]
Rookie of the Year: Stacey Stocco (Boston Renegades)^[7]
Defender of the Year: Fanta Cooper (Chicago Cobras)^[7]
Coach of the Year: Mike Nesci (Chicago Cobras)^[7]
Goalkeeper of the Year: Meredith Flaherty (Hampton Roads Piranhas)^[4]
Championship MVP: Mercy Akide (Hampton Roads Piranhas)^[8]

The W-League Championship All-Tournament Team was announced on August 10, 2003:^[8]

F: Tina Frimpong (Seattle Sounders Women), Kristen Graczyk (Chicago Cobras), Mercy Akide (Hampton Roads Piranhas)
M: Melissa Bennett (Seattle Sounders Women), Florence Omagbemi (Hampton Roads Piranhas), Darci Borski (Hampton Roads Piranhas), Kelly Parker (Ottawa Fury Women)
D: Jenna Szyluk (Hampton Roads Piranhas), Fanta Cooper (Chicago Cobras), Josha Krueger (Chicago Cobras)
G: Meredith Flaherty (Hampton Roads Piranhas)

All-League and All-Conference Teams

The All-Conference Teams were announced on August 1, 2003.^[9] The All-League Team was announced on August 4.^[4]

* denotes All-League player

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j "USA - United States Women's Interregional Soccer League (W-League)". RSSSF. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "Team Standings". USL W-League. Archived from the original on October 11, 2003. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
^ ^a ^b "W-League Conference Finals set". United Soccer Leagues (USL). August 1, 2003. Archived from the original on December 14, 2003. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "PDL and W-League All-League Teams, Statistical Awards announced". United Soccer Leagues (USL). August 4, 2003. Archived from the original on August 19, 2003. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
^ ^a ^b "W-League - Top 10 Stats Leaders". United Soccer Leagues (USL). Archived from the original on December 9, 2003. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
^ "W-League, PDL MVP's announced". United Soccer Leagues (USL). August 7, 2003. Archived from the original on August 20, 2003. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Defender, Rookie and Coach of the Year awards announced for PDL, W-League". United Soccer Leagues (USL). August 6, 2003. Archived from the original on August 20, 2003. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
^ ^a ^b "Piranhas win W-League title in OT". United Soccer Leagues (USL). August 10, 2003. Archived from the original on October 3, 2003. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
^ "W-League All-Conference Teams released". USL W-League. August 1, 2003. Archived from the original on November 28, 2003. Retrieved June 29, 2022.

[table_hth_SJB0.95272568191994-3] South Jersey had 3 points deducted for violations.

[2003_rsssf-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j "USA - United States Women's Interregional Soccer League (W-League)". RSSSF. Retrieved June 29, 2022.

[2003_standings-2] "Team Standings". USL W-League. Archived from the original on October 11, 2003. Retrieved June 29, 2022.

[finals_pressrelease-4] "W-League Conference Finals set". United Soccer Leagues (USL). August 1, 2003. Archived from the original on December 14, 2003. Retrieved August 20, 2014.

[2003_awards-5] "PDL and W-League All-League Teams, Statistical Awards announced". United Soccer Leagues (USL). August 4, 2003. Archived from the original on August 19, 2003. Retrieved June 29, 2022.

[stats-6] "W-League - Top 10 Stats Leaders". United Soccer Leagues (USL). Archived from the original on December 9, 2003. Retrieved June 29, 2022.

[7] "W-League, PDL MVP's announced". United Soccer Leagues (USL). August 7, 2003. Archived from the original on August 20, 2003. Retrieved June 29, 2022.

[2003b_awards-8] "Defender, Rookie and Coach of the Year awards announced for PDL, W-League". United Soccer Leagues (USL). August 6, 2003. Archived from the original on August 20, 2003. Retrieved June 29, 2022.

[championship_awards-9] "Piranhas win W-League title in OT". United Soccer Leagues (USL). August 10, 2003. Archived from the original on October 3, 2003. Retrieved June 29, 2022.

[10] "W-League All-Conference Teams released". USL W-League. August 1, 2003. Archived from the original on November 28, 2003. Retrieved June 29, 2022.

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2003 USL W-League season

Contents

Changes from the 2002 season

Format changes

Name changes

Expansion teams

Teams leaving