With a 3-2 victory over the Marin FC Sirens on Wednesday afternoon, the San Francisco Glens won the USL W League NorCal division with a game in hand. Meanwhile, Oakland Soul and California Storm battle for second place, with the final automatic USL W League NorCal bid still at stake over the last weekend.
SF Glens remain undefeated
The San Francisco Glens (10-0-1) rebounded from their season’s first draw to claim the USL W League NorCal Division title.
After defeating The Olympic Club 4-0 on June 21, the Glens had a hiccup against California Storm, drawing 4-4 at home. The tie dropped the Glens from the top of the nationwide USL W-League power standings to third place.
However, San Francisco took care of business and edged out Marin FC Sirens 3-2 on Wednesday night.
SF’s Jasmine Aikey and Jessie Halladay staked the Glens to a 2-0 lead in the first half before Marin’s Brianna Salvetti pulled one goal back.
Hallie Hannah tied the game up in the 54th minute for Marin, but SF’s Nadia Gomes responded with a goal in the 76th minute to give the Glens a valuable three points and the conference title.
Oakland Soul face off against SF Glens
Although the Glens won the conference, the second-place side also earn a bid to the USL W League playoffs. On Sunday, Oakland Soul’s game against the Glens at Merritt College has huge implications for whether the Soul will advance or fall just short of the postseason.
A few weeks after being controlled by the Glens in San Bruno, The Soul responded with three wins in a row, including back-to-back 5-0 demolitions of Academica SC and Pleasanton Rage, before edging out Marin FC Sirens 2-1.
Meanwhile, California Storm remains two points behind Soul with one game left. If California Storm can win its game against Stockton Cargo FC on Saturday and the Soul cannot win or tie the Glens on Sunday, the Storm may advance while the Soul may lose out.
Three team battle for two USL W League playoff spots
The NorCal division has a half-spot playoff that could be awarded to the third-place team, depending on the results in the Northwest division, which has a half-spot playoff for the second-place team.
Currently, three teams are fighting for two playoff spots: Oakland Soul, California Storm, and United PDX of the Northwest Division.
According to the USL, the wild card bid will be awarded to the team with the highest points per game remaining from the NorCal and Northwest Division. Oakland Soul and California Storm have a 2.45 and 2.27 ppg average, respectively. United PDX has a 2.22 ppg average. Each team has one more game this weekend.
If California Storm and United PDX win their games on Saturday, Oakland Soul will need a tie or a win on Sunday to earn their playoff spot. If either California Storm or United PDX tie or lose on Saturday, the Soul will be guaranteed a place no matter the result of their game on Sunday against the Glens.
