[W-LEAGUE] The Pali Blues and Washington Freedom, winners of the last two W-League championships, will meet Friday in the 2009 final after earning victories in the semifinals. The Pali Blues crushed the Hudson Valley Quickstrike Lady Blues, 4-0, while the Freedom ended the Ottawa Fury’s bid to return to the finals for a third straight year with a 3-1 win on penalty kicks after their game ended in a scoreless tie.
Stanford stars Jodie Taylor and Kelley O’Hara each scored a goal for the Blues, and Cardinal teammate Christen Press added two assists. Mexican star Iris Mora scored and then set up U.S. Olympic gold-medalist Lauren Cheney for the fourth goal.
The Pali Blues, unbeaten in 28 games, have yet to lose in the W-League since joining last season.
The final will be held at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Boyds, which is also the home of WPS’s Freedom.