Two-time defending W-League champion Boston Renegades' reign ended Thursday night in the Northern Conference semifinal, victim to a 3-2 upset victory by the visiting Ottawa Fury at Bowditch Stadium in Framingham, Mass.

The Fury (12-2-1) got a goal and assist off the bench from former University of Alberta striker Aisha Alfa and a W-League-best 15th goal from University of Hartford star Jeanette Akerlund to hand the Renegades (13-1-1) their first loss of the season.

The Charlotte Lady Eagles (10-3-0), who lost to Boston in last year's W-League final, and 2000 W-League champ Chicago Cobras (11-1-1) also advanced to this weekend's conference finals with victories on Thursday.

Former UNC Wilmington standout Christy Timbers scored a hat trick to lead Charlotte, the 2001 W-2 League titlist, into the Central Conference final with a 4-1 rout over the Northern Virginia Majestics (5-8-0) at E.E. Waddell High School in Charlotte.

The Lady Eagles will travel to play Chicago in the conference final Sunday at Mooseheart (Ill.) Stadium. The Cobras romped, 9-1, over the Northern Kentucky TC Stars (5-6-2) as Arizona State sophomore Brittany Cooper and University of Connecticut junior Kristen Graczyk both netted hat tricks.

Ottawa, which had tied Boston in the teams' previous meeting in Framingham, will play host Sunday to the New Jersey Lady Stallions (12-3-0) at Carleton University in the Eastern Conference title match. The Fury will be missing four starters — Taryn Swiatek, Linda Consolante, Leah Robinson and Rhian Wilkinson — who will be playing for Canada at the Pan-American Games in the Dominican Republic.

The Vancouver Whitecaps (10-1-1) is home against the Seattle Sounders (8-3-1) in the Western Conference final Saturday night at Swangard Stadium in nearby Burnaby.

The winners of the conference finals will join host Hampton Roads Piranhas (12-0-0) in the W-League final four Aug. 8-10 in Virginia Beach, Va.

W-LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
Division finals
Thursday's results
Boston 2 (Totman 40, Rahko 87) Ottawa Fury 3 (Vermeulen pen. 44, Alfa 79, Akerlund 82).
Charlotte 4 (Timbers 34, 47, 62, Swinehart 66) Northern Virginia 2 (McBean 45).
Chicago 9 (Sitch 14, B. Cooper 18, 49, 59, Grubb 28, Feulner 66, Graczyk 67, 81, 87) Northern Kentucky 1 (Hoffbauer 69).

Conference finals
Saturday's game
Vancouver Whitecaps Women (10-1-1) vs. Seattle Sounders Women (8-3-1) at Swangard Stadium (Burnaby, British Columbia), 10 p.m.

Sunday's games
Chicago Cobras (11-1-1) vs. Charlotte Lady Eagles (10-3-0) at Mooseheart Memorial Stadium (Mooseheart, Ill.), 2 p.m.
Ottawa Fury (12-2-1) vs. New Jersey Lady Stallions (12-3-0) at Keith Harris Stadium, Carleton University (Ottawa), 4 p.m.

Final Four
Aug. 8-10 at Landstown High School, Virginia Beach, Va.
Semifinals
Hampton Roads Piranhas (12-0-0) vs. opponent TBA
Opponent TBA vs. Opponent TBA

All times Eastern