Tina Frimpong scored goals a minute apart late in the first half Saturday night and the Seattle Sounders Women pulled out a penalty-kick triumph over archrival Vancouver Whitecaps Women in the W-League's Western Conference final at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, British Columbia.
The Sounders (8-3-2) outfired Vancouver, 3-1, in the shootout following a 2-2 tie to advance to the W-League final four next weekend in Virginia Beach, Va.
Seattle will meet host Hampton Roads (12-0-0) in one of Friday's semifinals. They will be joined in Virginia Beach by the winners of Sunday's Eastern and Central conference finals. Ottawa plays host to the New Jersey Lady Stallions in the Eastern Conference title match, and Chicago is home against Charlotte in the Central Conference final.
Frimpong, a junior at the University of Washington, tallied in the 42nd and 43rd minutes as the Sounders turned an early deficit into a 2-1 halftime lead.
Phebe-Joy Trotman set up both goals for the heavily favored Whitecaps (10-1-2), feeding Canadian national-teamers Sasha Andrews in the ninth minute and Andrea Neil in the 65th.
W-LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
Conference finals
Saturday's result
Vancouver 2 (Andrews 9, Neil 65) Seattle 2 (Frimpong 42, 43).
(Seattle advances, 3-2, on penalties)
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. Seattle Sounders Women (8-3-2.)
Chicago/Charlotte winner vs. Ottawa/New Jersey Lady Stallions winner.
All times Eastern