2017 United Women's Soccer season

The 2017 United Women's Soccer season was the 23nd season of pro-am women's soccer in the United States, and the 2nd season of the UWS league.

United Women's Soccer
Season2017
ChampionsGrand Rapids FC
Matches played95
Goals scored354 (3.73 per match)
Top goalscorerBethany Balcer - GRFC (19 goals)
Biggest home win11-0
(July 15, GRFC, vs. FCI)
Biggest away win0-6
(May 13, NJ vs. Rochester)
1-7
(July 8, Indy vs. GRFC)
Highest scoring11-0
(July 15, GRFC, vs. FCI)
Longest winning run9 (SCBH, May 26-July 21)
Longest unbeaten run12 (GRFC, May 27-July 22)
Longest losing run9 (NYM, May 27-July 14)
← 2016
2018 →
All statistics correct as of July 22, 2017.

Changes from 2016
  • Detroit Sun FC,[1] FC Indiana,[1] Fort Wayne United Soccer Club,[1] Grand Rapids FC,[2] Indy Premier SC,[3] Michigan Legends FC,[4] and Toledo Villa FC joined the league and were placed in the newly formed Midwest Conference.
  • Syracuse Developmental Academy,[5] Western New York Flash,[6] and Rochester Lady Lancers[7] joined the league and were placed in the East Conference.
  • Calgary Foothills WFC[8] and So Cal Crush FC[9] joined the league and were placed in the West Conference.
  • The league championship moved to a four-team format, with one representative from each conference (the West conference champions, the winner of the four-team Midwest playoffs, and the winner of a two-team East playoff) and a fourth wild-card team to be determined by record, strength of schedule, travel concerns, and other factors. These four teams are then seeded and play two semifinal matches, with the winners playing in the finals for the league title.[10]

Standings

East Conference

Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 New Jersey Copa FC 10 8 1 1 23 7 +16 25 2017 East Conference playoffs
2 Long Island Rough Riders 10 7 2 1 35 10 +25 22
3 New England Mutiny 10 7 3 0 23 10 +13 21
4 New York Surf 10 6 2 2 25 12 +13 20
5 Western New York Flash 10 4 4 2 18 21 −3 14
6 Lancaster Inferno 10 4 6 0 18 23 −5 12
7 Rochester Lady Lancers 10 0 9 1 10 35 −25 1
8 New York Magic 10 0 9 1 4 38 −34 1
Source: UWS standings
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head (if only 2 teams) 3) wins; 4) goal difference (maximum +5 goal difference in a game); 5) goals scored; 6) total points in smallest group; 7) points earned against top 4 finishers; 8) points outside smallest group; 9) lottery

Midwest Conference

Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Grand Rapids FC 10 8 1 1 32 7 +25 25 2017 Midwest Conference playoffs
2 Detroit Sun FC 10 6 1 3 23 12 +11 21
3 Michigan Legends FC 10 4 3 3 21 16 +5 15
4 FC Indiana 10 4 6 0 13 20 −7 12
5 Toledo Villa FC 10 3 6 1 16 22 −6 10
6 Fort Wayne United FC Gryphons 10 3 6 1 9 25 −16 10
7 Indy Premier SC 10 2 7 1 9 21 −12 7
Source: UWS standings
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head (if only 2 teams) 3) wins; 4) goal difference (maximum +5 goal difference in a game); 5) goals scored; 6) total points in smallest group; 7) points earned against top 4 finishers; 8) points outside smallest group; 9) lottery

West Conference

Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Santa Clarita Blue Heat 8 8 0 0 18 5 +13 24 2017 UWS national playoffs
2 Calgary Foothills WFC 8 4 3 1 14 13 +1 13
3 Real Salt Lake 8 3 4 1 15 10 +5 10
4 Houston Aces 8 3 5 0 21 19 +2 9
5 SoCal Crush 8 1 7 0 7 28 −21 3
Source: UWS standings
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head (if only 2 teams) 3) wins; 4) goal difference (maximum +5 goal difference in a game); 5) goals scored; 6) total points in smallest group; 7) points earned against top 4 finishers; 8) points outside smallest group; 9) lottery

Playoffs

East Conference Playoffs
Final
July 18
   
1 New Jersey Copa FC 1
2 Long Island Rough Riders 5

Bold = winner
* = after extra time, ( ) = penalty shootout score

New Jersey Copa FC1 – 5Long Island Rough Riders
Hunsberger 86' Report
Report		 Santoro 39', 51'
Elliott 55'
Marra 69' (pen.)
Antonino 72'

Midwest Conference Playoffs

Hosted by Grandville High School in Grandville, Michigan

Semifinal
July 15 		Final
July 16
      
1 Grand Rapids FC 11
4 FC Indiana 0
1 Grand Rapids FC 1
2 Detroit Sun FC 0
2 Detroit Sun FC 1
3 Michigan Legends FC 0

Bold = winner
* = after extra time, ( ) = penalty shootout score

Detroit Sun FC1 – 0Michigan Legends FC
Brough
Grandville High School
Grandville, Michigan
Attendance: 630
Grand Rapids FC11 – 0FC Indiana
Carlson 4'
Balcer 14', 26', 43'
Lockwood 18'
Corby 34'
Maher 55'
Sagara 65'
Paul 73', 83' (pen.)
Stinson 78'
Grandville High School
Grandville, Michigan
Attendance: 630
Grand Rapids FC1 – 0Detroit Sun FC
Kovacs 22'
Grandville High School
Grandville, Michigan
Attendance: 641

National Playoffs

Hosted by Grandville High School in Grandville, Michigan. Classified to the semifinals are Grand Rapids FC (Midwest Conference champion), Santa Clarita (West Conference champion), Long Island Rough Riders (East Conference champion) and Detroit Sun FC invited by United Women's Soccer as a wildcard.

Semifinal
July 21 		Final
July 22
      
MW Grand Rapids FC 2 (3)
E Long Island Rough Riders 2 (2)
MW Grand Rapids FC 3*
W Santa Clarita Blue Heat 1
W Santa Clarita Blue Heat 3
WC Detroit Sun FC 0

Bold = winner
* = after extra time, ( ) = penalty shootout score

Semifinals
Santa Clarita Blue Heat3 – 0Detroit Sun FC
Castellanos 45+'
Lavrusky 63'
Castaneda 68'		 Report
Grandville High School
Grandville, Michigan
Attendance: 770
Grand Rapids FC2 – 2 (a.e.t.)Long Island Rough Riders
Balcer 16' (pen.)
Kovacs 119'		 Report
Report
Report		 Modena 9'
Venezia 107'
Penalties
Lockwood soccer ball with check mark
Steinlage soccer ball with check mark
Corby soccer ball with red X
Stinson soccer ball with check mark		 3–2 soccer ball with check mark Marra
soccer ball with check mark Vasquez
soccer ball with red X Venezia
soccer ball with red X Groth
soccer ball with red X Dutcher
Grandville High School
Grandville, Michigan
Attendance: 770

UWS Championship
Grand Rapids FC3 – 1 (a.e.t.)Santa Clarita Blue Heat
Corby 15'
Sagara 97'
Balcer 103'		 Report Lavrusky 14'
Grandville High School
Grandville, Michigan
Attendance: 1,074
Referee: Rebecca Pagan

Championship MVP: Michaela Kovacs (Grand Rapids FC)

Statistical leaders

League awards

Individual awards
  • Player of the Year: Deyna Castellanos (SAC)
  • Defensive Player of the Year: Caitlyn Clem (DET)
  • Coach of the Year: Lewis Robinson (GRA)

All-League First Team

F: Bethany Balcer (GRA), Carissima Cutrona (WNY)
M: Jackie Bruno (NJC), Deyna Castellanos (SAC), Kimberly Marra (LIR), Annie Steinlage (GRA)
D: Michaela Kovacs (GRA), Natalia Kuikka (SAC), Rebecca Raber (NJC), Lauren Sesselmann (SAC)
G: Caitlyn Clem (DET)

All-League Second Team

F: Haley Crawford (LAN), Joelle Gosselin (CAL), Madison Schupbach (DET)
M: Brenna Brown (NEM), Chloe Castaneda (SAC), Dani Evans (DET)
D: Jennifer Cafferky (NEM), Taylor Groth (LIR), Natalie Norris (RSL), Brooke Salmon (NYS)
G: Emily Burns (CAL)

[12]

References
  1. "United Women's Soccer announces four-team expansion". December 12, 2016. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 13, 2016.
  2. "Grand Rapids FC launches women's team for 2017 season".
  3. "Indy Premier Soccer Club Joins United Women's Soccer". February 12, 2017. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
  4. "Michigan Legends F.C. Added To Midwest Conference". January 5, 2017. Retrieved January 5, 2017.
  5. "UWS East Welcomes Syracuse Development Academy". 11 February 2017. Archived from the original on 13 February 2017. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  6. "Western New York Flash Join United Women's Soccer". United Women's Soccer. March 7, 2017. Retrieved March 8, 2017.
  7. "Rochester Lancers men's, women's soccer teams announced". WHEC-TV. April 8, 2017. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
  8. Jarvie, Michele (February 16, 2017). "Foothills WFC to compete in United Women's Soccer league". Calgary Sun. Archived from the original on March 26, 2017. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
  9. "So Cal Crush F.C. Joins United Women's Soccer". United Women's Soccer. February 18, 2017. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
  10. "2017 UWS Championship & Playoff Info". United Women's Soccer. July 3, 2017. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
  11. "2016 UWS statistics". Retrieved July 24, 2017.
  12. "2017 All-United Women's Soccer Awards". United Women's Soccer (UWS). August 2, 2017. Archived from the original on August 3, 2017. Retrieved August 2, 2017.

Official website

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