League’s 21st Championship Weekend Set for July 24-26
The Laval Comets have been selected as hosts of the 2015 W-League Championship presented by Nike. Laval will welcome the three W-League conference champions July 24-26 to Desjardins Stadium for the semifinals and final featuring some of the world’s top amateur, international and professional women’s soccer stars.
“We are thrilled that the Laval Comets will be hosting the 2015 W-League Championship presented by Nike,” Senior Director Chris Economides said. “The Comets have been one of the class organizations in the W-League for the past nine seasons, and it is fitting that the attention of the women’s soccer world will be on them as they host the Championship during their 10th-anniversary season. With the support of the Laval community, on the heels of what will be a fantastic FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada, we expect an exciting and extremely competitive final four.”
As hosts of the W-League Championship, the Comets receive a bye into the semifinals. The 2015 W-League season features 18 teams in three regional conferences, and six teams will move on to the playoffs from the regular season. The top two regular-season finishers in the Northeastern Conference (other than Laval) and the top two finishers in the Western conferences will meet the weekend of July 18-19 to battle for spots at the Championship. The top regular season finisher from the Southeastern Conference will earn the final spot.
“The Laval Comets are proud to partner with the W-League in hosting the 2015 W-League Championships presented by Nike,” Comets General Manager Philippe Ciarlo said. “The city of Laval and Complexe Multi-Sports de Laval are known for being great hosts in Canada. 2015 is the year of women’s soccer in Quebec and is the 10th season in the W-League for the Laval Comets. It is an honor for us to receive the opportunity to host the Final Four. It will be a great experience.”
The Comets have enjoyed a great deal of success during their past nine seasons in the league, reaching the postseason six times and falling just short of the title in 2013, losing 1-0 against the Pali Blues in the championship match. Led by Head Coach Cindy Walsh, Laval is expected to be one of the teams to beat in the Northeastern Conference this season.
Desjardins Stadium at the Bois-de-Boulogne Center was built in 2005 and has served as the only home for the Laval Comets the past nine seasons. With a new turf set to be installed in April, the stadium will serve as a practice facility for teams competing in the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup this summer.
The W-League is recognized throughout the world for providing superior competition for female players, while offering affordable family entertainment for fans across North America. The caliber of W-League talent continues to grow, with 18 of the 36 players recently selected in the NWSL Draft boasting W-League experience.
The 2015 W-League season opens on Friday, May 15. The Northeastern and Western conferences will conclude their regular seasons on July 12, while the Southeastern slate wraps up the weekend of July 17-18. YouTube Live will once again serve as the official video platform for the W-League in 2015. Live games from throughout the league as well as team highlights and weekly league videos will provide fans a front-row seat during the season.
