The seventh-ranked Charlotte Eagles took a huge step towards defending its 2023 WPSL championship thanks to a 1-0 win over The District Division representatives, McLean Soccer, to clinch the Atlantic Conference title and earn a spot in the South Region Playoffs – hosted by this year’s Lone Star winners, Austin Rise FC. Filling out the field is Sunshine Conference representative FC Prime and wildcard selection Futbolera Select. 

 

 

AUSTIN RISE FC (6-3-1)

Lone Star Conference

Austin Rise FC held true to its name, rising from fourth place in its inaugural year to win the Lone Star Conference in its second WPSL season. Austin went 6-3-1 and won the conference by a two-point margin thanks to two wins and a draw to close out the regular season. The club’s only loss came in its season opener, 2-0 on the road to Classics Elite SA. 

Hailey Sapinoro (University of South Carolina–Upstate) leads the club with five of the 23 goals scored on the season. Eleven other players scored goals for Austin over the course of its 10-game season. Coach Rogerio Celeya’s side conceded a conference-low nine goals. 

Austin finished the regular season ranked eighth in the South Region. 

Austin Rise FC faces FC Prime from the Sunshine Conference in Saturday’s semifinal nightcap. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:45 PM CDT. 

 

 

CHARLOTTE EAGLES (8-0-1)

Atlantic Conference — Carolinas Division

The reigning WPSL champs took its first step towards being the first WPSL league winners to repeat as champions last Saturday with a 1-0 win over The District Division representative, McLean Soccer, to secure the Atlantic Conference title and a return trip to the South Region Playoffs. 

This is Charlotte’s fourth trip to the region playoffs, reaching the Regional Finals in five WPSL seasons. Coached by Tiff Rice, Charlotte ran away with the Carolinas Division, going 7-0-1 in the regular season. The club’s only stumble was a 2-1 loss at second-place Port City FC. Charlotte overcame the loss the following week with a 3-0 derby win over the Women’s Football Club of Charlotte and did not look back – closing out play with a six-point lead at the end of the regular season. 

A committee of goal scorers put Charlotte at the top of the division with 24 goals. Ava Myers (St Bonaventure University) leads the club in scoring with four goals, followed by Faith Adams (Lipscomb University) and Meredith King (post-collegiate) with three. Six Eagles players scored two goals over the season, and six more have contributed one goal to the tally. Charlotte conceded a division-low four goals while posting six clean sheets entering Saturday’s South Region semifinal. 

Charlotte finishes the regular season ranked seventh in the National Power Rankings and atop the South Region Top 10.

Charlotte takes on the region wildcard entrant, Futbolera Select from the Lone Star Conference in Saturday’s opening semifinal match. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:00 PM CDT. 

 

FC PRIMETIME (5-1-2)

Sunshine Conference

Representing the Sunshine Conference, FC Prime returns to the South Region Playoffs for a second consecutive year. Based in Tamarac, Fla., near Ft. Lauderdale, FC Prime finished conference play 5-1-2. 

Coached by Russ Morgan, FC Prime is led by Emily Thompson (University of Central Florida), who scored five of the club’s 16 goals over eight games. Francesca Brito (Lynn University) tallied three and Ciara Alarcon (academy) scored two. FC Prime was second in the conference in defense with conceding eight goals and two clean sheets. 

FC Prime finished the regular season unranked. The club charted for twice in Weeks 5 (No. 10) and 6 (No. 8).

FC Prime faces Lone Star Conference winners, Austin Rise FC in Saturday’s semifinal nightcap. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:45 PM CDT. 

 

FUTBOLERA SELECT (4-3-3)
Lone Star Conference

In its first WPSL season, the Houston-based Futbolera Select earned a berth in the South Region Playoffs as a wildcard team after posting a 4-3-3 in the Lone Star Conference. 

The club recorded some impressive results in its inaugural season by going 1-1-1 in its first three games – which included an impressive 2-2 draw versus conference champs, Austin Rise FC. Emily Jaimes (Houston Christian University) led the goal scoring race with four of the club’s 23 goals. At the other end of the field, Futbolera Select posted four clean sheets while conceding 14 goals. 

Futbolera Select makes its first South Region Playoffs appearance in Saturday’s opening semifinal versus reigning WPSL champions, Charlotte Eagles. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:00 PM CDT.