All good things must come to an end. So it was for the Pali Blues’ reign as W-League champions. The Blues lost to Vancouver, 2-1, last Saturday in British Columbia and were eliminated from the Western Conference playoffs. The undefeated Whitecaps (7-0-4) scored twice in the first half and held on to win in front of 1,712 home fans at Swangard Stadium. Vancouver, which also beat Pali twice in the regular season, advanced to the “Final Four,” which begins today at College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita. Janice Cayman nearly gave the Blues (3-5-3) a 1-0 lead in the 14th minute, but her shot hit the crossbar. Then, with time running out in the first half, forward Christen Press had two chances to score, but Whitecaps goalie Siobhan Chamberlain made the save each time. In stoppage time, teenage striker Shelby Payne headed the ball off the Vancouver crossbar. Pali finally broke through in the 61st minute when Julie Bukh’s free kick was re-directed into the net on a header by Italian international Sara Gama. Blues goalie Chante Sandiford made four saves. Both teams finished with 12 shots. The Blues’ third season did not end with a championship as the previous two did, but Head Coach Charlie Naimo was just as proud of his squad. “I am so humbled by this year,” he said. “I think things happen for a reason, but I know for sure that this group was deserving of a playoff chance. This is by far the best conference I’ve seen. It makes you look forward to next year and forces you to work harder.”
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