A chance to clinch

It feels like the WPSL season just started, but Utah Red Devils’ dominant run of form has given them a chance to lock up the PacNorth – Mountain Conference this weekend. The Salt Lake City club probably needs only a draw Saturday against Players SC to ensure that it wins the division — the Red Devils’ goal differential is +17 and the next best team’s is zero — but a win would clinch.

Can Pateadores make a run in the Coastal?

Pateadores might be the most intriguing club in the Coastal Conference right now. Although just fifth in the table, the Costa Mesa-based side owns two head-turning performances against the current division leaders (a 4-1 win over Legends FC) and a narrow defeat to last year’s champions (0-1 vs. Beach Futbol Club). Part of the reason Pateadores is so far down the table is the fact that they’ve played half the matches Legends has. The other part is that they dropped points against LA Premier FC.

This weekend we’ll find out if Pateadores are the real deal when they complete their season series against Legends FC on Saturday. Defeat Legends again and Pateadores could have what it takes to close the gap. But if they do pull off the season sweep, they’ll need keep their cool and get a result on the road the next day against So Cal Union FC.

Can anyone create separation in the PacSouth?

A single point separates first from third in the PacSouth, and it’s LA Galaxy San Diego that has the biggest opportunity to create some distance between itself and its peers. LAGSD plays two matches during the weekend against first-place Phoenix Del Sol on Saturday and against third-place FC Tucson Women on Sunday. At the end of the weekend, the Galaxy could find themselves five points clear of the second-place team or as many as four points off the pace.

Battle for first in the Northwest Conference

There isn’t an expansion side in the West Region off to a better start to the 2018 season than Canadian club TSS Rovers. The Rovers are undefeated through their first three matches and would have a perfect record but for a second-half equalizer from Eugene Timbers FC Azul that cost TSS two points.

But until this Sunday, TSS will not have faced a foe quite as formidable as Seattle Sounders Women. The Sounders will walk into Swangard Stadium, the former home of the Vancouver Whitecaps, looking to stay perfect on the year and grow their gap at the top of the Northwest Conference to five points. An upset from TSS, however, would send the expansion side to the top of the table.