Continued growth and success prompted USL to divide the elite women’s league into two levels in 1998, forming W-1 and W-2. Teams in the two leagues would continue playing interleague games for travel-purposes but the mission was simple. If multiple levels worked for the men’s side of the sport, there was no reason why it shouldn’t for the women’s side.

 

The W-League, which saw numerous current and future U.S. National Team players gracing the field in its uniforms went on to a spectacular ‘98 season, in which the Raleigh Wings won their first of two consecutive championships in W-1 and the Fort Collins Force captured the first W-2 title. The Wings, with a strong contingent of powerhouse Univ. of North Carolina players, edged the hometown Boston Renegades in a high-scoring 4-3 championship match. Fort Collins, however, handily defeated the Hampton Roads Piranhas, 3-1, behind Maren Hendershot’s two goals.

 

The Rochester Raging Rhinos continued their dominant role on and off the field. On the field, Rochester stomped through the regular season with a league-best 24-4 record. The Raging Rhinos allowed just six goals in their six playoff games that concluded with a 3-1 victory over the Minnesota Thunder, who would return the favor in ‘99, for the A-League championship.

 

The Chicago Stingers won their first of the franchise’s three consecutive league titles in ‘98 by erasing a two-goal halftime deficit to defeat the New Hampshire Phantoms, 3-2, in overtime. Chicago, regrouping as the Sockers in the PDL in ‘99, would go on to win the PDL championship in their two seasons in the league.

 

In 1998, the San Gabriel Valley Highlanders, who reached the semi-finals in ‘97, gave the Southwest Division its third consecutive PDL championship by knocking off the previously undefeated Jackson Chargers, 3-2, in the Final. The Highlanders retained the crown won by the Central Coast Roadrunners in ‘96 and ‘97.