Only three teams in the USL W League’s three-year history have made the playoffs each season, only one of those teams has been crowned champion. That team, Indy Eleven. On Friday, the Girls in Blue begin their title defense against Minnesota Aurora FC.
Indy Eleven won its third straight division title in 2024, topping the Valley Division for the second consecutive season following a Great Lakes Division title in 2022. Indy posted a 7-1-2 regular season record, which included five shutouts and a goal differential of +25 en route to the crown.
The match-up is a familiar one for Indy, as the teams have met in the playoffs the previous two seasons. In 2022, the league’s inaugural season, the pair were arguably two of the best teams in the league. Coming in as two of the only three undefeated sides, 10-0-2 Indy and 11-0-2 Minnesota met in Eagan, Minnesota, for quarterfinal action, with the Aurora coming out on top, 1-0. To date, that is one of only three losses Indy has suffered in W League regular season or playoff action.
The 2023 edition was the opposite. Indy shut out Minnesota, 1-0, thanks to a 57th-minute tally from first team all-league selection Sam Dewey off an assist from second-team selection Grace Bahr to win the Central Conference Final on its way to history.
USL W League scouting report:
Minnesota Aurora is entering the playoffs following another undefeated season with a record of 10-0-2. They found the back of the net 61 times, averaging over five goals per game. Katie Duong has scored in the last seven matches and can finish in a variety of ways. Mariah Nguyen and Saige Wimes are aggressive in the final third and make excellent runs inside the box. It will be interesting to see how Aurora’s defense, led by captain and goalkeeper Taylor Kane, will fair against the strong offense of Indy Eleven.
Captain Ella Rogers and newcomer Amelia White earned W League Team of the Month accolades for their play this season, while Rogers is tied for the team lead with Natalie Mitchell after registering six goals. Mitchell also leads the squad with four assists. In goal, 2023 second team all-league selection Nona Reason has three of Indy’s four shutouts in only four appearances. Thirteen different players have scored goals in 2024, with 14 different players registering assists.
Indy has cemented itself as one of the most successful teams in the W League’s three-year history, posting a 28-3-5 record across all matches.
Friday’s match kicks off at 4 p.m. ET as the front half of a doubleheader with the USL Championship men’s team (7:30 p.m. ET at Rhode Island) and will be played at Keyworth Stadium in Hamtramck, Michigan. Central Conference opponent Detroit City FC plays host to the four-team pod, squaring off against River Light FC in the night cap. Matches will be streamed live on SportsEngine Play. The winning sides will square off in the Central Conference Championship on Sunday.