USSF D2 Pro League Playoff Semifinals Get Clarity with 3 Games Saturday

Three USSF D2 Pro League quarterfinal games were played on Saturday, sending 3 teams to the semifinals.

The #2 seeded Carolina RailHawks shook the monkey from their backs with a 4-0 win over the NSC Stars advancing them to the semifinals. The RailHawks had never won a playoff game nor scored in a playoff match. The 4-0 aggregate score assured Carolina of one more round of playoff action.

The 2nd year Austin Aztex, who were the #3 seed, were upset again by the #6 seed Montreal Impact. Austin, who turned things around from a poor first season last year, slumped the last several weeks of the season and were not able to recover. Montreal beat Austin at home 2-0 this week and then defeated the Aztex again in Austin by a score of 3-2. With the combined 5-2 Montreal aggregate advantage they move onto the semifinals to face the RailHawks.

The #1 seed Rochester Rhinos and the #8 seed Puerto Rico Islanders are two teams with plenty of post season experience. But Rochester’s younger players may have been undone by the Islanders experienced roster and big game history of  Champions League play. The Islanders won the first leg at home 2-0 in a game that was moved at the last moment due to bad pitch conditions from torrential rains. The Rhinos had to dig themselves out of the hole last night but Puerto Rico were the team that took an early lead 1-0 in the 21st minute. Rochester came back to win the game 2-1 but the 3-2 aggregate score got  the job done for the Islanders. They also move on to the semifinals.

Carolina and Montreal will meet at 7:30 p.m. at Stade Saputo in Montreal, Quebec on Thursday, Oct. 14, while Puerto Rico will face the winner of the Portland-Vancouver series. Vancouver is up in that series 2-0, beating the Timbers at Swangard Stadium. Portland will attempt to return the favor at Merlo Field today. PGE Park is closed and being renovated for the Timbers’ move to MLS. But Merlo only holds 4,892, a far cry from the much larger PGE Park and the large, rowdy Timbers Army crowds.

The playoffs consist of a two-leg, aggregate goals series in the first round, semifinals and finals. Away goals will not be considered a tie-breaker in the aggregate goal series. If teams are tied on aggregate goals after the conclusion of the second leg, they will play two 15-minute overtime periods. Penalty kicks will follow overtime if the teams have not broken the deadlock.

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Playoff bracket courtesy of Alison Andrews and USL Fans.com.