The USL W League season is down to its final match and on Saturday we’re getting a matchup of two clubs that few could of predicted.

NC Courage U23

It’s not that one side of the matchup couldn’t have been guessed. Since joining the USL W League in 2023, NC Courage U23 has been an absolute powerhouse in the league. After missing the playoffs in their first season, the club went undefeated in the regular season in its second year and proceeded through the playoffs before running into Indy Eleven in the final, where they lost 2-1 in overtime. And while some teams might slow down after a set back, NC Courage roared back in season three. The team was a beast in the regular season, losing a single match, before continuing that run of form through the playoffs, knocking off Colorado Storm in the championship and winning the league title.

This year has been more of the same from the Eastern Conference Champions. Undefeated in the regular season, the team only had a two draws and won their division easily by ten points. Courage beat Mid Atlantic Division Champs Eagle 2-1 in the opening match of the playoffs. In the Eastern Conference championship, they had a scrapper of a match with Annapolis, but prevailed in penalties 4-3 to advance to the semifinals. Their semifinal opponent was Asheville City, the Champions of the South, but Courage won 2-1 to advance to the championship.

Unlike some teams, NC Courage U23 is a team with players that can score from all over the field. The team features five players with at least four goals: Mia Minestrella, Amaris Bumba, Ivy Garner, Gracy Ivey, and Macey Bader. That sort of attack leaves opposing sides without a key player to focus on in defense. Any of those players can score the goal to win the match for Courage.

Utah United

Courage’s opponent in the championship match is another club from the Western Conference Mountain Division. Last year, that division produced the league runner-up, Colorado Storm, and this year, Utah United emerges to challenge for the title. Not sure what’s in the water in the tiny Mountain Division, but it produces fierce soccer players.

Utah won its division by three points, narrowly edging last year’s runner-up. While Utah was excellent in its regular season run, winning all but one match and having a +56 goal differential, the team barely made the playoffs due to how good Storm was. In fact, Utah United and Colorado Storm played each other three times and Utah won two of those battles, which was the difference that got them into the playoffs.

However, once in the playoffs, Utah rolled. In three matches, United gave up a single goal, beating FC Olympia, Stockton Cargo, and Minnesota Aurora. Led by one of the best soccer players in the country, Utah’s attack is next level. TCU superstar and Utah-native, Seven Castain is probably the best attacker in the entire league. She scored 20 goals this season in the W League, averaging a goal every 35 minutes played and winning the League’s Golden Boot. Courage defenders will have their hands full in this one.

The final takes place on Saturday at BYU’s South Field in Provo, UT at 9pmET.

- Dan Vaughn