Wisconsin Soccer Central

Semifinal pairings are set for the Madison Soccer Association playoffs, which kick off Sunday night at Reddan Soccer Park's Goodman Pitch in Verona.

The two-time defending champion Madison Fire are seeded first after finishing the regular season atop the Division 1 standings, and will face Deportivo at 6 p.m. No. 2 seed Paradigm, which won the 2010 and '11 titles, takes on Madison United at 8 p.m.

Both games are rematches of May 18 regular-season matches: the Fire blanked Deportivo 4-0 that day, while Paradigm tipped United 3-2. However, last fall Deportivo and the Fire drew 2-2 and United dealt Paradigm a 3-2 loss.

Paradigm was 1-4-2 and in last place after the fall portion on the season, but won six of their seven matches in the spring to rocket up the six-team table.

The Division 2 semifinals are June 6, with unbeaten Epic FC leading the quartet of qualifiers. Second- and third-seeded Vilas Rangers and Madison Hotspur had the same regular-season records – and Hotspur is the league's hottest team, with no losses during the spring season.

All six playoff matches are at Goodman Pitch, with the two finals scheduled for June 8.

MADISON SOCCER ASSOCIATION PLAYOFFS
At Goodman Pitch at Reddan Soccer Park, Verona
Sunday, June 1
Division 1 semifinals
No. 1 Madison Fire (10-1-3) vs. No. 4 Deportivo (6-6-2), 6 p.m.
No. 2 Paradigm (7-5-2) vs. No. 3 Madison United (6-6-2), 8 p.m.

Friday, June 6
Division 2 semifinals
No. 1 Epic FC (8-0-4) vs. No. 4 Bulldogs (6-5-1), 6 p.m.
No. 2 Vilas Rangers (7-3-1) vs. No. 3 Madison Hotspur (7-3-1), 8 p.m.

Sunday, June 8
Finals
Division 2, 5 p.m.
Division 1, 7:30 p.m.

MSA website (standings, results)

• UW-Milwaukee's Laurie Bell had two assists as the Ventura County Fusion routed the OC Pateadores Blues 5-1 in a USL Premier Development League match Saturday in Ventura, Calif.
• Defender Blake Jones (Green Bay) scored the opening goal and set up the first of the St. Louis Lions' two stoppage-time equalizers as they pulled out a 3-3 tie with visiting WSA Winnipeg in a wild PDL match Saturday.
• UW forward Nick Jones scored the the 37th-minute equalizer as the Chicago Fire Under-23 team beat the Pittsburgh Riverhounds Under-23s 2-1 in a PDL opener Friday in Bridgeview, Ill. The Fire started four players who play college soccer in Wisconsin and brought another off the bench.
• UW's Rose Lavelle had quite the weekend for the Dayton Dutch Lions. The U.S. Under-20 international scored twice in the team's 4-3 loss to the Charlotte Lady Eagles in a USL W-League match Sunday, then had the lone goal in the 42nd minute of a 1-0 victory over Charlotte on Monday.
• Two games, two clean sheets for UW's Genevieve Richard and the Laval Comets in W-League play. Richard made three saves Saturday as the Comets opened the season with a 4-0 rout of the London Gryphons, then turned away all eight shots she faced to preserve a 0-0 draw against the Toronto Lady Lynx on Sunday.
• The U.S. Adult Soccer Association Region II championships, which are June 13 to 15 in Westfield, Ind., will include an Under-20 men's division for the first time. There isn't currently a national competition for that age group, but the USASA and U.S. Youth Soccer are working together to try to create an Under-20 national championship starting in 2015.

Editor's note: This article has been edited from its original version to reflect information that became available after posting.