BOYDS, MD -- The Washington Freedom continued their playoff run on Saturday, defeating the Ottawa Fury 3-1 on penalty kicks. After regulation ended deadlocked at 0-0, the two sides played to two scoreless fifteen-minute halves of extra time leading to the penalty shootout.

Freedom goalkeeper Chante Sandiford’s penalty kick saves denied the Fury a third trip to the W-League Championship game. The 2007 champion Freedom will move on to the final, where they will face the reigning W-League Champions, Pali Blues, on Friday, August 7 in Boyds, Maryland.

Ottawa got off to a quick start, but failed to convert in the early stages of the game. The Freedom fought back with Brittany Tegeler forcing keeper Jasmine Phillips to come up with saves on two occasions. The second half saw more back and forth action with both defenses holding strong. Sandiford denied Ottawa’s Emma Kete on a breakaway in the 55th minute, and Phillips answered with a sharp save on the Freedom’s Kimmie Germain. After 120 minutes of scoreless soccer, the teams headed to penalty kicks with a championship berth on the line.

The Fury would shoot first in the penalty shootout with Hayley Moorwood rifling home a shot into the top right corner. Sandra Matute pulled the Freedom even. The Fury’s second shooter, Ria Percival, was denied by the left post.

Kika Toulouse put the Freedom ahead 2-1 with a shot into the top corner. Courtney Wetzel looked to even things up, but Sandiford came up big with a diving stop.

Caitlin Miskel put the Freedom in the driver’s seat, converting to make it 3-1 with the Fury needing to score. Sandiford once again proved to be the difference, making a save on Michelle Evans and sending the Freedom back to the W-League Finals since they won it all in 2007 after, oddly enough, defeating the Fury.

The Washington will look to win their second W-League title since winning in 2007, but will have to defeat the defending W-League Champions Pali Blues who have yet to lose in the W-League since joining last season.