Monica Dolinsky, above right, and the Colorado Force will face the defending W-League champion Pali Blues on Saturday evening in Pacific Palisades, Calif., in the opening round of the W-League playoffs. (photo by George Tanner/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

The Colorado Force has qualified for the W-League playoffs on the strength of three consecutive victories, combined with three consecutive losses by the Seattle Sounders.

Sara Campbell, left, and the Colorado Force ended their 2009 regular season on a high note, defeating the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-0 on Friday in Loveland. (photo by Tom Auclair/ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

The Vancouver Whitecaps will meet the Colorado Force at 7 tonight in Loveland and the Real Colorado Cougars at 1 p.m. Sunday in Highlands Ranch. Friday’s match is the Force’s regular-season finale, as is the Sunday game for Vancouver and Real Colorado.

Nikki Marshall scored two goals as the Colorado Force kept its playoff hopes alive with a 2-1 win over the L.A. Legends on Tuesday night in Chino, Calif.

Striker Lisa Franke and defender Carly Peetz scored as the Colorado Force topped the Ventura County Fusion 2-1 on Sunday at Ventura, Calif.

The defending W-League champions, the Pali Blues, powered past the Colorado Force 3-0 on Friday night in Pacific Palisades, Calif., clinching the Western Conference title for the second consecutive year.

With its eyes on a playoff spot, the Colorado Force kicks off a three-game Southern California road trip tonight against league-leading Pali Blues. The trip continues Sunday, against the Ventura County Fusion and ends Tuesday against the Los Angeles Legends. At left, Colorado defender Mo Smunt races Pali midfielder Iris Mora to a loose ball in the team’s 0-0 draw on June 14 at the Loveland Sports Park. (photo by Tom Auclair/ ColoradoSoccerNow.com)

Monica Dolinsky scored on a blistering 30-yard free kick in the 75th minute to help the Colorado Force to a 1-1 draw against the Vancouver Whitecaps, extending the Force’s unbeaten streak to seven games.

Force striker Lisa Franke had the best chance to score as Colorado held the Sky Blue FC of Women’s Professional Soccer scoreless in an exhibition that was shortened because of lightning near Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. Colorado’s Lisa Franke had the best scoring chance in the match. (photo by Jonathan Ingraham/ ColoradoSoccerNow.com)