The Milwaukee Wave finished the regular season one point behind the San Diego Sockers for the title, but missed a first-round bye due to a tiebreaker. The Wave, which led the league in goals scored, will now face the Empire Strykers in a quarterfinal series. The team's head coach, Marcio Leite, emphasized the need to improve defensively. The MASL dropped to eight teams this season with four players leaving, including three-time defending champion Chihuahua Savage. The wave (15-7-2) will play in a home-and-home quarterfinals series April 2 in Ontario, California, and April 6 in Milwaukee.