Wisconsin Soccer Central

The SC Waukesha Blue Under-15 girls team faced a tall task Tuesday in its semifinal match at the U.S. Youth Soccer Region II Championships: The Lou Fusz-Wipke team on the other side of the field outscored opponents 11-0 in three group matches.

But Kylie Sprecher (Menomonee Falls) became the first player to score against the Missouri side, and SC Waukesha continued to play some stingy defense of its own as it won 1-0 to advance to Wednesday's regional final in Beavercreek, Ohio.

SC Waukesha (2-0-2), which has allowed just one goal and posted three shutouts in four matches at the tournament, will face Michigan's Alliance Academy Black for the Region II title at 7 a.m. Central Wednesday.  The winner qualifies for the U.S. Youth Soccer National Championships, which are July 22 to 27 in Germantown, Md.

Alliance Academy Black (3-0-1) also won its semifinal 1-0 on Tuesday, scoring against Minnesota's Dakota Rev Riptide in the opening minute and holding on to the slim lead for the final 79 minutes.

The SC Waukesha Blue Under-16 boys, the only other Wisconsin team to qualify for the regional semifinals, dropped a 2-0 decision to the Chicago Magic Pre-Academy side. The Illinois team scored in the 29th and 40th minutes and held SC Waukesha scoreless to earn a spot in the final against Ohio Premier Eagles Green.

Several other players with state ties also will play in regional finals Wednesday.

Marquette's Louis Bennett (Shorewood) and Jake Taylor (Whitefish Bay) and UW's Nick Jones are part of the Chicago Fire Academy Under-19 team, which will face Missouri's Raytown SC BGFC in a final at 7 a.m.

Bennett scored the 45th-minute equalizer and Jones gave the Fire a 2-1 lead with his fourth goal of the tournament Tuesday as the Fire beat Ohio's Everest SC Black 3-2 after extra time in the semifinals.

Minnesota's St. Croix SC Under-18 team, which includes Scott Nicolai (Eau Claire Memorial), topped Ohio's CUP Gold 3-0 in the semifinals and will play Michigan's Waza FC East for the regional championships at 8 a.m. Wednesday.

On the girls side, five current or future Wisconsin college players are playing for the Team Chicago Academy-Botafogo Under-19 team: Marquette's Liz Bartels and Ashley Handwork, incoming Marquette freshmen Heather Handwork and Katie Ciesiulka and UW's Rose Lavelle.

Bartels scored her third goal of the regional and Ashley Handwork added her tournament-best sixth in Tuesday's 4-0 rout of Indiana's Carmel United. Lavelle also has added three goals for the team, which has outscored four opponents 19-2 heading into Wednesday's 7 a.m. final against Ohio Premier Eclipse.