Wisconsin Soccer Central

At least five players with state ties helped the Chicago Red Stars Reserves win the Women's Premier Soccer League championship over the weekend in Edmond, Okla.

Mary Luba (Shorewood/Marquette) played a huge role as Chicago edged host Oklahoma City FC 3-2 in the semifinals Saturday and SoCal FC 2-1 in Sunday's final, as the midfielder had a hand in four of the five goals for the Red Stars Reserves (13-0-1).

Luba opened the scoring in the final in the 18th minute, then served in a corner kick that was headed in by Marquette's Ashley Handwork in the 53rd that snapped a tie and proved to be the game-winner as the National Women's Soccer League reserve team won its first WPSL title after finishing second in 2011 and '12.

Handwork also scored on a header off a cross from Luba in the semifinal, while Luba – who has made three NWSL appearances this season – scored what turned out to be an important insurance goal in the 87th to give Chicago a 3-1 lead.

Monica Gonyo (New Berlin/Waukesha Catholic Memorial) was in goal for the Red Stars Reserves, while Marquette defender Jacie Jermier (McFarland) and defender-midfielder Morgan Proffitt also played for Chicago.

• Kylie Sprecher, a junior-to-be at Menomonee Falls High School who has verbally committed to Marquette for 2017, scored twice as Elm Grove Blue beat SC Waukesha-Strike FC 4-1 in the Wisconsin Soccer Leagues Women's Premier League final on Saturday at Croatian Park in Franklin. Marquette teammates Caroline Fink (Whitefish Bay) and Darian Powell also scored for Elm Grove, which blanked North Shore United 1-0 in the semifinals earlier in the day and outscored opponents 44-4 in winning all eight of their matches this summer. The loss in the final was the only defeat of the season for SC Waukesha-Strike FC (6-1-1), which thumped Fusion Premier 5-1 in the other semifinal.

• UW midfielder Rose Lavelle of the Seattle Sounders Women was one of three finalists for the USL W-League MVP, which went to Tara Andrews of the Colorado Pride. Defender Vanessa Legault-Cordisco (Marquette) and the host Laval Comets lost to the Pride 4-0 in the W-League semifinals Friday, then blanked Quebec Dynamo ARSQ 2-0 in the consolation match Sunday. Legault-Cordisco played all 90 minutes in each game.
• UW goalkeeper Caitlyn Clem and Motor City FC won the inaugural WPSL Under-20 championship, beating host Oklahoma City FC 2-1 in Sunday's final in Edmond. The Michigan side went 2-0-1 in round-robin play to advance to the title match, a rematch of a 1-1 draw on Friday. Motor City FC (7-0-3) scored the winner in the 87th minute.
• UW defender Matej Radonic played the full 90 minutes as the Des Moines Menace lost to K-W United 3-2 in a USL Premier Development League Central Conference semifinal Friday night in Pontiac, Mich. K-W United went on to beat the host Michigan Bucks 3-1 in Saturday's final. The Bucks rallied past UW-Green Bay keeper Dani Alvarado and the Thunder Bay Chill 3-2 after extra time in the other semifinal – defender David Caban (Kenosha Tremper/UW) started for Michigan and was subbed out at halftime.