Soccer Preview: Stout looking for playoff berth at Stevens Point Saturday

THIS WEEK'S GAMES: While it is not exactly win or go home for the UW-Stout (4-9-3, 2-9-1 WIAC) soccer team Saturday, but it is close to it when they travel to UW-Stevens Point (7-9-1, 2-4-1 WIAC) in the regular season finale for both teams, Saturday, Nov. 1 at 2 p.m.  The two teams have identical conference records, and Stout holds the tie-breaker (point differential) if the game ends up knotted at the end of double overtime. A win by either team will send that team into the WIAC Womens' Soccer Championship quarterfinals next Tuesday, Nov. 4, as the sixth seeded team. A tie will send the Blue Devils into the tournament. The top two seeded teams draw a bye, while the third and fourth seeded teams will host the sixth and fifth seeded teams, respectively. The semi-finals are Thursday, Nov. 6 and the championship game is Saturday, Nov. 8. Only six of the nine WIAC schools advance to the conference tournament.

BLUE DEVILS LAST TIME OUT: . UW-Eau Claire's Caroline Henderson scored in the 33rd minute and the Blugolds kept Stout off the board to take a 1-0 victory Oct. 29 in Eau Claire.  |  Compete Story and Stats

A LOOK AT UW-STOUT: Lauren Kizlik has a team-high seven goals on the season. Her sister, Jenna Kizlik, has two goals and two assists. Kelly Conn has two goals and four assists. Sarah Todey has two goals and an assist. Kelli Elmer, Kelly Kornmann and Nikki Sedivy each have a goal and an assist. Lindsey Concon has a goal.  Emma DeRubuis has a team-high three assists. Paige Meyer has played more than 1300 minutes in goal and has a GAA of 1.24. Kristi Schurhammer snagged her first collegiate win and shutout against UW-Superior, but let her first goal of the season by against Gustavus Adolphus. In 131 minutes, Schurhammer has a GAA of 0.65. Stout is picked to finish fourth in the WIAC, according to a WIAC preseason poll. |   2014 Stats

A LOOK AT UW-STEVENS POINT: The Pointers are 3-3-1 in the month of October and will be in need of a win Saturday for their season to continue. The Pointers lost 3-0 at UW-Oshkosh, Oct. 29. Sarah Meylor leads the Pointers with five goals and an assist. Jillian Ross has four goals and a team-high four assists. Fifteen players on the Pointers' roster have scored at least one goal this season and 16 have at least one point. Kristen Churkey has a 3-8-0 overall record in nearly 1000 minutes played and a GAA of 2.50, while Morgan Voight is 4-0-1 in 589 minutes with a GAA of 0.46 with three shutouts.  | 2014 Stats

THE LAST TIME STOUT AND STEVENS POINT MET: Emily Ferger's header in the overtime period lifted UW-Stout to a 1-0 win over UW-Stevens Point Oct. 26, 2013,  at Nelson Field. After a scoreless regulation and first overtime period, pressed the Pointers early in the second overtime period to draw a corner kick. Jenna Kizlik delivered the ball and Ferger punched the ball into the upper lefthand corner of the net for her second game-winning goal of the season. The goal game just shy of three minutes into the second overtime period.  |  Story and Stats

A LOOK AT UW-EAU CLAIRE: The Blugolds are 3-3-1 in the month of October and are coming off a 1-0 road win over conference foe UW-Platteville, Oct. 25. Caroline Henderson booted the game winning goal in the 80th minute off a corner kick deflection. Henderson earned WIAC athlete of the week honors. Tara Dennehy and Sami Matuszek both have four goals, with Dennehy dishing off two assists and Matuszek one. Henederson has three goals and three assists. Rachel Griffiths and Sammie Lafaive have been splitting the majority of time in front of the twine. Both have a pair of wins, and Griffiths has two shutouts. Griffiths has a goals against average of 0.89 and Lafaive is posting a 1.85 GAA.  | 2014 Stats

THE LAST TIME STOUT AND EAU CLAIRE MET: Emily Ferger headed in a corner kick by Jenna Kizlik and Robbie Shelby had eight saves as the Blue Devils downed the Blugolds, 3-2, last October. Jenna Kizlik and Lauren Kizlik both scored goals. | Story and Stats

AWARDS:  Paige Meyer was the WIAC defensive player of the week Oct. 21 after holding nationally ranked UW-Whitewater to one goal in double overtime...Paige Meyer, Jenna Kizlik, Lauren Kizlik and now assistant coach Emily Ferger were selected to the All-WIAC team, onlly the second time Stout has placed four players on the squad.

TEAM CAPTAINS: Blue Devil team captains for the 2014 season are Sarah Ulrich, Vanessa Wrobel and Jenna Kizlik.

UW-STOUT COACH RYAN RAUFUS: Coach Ryan Raufus (29-33-8) is in his fourth year as the head coach of the Blue Devils. Raufus played his college ball at Springfield College in Massachusetts and came to Stout after coaching at La Crosse Logan High School and La Crescent, Minn., High School.

QUICK HITS:  The Blue Devils overcame a slow start last season. Hampered by early season injuries, Stout won two of their first 10 games, but won six of their final nine games.