Soccer Preview: Stout continues into conference wars, off to River Falls

Live Stats vs. UW-River Falls | Live Video vs. UW-River Falls

THIS WEEK'S GAMES: After starting off the season at 6-1-2, the Blue Devils (6-5-2, 2-3-0 WIAC) will look to snap a four-game skid when they travel to UW-River Falls (4-7-1, 0-3-0 WIAC), Wednesday, Oct. 14 for a 7 p.m. contest.

ON-LINE: All Blue Devil home soccer games will be available by Live Stats, network providing.

BLUE DEVILS LAST TIME OUT: UW-La Crosse attacked in the first half and UW-Stout attacked in the second half, but UW-La Crosse was the only team to hit the back of the net as the Eagles defeated the Blue Devils, 1-0, Oct. 10, in a conference contest. The Eagles punched out nine shots in the first half, compared to one for the Blue Devils. The tide turned in the second half, as Stout took nine shots compared to three for the Eagles. La Crosse recorded the only goal of the game in the 41st minute. UW-La Crosse Complete Story and Stats

A LOOK AT UW-STOUT: The Blue Devils are looking to shake off a four game losing streak, a streak that has also seen them shutout in all four games. Stout has not scored a goal since the 64th minute of a 3-1 win over UW-Platteville, Sept. 26. The Blue Devil defense has been relatively stingy during the stretch, giving up one goal to UW-Oshkosh and one goal to UW-La Crosse. The Blue Devils have given up two goals against UW-Eau Claire and two goals in a non-conference loss to Hamline University.  Paige Meyer has played all of the minutes between the pipes and has seen her goals against average rise to 0.88, still good for fourth in the conference. Jenna Kizlik, Addy Maher and Sydney Kasper have all scored three goals, with Kizlik and Maher each recording an assist. Kasper has one assist. Megan Collins, Sarah Todey and Kelly Conn each have two goals, with Conn and Collins each recording an assist. Collins has scored all of her points since moving up to the midfield. Lindsey Concon has come off the bench to add two assists and defender Haley Wentz has two assists, the first of her collegiate career. Camille Fawcett also has an assist. The Blue Devils have scored 15 total goals, four short of the total 19 they scored last year. Defensively, the Blue Devils have allowed 12 goals. The Blue Devils were picked to finish fourth in a WIAC preseason poll and currently are fifth with three games remaining.| 2015 Stats

ON THE RIGHT PAIGE: When UW-Platteville scored off in the 78th minute of UW-Stout's 3-1 win at UW-Platteville, the goal stopped the longest scoreless streak in Blue Devil goalkeeper Paige Meyer's collegiate career. After allowing a goal in double overtime to Viterbo University, Sept. 16, Meyer did not allow a goal for 358 minutes, four games later at Platteville. So far this season, Meyer has five shutouts. Charla Buxbaum (2005) and Melissa Ballweg (2002) share the season record for most shutouts with eight. Ballweg (2001-04) holds the career shutout record with 21. Meyer currently has 13 career shutouts, second on the all-time list. The teams from 2003, 2004 and 2005 produced 10 shutouts each season.


A LOOK AT UW-RIVER FALLS: The Falcons are still seeking their first conference win of the season, and are currently seventh in the standings. River Falls last year finished fourth and were picked to finish fifth in a preseason poll. The Falcons have won two of their last eight games, including a 5-1 win over Minn-Morris their last time out, Oct. 13. The Falcons don't hurt for offensive firepower, having tallied 25 goals and twice this year have scored five goals in a game. Abby Soderholm has scored seven goals and Lizzy Bruder has chipped in five. Kayla Windingstad has three goals and a team-high three assists. Erica Cimochowski has worked the majority of minutes in goal, posting a goals against average of 1.89.   | 2015 Stats

RIVER FALLS THE LAST TIME OUT: The Falcons got five goals from five different players and never trailed in a 5-1 win at Minnesota-Morris, Oct. 11. Lizzy Bruder opened the scoring in the 18th minute, but the Cougars knotted the score in the 32nd minute. Caroline Haen put the Falcons up just before the half and Abby Soderholm, Kayla Windingstad and Tessa Quintevalla scored in the second half. The Falcons held a dominating 43-3 advantage in shots as the Falcons put 10 shots on net.  | Story and Stats

THE LAST TIME STOUT AND RIVER FALLS MET: UW-River Falls scored twice in the first half and added another goal early in the second half to blank UW-Stout 3-0, Oct. 3, 2014, at Nelson Field. The game was orginally scheduled for the previous Wednesday, but was rained out. The Falcons outshot Stout, 13-9.  | Story and Stats


AWARDS: Sarah Todey was the UW-Stout/Northwestern Mutual athlete of the week after a two goal week, including the game winner in double overtime against St. Scholastica...Nikky Sedivy earned WIAC defensive player of the week honors after the opening week of the season as Stout allowed only one goal in two overtime ties...Addy Maher was the Blue Devils offensive player of the week and Nikki Sedivy was the defensive player of the week after the first week of the season...2014: Jenna Kizlik and Vanessa Wrobel were all-WIAC selections, Kizlik for the second consecutive season...Paige Meyer was the WIAC defensive player of the week Oct. 21 after holding nationally ranked UW-Whitewater to one goal in double overtime.

TEAM CAPTAINS: Blue Devil team captains for the 2015 season are Sarah Ulrich, Vanessa Wrobel and Jenna Kizlik.

UW-STOUT COACH RYAN RAUFUS: Coach Ryan Raufus (36-39-10) is in his fifth 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 posted five shutouts last year, but were kept off the scoreboard 11 times. Stout had two offensive breakouts, a 6-0 conference win over UW-Superior and a 6-2 non-conference win over Gustavus Adolphus. The Blue Devils were in the middle of the conference pack in just about every offensive and defensive statistical category.

TWENTY YEARS OF BLUE DEVIL SOCCER: After many years as a club sport, UW-Stout became the ninth WIAC team to join the varsity ranks during the 1995 season. The Blue Devils took their lumps to open the season, making their premiere by hosting Augsburg College, Sept. 10, in a 7-0 loss. Stout opened the conference season three days later at Nelson Field, hosting perennial conference powerhouse UW-Stevens Point, dropping a 6-0 decision. The Blue Devils finally broke onto the scoreboard in their third game. While hosting UW-Platteville, Sept. 17, Kari Stapleton scored in the 70th minute on an assist from Jenny Tyson in a 2-1 loss. The Blue Devils would get their first-ever win, a 3-0 decision at Martin Luther College, Sept. 23, collecting goals from Amie Frasier, Tyson and Joann Sognesand. Defender Andrea Schroeder was a second team all-conference selection in 1995, then was selected to the first team in 1996.

Members of that first 1995 team include: April Amys, Beeta Bastani, Tammy Beuch, Carrie Blaska, Jen Chapple, Michelle Coon, Amie Frasier, Aimee Grimm, Jamie Jester, Julie Kremer, Dorian Loberg, Amy Lyons, Kristin Manion, Anglea McDowell, Andrea Schroeder, Joann Sognesand, Kari Stapleton, Jenny Tyson, Alisa Zimmerman. Lisa Petruccelli was the Blue Devils first coach, leading the team from 1995-98, followed by Dave Morris (1999-2005), Meagan Frank (2006-10) and Ryan Raufus (2011-present). | 1995 Statistics

SAINTLY SCHEDULE: The Blue Devils may feel blessed (or not) after going through the early part of their schedule when they play five schools named after saints - College of St. Benedict (Sept. 5), St. Catherine (Sept. 8), St. Thomas (Sept. 12), St. Scholastica (Sept. 20) and St. Mary's (Sept. 23). The Blue Devils went 4-0-1 against all of the saints combined