Soccer Preview: Blue Devils begin four game homestand with Viterbo

Live Stats

THIS WEEK'S GAMES: The Blue Devils (2-0-2, 0-0-0 WIAC) return home to begin a four-game homestand, their longest of the season, when they host Viterbo University (2-6-0, 0-0-0 NSAA), Wednesday, Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. Stout opens league play Saturday, Sept. 19 with a 2 p.m. contest with UW-Stevens Point (2-3-0, 0-0-0 WIAC), then turns around the next day, Sunday, Sept. 20 for a non-conference match with the College of St. Scholastica (1-2-1, 0-0-0 UMAC) at 2 p.m.

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

BLUE DEVILS LAST TIME OUT: . The Blue Devils ran their undefeated streak to four games with a pair of wins last week, a 1-0 win over St. Catherine, Sept. 8, and a 3-1 win over the University of St. Thomas, Sept. 12, the first time the Blue Devils have ever beaten the Tommies. Jenna Kizlik scored early in the first half and the Blue Devils' defense made the goal stand up. Paige Meyer was solid in goal, making four saves. Against the Tommies, Megan Collins and Kelly Conn traded roles to open to the scoring. Conn scored off a corner kick by Collins, and minutes later, Collins scored off a pass by Conn. Addy Maher scored in the second period before St. Thomas broke up the shutout. Meyer had eight saves in the historic win. | St. Kate's Complete Story and Stats | St. Thomas Complete Story and Stats

A LOOK AT UW-STOUT: The Blue Devils are posting a four game unbeaten record. After two overtime times to open the season, the Blue Devils extended their streak with a pair of wins. Addy Maher leads the team in goals with two, already doubling the number of goals she has scored in a single season. Maher came into the season with three goals, one in each of her three seasons. Jenna Kizlik, Kelly Conn and Megan Collins each have a goal and an assist. Collins scored her first collegiate goal after moving to the midfield against St. Thomas. Freshman Sydney Kasper has an assist. Paige Meyer has worked all of the minutes in goal so far this season, posting two shutouts and allowing only two goals over 400 minutes played for a goals against average (GAA) of 0.45.  All-WIAC selection Vanessa Wrobel returns to patrol the back line. Nikki Sedivy was selected as the WIAC defensive player of the week after the team's double overtime ties to open the first week of action. | 2015 Stats

QUICK BLUE DEVIL PREVIEW: After two seasons, the Blue Devils will be without the sister-sister tandem of Lauren Kizlik and Jenna Kizlik. Both were two-time all-WIAC selections and both were among the team leaders in scoring the past two seasons. Lauren, who led Stout in scoring last season as a sophomore, transferred, but will not play soccer at her new school. Jenna returns as a team captain in the midfield after scoring two goals and dishing off three assists last year. Kelly Conn returns on top after a two-goal, four-assist season to lead all returners. With the exception of Lauren Kizlik, the Blue Devils return all of the players who scored goals for them last season, but Lauren Kizlik scored seven of Stout's total 19 goals. The Blue Devils also return all but one player who scored assists, with Conn leading the way with four assists and Jenna Kizlik with three. Defensively, the Blue Devils allowed a maximum of three goals in only two games last season and posted five shutouts. Five games were decided by one goals and three ended in ties. Paige Meyer returns in goal, where she defended the net in 17 games last year, putting up a GAA of 1.15. All-WIAC defender and team captain Vanessa Wrobel will anchor the back line. As a team, Stout is averaged 1.06 goals per game and gave up 1.17 goals per game. The Blue Devils were picked to finish sixth in a WIAC preseason poll.

A LOOK AT VITERBO: The V-Hawks are off to a 2-7 overall start and have a home game with Robert Morris University scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 15. Offense has been no problem for the Viterbo University women's soccer team the last few years, and with 84 percent of their scoring returning in 2015, finding the net shouldn't be a problem. After their first nine games, Cait Michicich and Molly Machometa have both found the back of the net five times. Machometa has been a scoring machine for the V-Hawks, coming into the season with a school record 72 goals, popping in 24 last season, 17 as a sophomore and a whopping 31 her freshman year.  Macey Kalscheur has three goals and Katie Bares has two.  Alicia Seachord has spent the vast majority of the time in the net, and has a 1.95 GAA with 34 saves. The V-Hawks are plenty young with 23 underclassmen, but will look to seven seniors to lead the way. | 2015 Stats

THE LAST TIME STOUT AND VITERBO MET: Viterbo University scored twice in the first half and went on to a 2-0 win over UW-Stout Sept. 17, 2014 in La Crosse. The V-Hawks opened the scoring with a goal by Morgan Davis in the ninth minute of the game, then closed out the scoring in the 37th minute on a goal by Molly Machometa in the 37th minute. The Blue Devils were able to put on several attacks, putting three shots on net in the first half and two in the second half, but could not find the back of the net. Overall, the V-Hawks outshot Stout, 13-8. Viterbo put six shots on goal, while Stout put five shots on frame. Paige Meyer recorded four saves, before giving way to Kristi Schurhammer for the final 15 minutes. Viterbo held a commanding 9-1 advantage in corner kicks. | Story and Stats

A LOOK AT UW-STEVENS POINT: The Pointers will be at Lawrence University, Wednesday, Sept. 16 before coming to Menomonie. The Pointers have been looking for an offense threat after having been shut out in three games to open the season, including a 7-0 blanking at the hands of the University of Chicago last week. The Pointers did turn the tables when they needed double overtime, but Jillian Ross found the back of the net with just under four minutes remaining to get a 1-0 home win over Edgewood College. Prior to the game with Lawrence, the Pointers have three goals, one each by Ross, Sarah Meylor and Kesley Schneider. Kristen Churkey has worked all but 14 minutes and has a GAA of 2.79. Dawn Crow, a four-time national champion at Division I powerhouse North Carolina and former U.S. National Team player, was named the Pointers head coach this summer.  | 2015 Stats

THE LAST TIME STOUT AND UW-STEVENS POINT MET: Addy Maher's first goal of the season came in the 34th minute of the game and the Blue Devils went on to a 1-0 win over the Pointers, and earned the final berth into the WIAC Tournament with the win in the final game of the regular season. Paige Meyer recorded eight saves, including three in the final three minutes of the game, to secure the win. | Story and Stats

A LOOK ATTHE COLLEGE OF ST. SCHOLASTICA: The Saints have two contests before coming to Stout. They will host Nortland College, Tuesday, Sept. 15, to open league play, then will be at the University of Northwestern, Saturday, Sept. 19. Leah Hamm has scored three of the Saints goals, with Becca Rancour getting the other. Kelsey Reeves has gotten all of the time in the net, posting a GAA of 1.07.  After the first five games, the Saints 1-1-1 in overtime contest, with all three going into the second OT. Scholastica has owned the UMAC, winning the title the last 11 years under coach Dave Reyelts | 2015 Stats

THE LAST TIME STOUT AND ST. SCHOLASTICA MET: The Blue Devils hold a 5-1 record over the Saints, but the last time they played, Sept. 2, 2006, the Saints took a 3-1 win in Duluth, Minn. The Saints opened the scoring in the 15th minute, but Stout tied the score in the 40th minute on a goal by Carli Rindt. Robin Johnson got the eventual game winner for the Saints, scoring in the 73rd minute. Scholastica added an insurance goal 10 minutes later. Stout won the meeting the year before, 1-0, in Menomonie. | Game Stats

AWARDS: 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 (32-34-10) 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).

DOWN THE ROAD: Stout will conclude their four-game homestand when they host St. Mary's University, Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 7 p.m., then return to conference play when they travel to UW-Platteville, Saturday, Sept. 26 at 2 p.m.