Soccer Preview: Blue Devils to host ranked Tommies, then off to Oshkosh

THIS WEEK'S GAMES: The Blue Devils (3-7-1, 1-2-0 WIAC) have a home soccer game every Wednesday in October, and continue that run against 13th  ranked St. Thomas (10-0-1, 5-0-1 MIAC) this Wednesday, Oct. 12 at 7 p.m.. Stout will then head to UW-Oshkosh (7-5-1, 2-1 WIAC) to face the Titans on Saturday in a 2 p.m. WIAC contest.

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

BLUE DEVILS LAST TIME OUT:  The Blue Devils split their last two games, losing at home against River Falls 2-0, but then turned the tables on Stevens Point getting a valuable conference win as they scored two goals, and shut out the Pointers.

A LOOK AT UW-STOUT: The Blue Devils broke a stretch of games where they offensively managed only one goal over four games when they blanked UW-Stevens Point, 2-0. Senior Kelly Conn put herself on the board for the first time this season, getting a goal and and an assist. She now has one goal and two assists for the year. Sydney Kasper is the Blue Devils' leading scorer, popping in five goals, and adding an assist. But Kasper hasn't scored a goal since she scored a pair against UW-Superior a month ago, although she did pick up an assist in a 2-1 loss to Luther College. Senior Sarah Todey and freshman Hannah Kirchner each have three goals and Todey has added a couple of assists to her tallies. Freshman Ryanne Millis has a pair of goals, including one against the Pointers last time out. Bella Pedlar has one goal. Freshman Lynn Johnson has held down the majority of time between the pipes, nearing 1000 colliegiate minutes. Johnson has made 55 saves so far this year and has a 1.22 goals atainst average. Johnson and felllow freshman Abby Kirsch have combined for four shutouts this season. |  Statistics



A LOOK AT ST. THOMAS: St. Thomas has shut out nine of its first 11 opponents. Senior Tarynn Theilig, the MIAC Athlete of the Week, now has 21 career shutouts, all in three seasons. Among 1,600-plus NCAA men's and women's soccer teams, UST ranks sixth best in team goals-against average at 0.17.  The 10-0-1 start is the best in UST women's soccer to open a season since the 1997 Tommies began 10-0. St. Thomas has only trailed for 24:07 on the clock this season after giving up a first-minute goal at St. Benedict, a game that finished in 1-1 tie. Its last 11 goals have come from nine different players. The Tommies have won their last three games by identical 1-0 scores.  | Statistics

THE TOMMIES LAST TIME OUT: t. Thomas women's soccer team survived a disadvantage in both shots (12-5) and shots on goal (7-2) to defeat Macalester College 1-0 on Saturday night at Macalester Stadium.  The Tommies took advantage of a corner kick in the seventh minute with a goal from sophomore Shelby Stalberger and held sound defensively to pick up the key MIAC win. | Story and Stats

THE LAST TIME STOUT AND ST THOMAS MET:  Megan Collins came into the 2015 season with a single statistical point to her name, an assist during the 2013 season. But the defender was moved to the midfield for the game against St. Thomas and Collins scored her first career goal and her second career assist as the Blue Devils defeated the Tommies for the first time ever, 3-1. Collins combined with Kelly Conn to give Stout a 2-0 lead midway through the first period. In the 30th minute, Collins delivered a corner kick and Conn tapped the ball into the back of the net. Only two minutes later, Conn returned the favor, passing the ball to Collins who scored with a volley over the St. Thomas goalkeeper and Stout went into halftime with a 2-0 lead. | Stats and Story


A LOOK AT OSHKOSH: The Titans are 2-2-1 over the last five games with the four decisions all determined by one goal. Robyn Elliott is currently tied for fourth in the WIAC with five goals and four assists. Rachel Ellliott has four goals and three assists. The Titans were predicted to finish third in the WIAC. Alyssa Jackson has three goals and an assist. AJ Jackson has two goals and an assist. Jessica Galason has spent the most time in net, posting a 1.23 GAA along with 4-4 overall record. Madelyn Runyan is 3-1-1 and has a GAA of 0.85, making five starts.  | Statistics

THE TITANS LAST TIME OUT: Robyn Elliott scored for the third straight match as the UW-Oshkosh women's soccer team edged UW-Platteville, 1-0, Oct. 8 in Platteville. Elliott's decisive goal against the Pioneers came about on a 10-yard kick during the 32nd minute (31:02) of play. Her team-leading fifth goal of the season followed a pass from AJ Jackson.  | Stats and Story

THE LAST TIME STOUT AND OSHKOSH MET: UW-Oshkosh scored in the first 10 minutes of the game and went on to make the goal stand up as the Titans defeated UW-Stout, 1-0, Oct. 3, 2015, at Nelson Field. Christina Mauthe took the low shot from about 15 yards out and found the opposite bottom corner of the net in the ninth minute of the game. | Stats and Story


AWARDS: UW-Stout has has received the 2015-2016 NSCAA College Team Academic Award. To qualify, a team must earn a minimum grade point average for the entire academic year. Stout posted a 3.43 team GPA, the highest of the six WIAC teams that were honored...Sydney Kasper and Jessica Ingle were selected to the Concordia-Moorhead all-tournament team, Sept. 4...2015: Megan Collins was named CoSIDA Academic All-District VI. Collins is an Applied Math and Computer Science major and has a GPA of 3.89...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.

TEAM CAPTAINS: Blue Devil team captains for the 2016 season are Taylor Poss, Sarah Todey and Kelly Conn.

UW-STOUT COACH RYAN RAUFUS: Coach Ryan Raufus (41-49-12) is in his sixth 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 six shutouts last year, but were kept off the scoreboard six times.

TWENTY-ONE 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

DOWN THE ROAD: The Blue Devils will host the University of St. Thomas, Wednesday, Oct. 12 at 7 p.m., then will be at UW-Oshkosh, Saturday, Oct. 15 at 2 p.m.