Soccer Preview: Blue Devils to host Titans Tuesday at 2 p.m.

THIS WEEK'S GAMES: UW-Stout (6-10-2, 3-4-0 WIAC) earned the fourth seed and will host UW-Oshkosh (9-8-1, 3-4-0 WIAC) in a first round WIAC Soccer Championship, sponsored by Culver's, tournament game Tuesday, Nov. 1 at 2 p.m. at Nelson Field. The Blue Devils defeated the Titans, 2-1 in overtime during the regular season. The winner will play either at UW-Whitewater or UW-La Crosse Thursday. The championship game is scheduled for Saturday.  Stout and Oshkosh last met in the 2013 WIAC semifinals. The game was tied at 2-2 after the two overtimes, and went to a shootout, where the Titans advanced 4-2.


ON-LINE: All Blue Devil home soccer games will be available by Live Stats, network willing. The network at the soccer field has not been active this season, but live updates are available on Twitter.

BLUE DEVILS LAST TIME OUT: The Blue Devils lost 4-2 to UW-La Crosse, Oct. 26 and 1-0 to UW-Eau Claire, Oct. 29.. | Story and Stats

A LOOK AT UW-STOUT: The Blue Devils will be looking to shake off a two-game, regular season ending skid and a three game winless streak. Stout dropped a conference contest to WIAC co-champion UW-La Crosse, 4-2, last Wednesday, then were tipped in the final minutes, 1-0, at UW-Eau Claire Saturday.  Sydney Kasper leads Stout is scoring with eight goals and three assists for 19 points. Kasper's 19 points are the most since Grace Salwasser (5-9-19) in 2011 and the most goals since Jessica Price (11-2-24) in 2010. Kasper is currently seventh in the WIAC in points, eighth in posts per game (1.06) and fourth in goals. Ryanne Millis and Sarah Todey each have four goals and two assists. Kelly Conn and Hannah Kirchner each have three goals and Conn has three assists. Lynn Johnson has been a mainstay in the goal for the Blue Devils, recording 90 saves with a 1.23 goals against average (GAA) and a .804 save percentage. Johnson leads the league in total saves, is fourth in saves per game (5.0), is sixth GAA and sixth in save percentage. The Blue Devils have recorded six shutouts, but have been shutout six times. Stout holds a 24-22 advantage in goals scored.. | Statistics


A LOOK AT UW-OSHKOSH: The Titans have won two of their last three games, and have split their last six. Robyn Elliott and Rachel Elliott each have five goals, which Robyn dishing off seven assists. Rachel has three assists. Alyssa Arnold and AJ Jackson each have four goals and Alek Kleis has three goals. Net duties have been split nearly evenly by Madelyn Runyan and Jessica Galason. Runyan has a 5-4-1 overall record with a GAA of 1.12 and a saves percentage of .841. Galason is 4-4-0 with a GAA of 1.23 and a saves percentage of .859. The Titans have recorded six shuouts and have been shutout only twice. They hold a 26-23 advantage in goals scored. . | Statistics

THE TITANS LAST TIME OUT: UW-La Crosse scored a pair of goals late in the first half and added another midway through the second of its 3-0 victory over the Titans on Saturday. UW-Oshkosh, which was shut out for just the second time this season, concluded the contest with 10 shots, including four that were launched in the second period. Oshkosh goalkeeper Madelyn Runyan saved 12 shots, including 10 in the first half. | Story and Stats

THE LAST TIME STOUT AND OSHKOSH MET: Sarah Todey scored with about six minutes remaining to send the game into overtime and Sydney Kasper scored five minutes into the first overtime to give UW-Stout a 2-1 win over UW-Oshkosh Saturday. | Stats and Story

THE STOUT/OSHKOSH SERIES: The Titans hold an 18-4-6 advantage in the series. When the Blue Devils beat the Titans in mid-October, they broke a five game winless streak against Oshkosh.


AWARDS: Kelly Conn was named the WIAC Offensive Player of the Week and the UW-Stout/DigiCopy Athlete of the week Oct. 17 after scoring the game winning goal against St. Thomas and assisting on the game winner over UW-Oshkosh...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 (44-52-13) 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 WIAC semi-finals are Thursday, Nov. 3 and the championship, Saturday, Nov. 5.