Soccer Preview: Blue Devils to host River Falls Wednesday, at Point Saturday

THIS WEEK'S GAMES: The Blue Devils (2-6-1, 0-1-0 WIAC) have a home soccer game every Wednesday in October, and open that run by hosting UW-River Falls (3-6-1, 0-1-0 WIAC), Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. in the annual Playing for a Cause game which will draw attention to Colon Cancer research. Stout will be at UW-Stevens Point (4-7-0, 0-1-0 WIAC), Saturday, Oct. 8 at 4 p.m .

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

BLUE DEVILS LAST TIME OUT:  The Blue Devils lost 2-0 in the conference opener at UW-Whitewater, Oct. 1. The Warhawks scored twice in a four minute time span late in the first half. Lynn Johnson made six saves for the Blue Devils. | Stats and Story

A LOOK AT UW-STOUT: The Blue Devils will be trying to regain some of that form that saw them score 10 goals over a two game stretch. Sophomore Sydney Kasper is leading the Blue Devils with five goals and an assist, ranking her fourth in the WIAC in points scored (11), second in points per game (1.22), and third in goals per game (0.56).  Senior Sarah Todey and freshman Hannah Kirchner each have three goals. Todey has added two assists. Freshman Sarah Dickmann and junior defender Haley Wentz each have to assists. Freshmen Ryanne Millis and Bella Pedlar have chipped their first collegiate goals. In the net, Lynn Johnson has garned the most time, making 47 saves and posting a goals against average of 1.27.  |  Statistics

IN THE GOAL: Graduation took the Blue Devils' starting goalie from the last three seasons, all-WIAC selection Paige Meyer, as well as the Blue Devils' back-up goalie. But Meyer returns in the coaching box and is working with talented freshmen goalies Abby Kirsch and Lynn Johnson. Johnson has taken the majority of the time in goal this season. She has been in goal for 777 minutes. and has made 44 saves, with a saves percentage of.810. Johnson and fellow freshman Krisch have combined for three shutouts, which came 0-0, 4-0 and 6-0 wins.  Kirsch who has seen 55 minutes on the field has yet to surrender a goal and has made seven saves.


A LOOK AT RIVER FALLS: The Falcons have three players who have scored three goals this season - Abby Soderholm, Carrie Anderson and Rachel Windingstad. Soderholm has three assists and is not afraid to shoot, ranking second in the league in shots take. Anderson has two assists and Rachel Windingstad one. Kayla Windingstad has two assists. Erica Cimochowski has started eight games and has a goals against average of 1.62. The Falcons have played three goalies this season. Throughout the season, the Falcons hold a 148-143 advantage in total shots, but have been outscored 18-11. In terms of corner kicks, the Falcons have given up 47, but have taken 45.  | Statistics

THE FALCONS LAST TIME OUT: The Falcons cut the score in half with a goal in the 52nd minute when Rachel Windingstad scored her third goal of the season, but River Falls could not break the plane of the net the rest of the way. The Falcons put eight shots on frame, but were outshot 19-15 over in a 2-1 loss at UW-Oshkosh Oct. 1. Erica Cimochowski made 10 stops for River Falls.

THE LAST TIME STOUT AND RIVER FALLS MET:  It looked like UW-Stout might be heading for a fifth consecutive loss until Sydney Kasper picked up Addy Maher's rebounded shot and scored with 44 seconds remaining in regulation and the Blue Devils tied UW-River Falls, 1-1, Oct. 14, 2015. Stout's offense had been kept out of the net the last four games. And the Falcons held a commanding lead in shots throughout the game, holding a 22-10 advantage. The Falcons got on the board in the 45th minute when Maggie Koehler scored in 55 seconds before halftime. | Stats and Story


A LOOK AT STEVENS POINT: To say the Pointers have been streaky this year is an understatement. Stevens Point opened the season with five straight losses, getting shut out four times, then nearly got back to .500 while winning the next four, grabbing three shutouts while outscoring their opponents 14-2 in the run. They have since dropped games to Carroll College and UW-La Crosse. Elise Thuot, Reilly Louko and Danielle Thomason have scored three goals this year. Kortnee Hass and Olivia Bohnert both have two goals. Kassidy Speers has a goal and a team-best three assists. Sarah Peplinski has worked 604 minutes in the net with a 1.64 GAA, while Olivia Mecham has worked 382 minutes with a GAA of 2.12.  | Statistics

THE POINTERS LAST TIME OUT: The Pointers will be in Eau Claire Wednesday, but are coming off a 5-0 loss to a hot UW-La Crosse team. The Eagles outshot the Pointers 33-9 overall, and put 17 shots on net, with Olivia Mecham recording five saves and Sarah Peplinski seven saves. The Eagles scored twice in the first half and three times in the second.

THE LAST TIME STOUT AND STEVENS POINT MET: Jenna Kizlik scored a goal and an assist and Megan Collins scored a goal as UW-Stout opened the conference season with a 2-0 win over UW-Stevens Point Sept. 19, 2015, at Nelson Field. | Stats and Story


AWARDS: 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 (40-48-12) 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. (has been updated)

QUICK HITS: The Blue Devils posted six shutouts last year, but were kept off the scoreboard six times.

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.