Soccer Preview: Stout at La Crosse before two-game homestand

THIS WEEK'S GAMES: The Blue Devils (4-4-3, 1-0-2 WIAC) will be at 21st-ranked UW-La Crosse (10-1-2, 3-0-0 WIAC), Wednesday, Oct. 11 for a 7 p.m. contest, then return home to host UW-Oshkosh (5-5-2, 2-0-1 WIAC), Saturday, Oct. 14, at 1 p.m. and Concordia-Moorhead (4-6-1, 2-4-0 MIAC), Sunday, Oct. 15 at 2 p.m. The Eagles are currently in first place in the WIAC, the Titans second and the Blue Devils third. The Blue Devils currently have a six game unbeaten streak, extending to Sept. 21.

ON-LINE: All Blue Devil home soccer games will be available by Live Stats, and by Live Video, network willing. There have been issues on the field in the past, but hopefully that has been rectified.


BLUE DEVILS LAST TIME OUT:   The Blue Devils defeated UW-River Falls, 1-0, Oct. 4 and tied UW-Stevens Point, 1-1, Oct. 8. Sydney Kasper scored Stout's goals in the games. | UW-River Falls Story and Stats | UW-Stevens Point Story and Stats |

A LOOK AT UW-STOUT: Sydney Kasper has reintroduced herself to the back of the net. After scoring two goals over the first seven games of the season, Kasper has scored four goals over the last four games. She is tied for the conference lead in game-winning goals with UW-La Crosse's Alex Cording with three game winners. Kasper's six goals (0.55) is fourth in the WIAC. Freshman Kaitlyn Hess has three goals and three assists. Behtany Hanson and Sarah Dickmann each have two goals. Both of Dickmann's goals are on penalty kicks. Ryanne Millis has a goal and team-best five assists, ranking second in the league (0.45). The Blue Devils have goals from Bella Pedlar, Nikki Sedivy and Bethany Hennen. Hannah Kirchner has two assists and Jessica Ingle one. The Blue Devils have weathered losing both rostered goalies - Lynn Johnson and Rachel Nowak - to injury midway through the season. Johnson is currently 2-3-2 with a a saves percentage of .828 and a GAA of 1.40. The Blue Devil defense has allowed only two goals over the last three games. Nowak, who has appeared in four games, has a 0-1-1 record with a team-best GAA of 0.95 and a saves percentage of .800. Bethany Hennen in her role as the emergency goalie has a 2-0-0 record with a GAA of 1.12 and a saves percentage of .818.  As a team, the Blue Devils have scored 17 goals and have allowed 15 goals. All but two of Stout's 11 games have been one-goal games. Stout has played four overtime games.  

2016:  Kasper was the team's leading scorer last season with nine goals and three assists for 21 points which earned her first team all-WIAC honors. Johnson started all 19 games in goal last season, while earning first team all-WIAC honors. She led the conference in saves with 98, fifth in GAA (1.32), sixth in save percentage (.797) and recorded four shutouts on her own. Ryanne Millis was the team's second-leading scorer, with four goals and three assists. Hannah Kirchner popped in three goals and Sarah Dickmann finished with three assists. Bella Pedlar scored her first collegiate goal last season. | Statistics


A LOOK AT UW-LA CROSSE: The Eagles, receiving votes on last week's United Soccer Coaches National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Poll, extended its winning streak to five with a 4-0 victory over Concordia-Wisconsin, Oct. 8, while improving to 6-0-1 at home this season. The Eagles have allowed two goals in seven home games. The Eagles are second in the league in goals scored (2.65) and top the league in goals allowed (0.46). The Eagles have posted nine shutouts so far this season. Kaitlyn Villers has seven goals scored and is third in the league in goals per game (0.54). Alex Cording has six goals (0.50). Villars and Hayley Stephens each have four assists. Lily Brock and Kennedy Brault have split time in net. Brock is 5-1-0 with a GAA of 0.16, while Brault is 5-0-2 with a GAA of 0.66. The Eagles have outscored their opponents, 34-6 (2.62-0.46). The Eagles jumped into the top 25 of the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division III poll, debuting this season at 21st. |  Statistics

THE LAST TIME LA CROSSE AND STOUT MET: La Crosse scored three goals over the first five minutes of the second half, then held off UW-Stout for a 4-2 WIAC decision at Nelson Field, Oct. 26, 2017. | Story and Stats

THE SERIES: La Crosse leads the series 16-7-3. The Eagles have won the last two meetings. The teams tied in 2014.


A LOOK AT UW-OSHKOSH: Titan goalkeeper Jessica Galason was selected as the WIAC Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week for matches held Oct. 2-8. Galason saved all 17 shots she faced as UW-Oshkosh shut out nationally ranked and defending WIAC champion UW-Whitewater and UW-Platteville. In UW-Oshkosh's 1-0 home win over UW-Whitewater on Oct. 4, Galason stopped 10 shots, including eight in the second half. During the Titans' 2-0 home triumph over UW-Platteville on Oct. 7, Galason blocked seven shots, including five in the second period.The Titans have six shutouts on the season. Galason has a 4-4-2 record with a saves percentage of .907 and a GAA of 0.87. Kendra Jepson has three goals and Alek Kleis and Maddie Morris each have two.  The Titans are scheduled to host Lawrence University, Oct. 11, in a non-conference match. |  Statistics

THE LAST TIME OSHKOSH AND STOUT MET: The teams split last year, with Stout winning the regular season game, 2-1, in overtime at Oshkosh, but the Titans ended the Blue Devils' season with a 3-2 win in the first round of the WIAC tournament in Menomonie. In the first game, 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 Oct. 15, 2016.  UW-Oshkosh's Alek Kleis ended UW-Stout's season on a penalty kick in the 98th minute of a WIAC Soccer Championship first round game, Nov. 1, 2016, at Nelson Field. | Regular Season Story and Stats | WIAC Tourney Story and Stats

THE SERIES: Oshkosh leads the series 19-4-6. Since the 2013 season, Oshkosh holds a 4-1-1 advantage. The teams have met twice in the WIAC tournament, with Oshkosh winning last year and advancing on a shootout in 2013.


A LOOK AT CONCORDIA-MOORHEAD:  Kalli Baarstad has three goals to lead Concordia. Maddy Reed has worked all but 15 minutes in net, with a .818 saves percentage and a GAA of 0.88. The Cobbers are scheduled to host St. Thomas, Tuesday, Oct. 10 and be at St. Olaf, Saturday, Oct. 14.  |  Statistics

THE LAST TIME CONCORDIA AND STOUT MET: UW-Stout saw two first half close-up opportunities go by the wayside and the Blue Devils had to settle for a scoreless tie with Concordia-Moorhead Sept. 3, 2016. The Blue Devils had two first half chances within the six yard box, but came away empty. In a game that did not feature many real opportunities, Stout freshman goalkeeper Lynn Johnson notched her first collegiate shutout, making three saves. Her counterpart, Maddy Reed, had four saves. The Cobbers did outshot Stout, 17-8. Sydney Kasper and Jessica Ingle were selected to the all-tournament team. | Story and Stats

THE SERIES: Concordia leads the series, 3-0-1. In four meetings, Stout has yet to score on the Cobbers, with Concordia holding a 15-0 advantage. The teams played in 1999 (5-0), 2007 (3-0), 2010 (7-0) and 2016 (0-0).



BLUE DEVIL ATHLETES OF THE WEEK: Offense: Sydney Kasper, Jr, Owatonna, Minn...Defense: Jessica Ingle, Sr, Auburn, Wash. (Fife)

AWARDS: 2017: Defender Jessica Ingle was the UW-Stout/Toppers Athlete of the Week after Stout defeated River Falls and tied with Stevens Point, 1-1...Sydney Kasper scored two goals, including the game-winner, in a 3-2 win over Hamline University, Sept. 26, and was named the WIAC offensive player of the week...Lynn Johnson was selected as the WIAC defensive player of the week after making 16 saves in a 1-1 tie with 12th ranked UW-Whitewater, Sept. 30...Kaitlyn Hess was selected as the WIAC offensive player of the week after scoring two goals - including the game winner against Viterbo in a 1-0 win Sept. 23 - in a week that Stout went 1-1-1...Sydney Kasper was selected as the UW-Stout/Toppers Athlete of the Week after scoring a goal and assist in a 4-0 win over UW-Superior, Sept. 13..


TEAM CAPTAINS: Blue Devil team captains for the 2017 season are Taylor Poss, Jessica Ingle and Sydney Kasper.

UW-STOUT COACH RYAN RAUFUS: Coach Ryan Raufus (48-57-16) is in his seventh 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: As of Oct. 8, three of Stout's four home games have ended in 1-1 double overtime ties...After losing both rostered goalies, Bethany Hennen was called on to step in goal and she posted a 2-0-0 record with wins over Viterbo and Hamline universities. Johnson returned against 12th-ranked UW-Whitewater, Sept. 30, and played a solid game, stopping 16 shots and earning WIAC defensive player of the week honors for the 1-1 tie...Bethany Hennen played for the first time in goal in competitive soccer when she donned the goalie shirt for the Viterbo University game, Sept. 23. Hennen was credited with three saves and came on in about the 20th minute. Hennen started three days later against Hamline University and picked up the 3-2 win...The Blue Devils posted six shutouts in 2016, but were kept off the scoreboard six times. This season, the Blue Devils were shutout in the opener and have shut out UW-Superior and Viterbo University.

TWENTY-TWO 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 be at St. Mary's University, Tuesday, Oct. 17, return home to host Macalester College, Wednesday, Oct. 18 and travel to UW-Platteville, Saturday, Oct. 21.