Soccer Preview: Stout at St. Mary's Tuesday, host Scots Wednesday

THIS WEEK'S GAMES: The Blue Devils (4-5-5, 1-1-3 WIAC) have a busy week with three games and will be at St. Mary's University (5-8-1, 0-7-1 MIAC), Tuesday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m., return home to host Macalester College (5-5-3, 2-4-2 MIAC), Wednesday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. and travel to UW-Platteville (6-8-0, 0-4-0 WIAC), Saturday, Oct. 21 for a 2 p.m. WIAC contest.

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 lost 4-0 at UW-La Crosse, Oct. 11, then tied UW-Oshkosh, 2-2, Oct. 14 and tied Concordia-Moorhead, 0-0, Oct. 15. Stout scored twice in just over a minute late in the game to force overtime with Oshkosh. | UW-La Crosse Story and Stats | UW-Oshkosh Story and Stats | Concordia-Moorhead Story and Stats

A LOOK AT UW-STOUT: Ties have played a big part in the Blue Devils season, with the team tying a school record Sunday with their fifth tied game of the season, matching marks from 2002 and 2005. The Blue Devils have played six overtime games, and lost one, a 3-2 decision vs. Mount St. Mary's (NY) in the Johns Hopkins Invitational in Baltimore, Md. Stout is 0-1-5 at home this season, but 4-3-0 at home. Sydney Kasper leads the team with six goals and three assists, while freshman Kaitlyn Hess has four goals and three assists. Kasper is seventh in the WIAC in goals scored (0.43) She is tied for the conference lead in game-winning goals with UW-La Crosse's Alex Cording with three game winners. Bethany 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 six assists, ranking second in the league (0.43). The Blue Devils have goals from Bella Pedlar, Nikki Sedivy and Bethany Hennen. Haley Wentz scored her first collegiate goal to tie UW-Oshkosh in the 86th minute. Hannah Kirchner has two assists and Jessica Ingle one. Lynn Johnson has worked all of the games since returning from a 10-day hiatus due to injury. She has been back in the net since the Blue Devils tied nationally ranked UW-Whitewater, Sept. 30. Johnson is currently 2-4-4 with a saves percentage of 0.807 and a GAA of 1.50. As a team, the Blue Devils have scored 19 goals and have allowed 21 goals. All but three of Stout's 14 games have been one-goal games. Stout is currently fifth in the WIAC.

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 ST. MARY'S UNIVERSITY: Becca Dup has six goals and six assists to lead the Cardinals, while Emily Loof has a team-best seven goals and two assists. Mary Loy has five goals and four assists. Zoe Boleneus and Gabriella Pederson have split time in goal. Boleneus is 3-3-1 with a GAA of 1.18 and Pederson is 2-5-0 with a GAA of 1.71. Saint Mary's had its offense shifted in high gear Saturday afternoon. And so did Hamline. The Cardinals and Pipers combined for six goals-including five in the first half-but it was the Hamline offense that proved the most explosive, as HU erupted for four goals in dealing Saint Mary's a 4-2 MIAC setback at Paterson Field. | Game Story | Season Statistics

THE LAST TIME ST. MARY'S AND STOUT MET: IUW-Stout controlled the soggy turf, Sept. 23, 2015, as the Blue Devils recorded their fifth shutout of the season in a 2-0 win over St. Mary's University at Nelson Field. Stout outshot the Cardinals by a wide margin, especially in the second half when the heavens really opened up. Stout held a 26-4 advantage in overall shots, and pressed St. Mary's with 20-1 edge after intermission. The Blue Devils put 10 shots on frame, compared to two for St. Mary's. After a scoreless first half, the Blue Devils scored early in the second half when Jenna Kizlik took a pass from Haley Wentz in the 50th minute. Addy Maher scored in the 82nd minute with an assist from Lindsey Concon. Paige Meyer earned her fifth shutout of the season, | Story and Stats

THE SERIES: The Blue Devils have a 6-2-0 lead in the series. St. Mary's last win over the Blue Devils came Sept. 16, 2000.


A LOOK AT MACALESTER COLLEGE: Jamie Hasema has three goals and three assists for the Scots. Kate Bond and Clara Webby both have two goals and two assists. Rachel Wilson-King has a 4-3-2 record with a GAA of 0.46. Wilson-King has four shutouts. The Scots are currently ninth in the competive MIAC, which has four nationally ranked teams. Down two goals, the Macalester College women's soccer team fought back to earn a 2-2 draw with the College of St. Scholastica in a non-conference match Monday afternoon at Saints Field. Clara Webby scored the goals in the 59th and 70th minutes, her first goals of the season. Macalester lost a MIAC match at Bethel University, 1-0 Saturday afternoon at a rainy Ona Orth Field. The Scots drop to 5-5-2 overall and 2-4-2 in the conference with the loss, while the Royals improve to 7-5-2, 3-4-1 MIAC. After both teams failed to score in the first half, Bethel generated the only offense it would need just under 14 minutes into the second half. Brooke Ogne found the net off an assist by Maggie Sipe for what would prove to be the game's only goal. Sophomore midfielder Molly Adams and junior forward Jaime Hasama put shots on goal in looking for the equalizer, but Bethel goalkeeper Kaylee Peterson made the save on both attempts. Senior goalkeeper Rachel Wilson-King and Peterson each finished with four saves apiece, as the Royals held a narrow 10-8 margin in shots taken. The Scots play at St. Scholastica Oct. 16. | Season Statistics

THE LAST TIME MACALESTER AND STOUT MET: Over the last two games, UW-Stout scored a total of 10 goals and allowed none. The tables were turned Sept. 20, 2016, as the Blue Devils were kept scoreless in a 2-0 loss at Macalester College. Macalester's Natalie Prescott opened up the scoring in the 14th minute. The Scots outshot the Blue Devils' (2-4-1) by a 17-7 overall tally and a 9-3 advantage in shots on net. Macalester doubled the score in the 77th minute on a goal by Pia Mingkwan. Lynn Johnson recorded seven saves for Stout. Rachel Wilson-King and Emma Toomer combined for three saves for Macalester. The Scots held a 5-0 advantage in corner kicks. | Story and Stats

THE SERIES: The Scots hold a 4-1-0 lead in the series.


A LOOK AT UW-PLATTEVILLE: Anna Sobel leads not only the Pioneers in goals, but the entire WIAC with 11 goals (0.79 goals/game). She has one assist for 23 points. Platteville has scored 24 goals, middle of the pack in the WIAC, but have given up a conference-high 33. The Pioneers are currently in eighth place in the WIAC with three league games remaining. Platteville is scheduled to host Ripon College, Oct. 18. | Season Statistics

THE LAST TIME PLATTEVILLE AND STOUT MET: UW-Stout scored goals in both halves and Lynn Johnson recorded her third shutout of the season as the Blue Devils downed WIAC foe UW-Platteville, 2-0, Oct. 22, 2016, at Nelson Field on Senior Day. Freshman Ryanne Millis got things started for the Blue Devils, taking a pass from Bethany Hennen in the 23rd minute and blasting it into the upper opposite corner. Stout got on the board again in the 67th minute when senior Kelly Conn settled a Sydney Kasper pass and hit the opposite corner of the net. Johnson finished with three saves, while Platteville goalie Alyssa Sickler had two saves. | Story and Stats

THE SERIES: Stout holds an 18-3-1 lead in the series.


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 (48-58-18) 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. 16, five of Stout's six home games have ended in double overtime ties, tying the school record of five tied games set in 2002 and 2005...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 close out the regular season when they host UW-Eau Claire, Saturday, Oct. 28 at 2 p.m.