Soccer Preview: Stout hosts Eau Claire Saturday

Live Stats | Live Video | WIAC Weekly Soccer Notes |

THIS WEEK'S GAMES: After a 1-4-0 start to the season, the Blue Devils (7-5-5, 2-1-3 WIAC) have gone 6-1-5 over the last 12 games. Stout will close out the regular season and the conference season when they host UW-Eau Claire, Saturday, Oct. 28 at 2 p.m. All four games being played Saturday in the WIAC will have some sort of bearing on the final standings. The Blue Devils will participate in the WIAC Soccer Championship next week and, depending on the outcomes of Saturday's games, could finish anywhere from second to sixth. Eau Claire needs a win or a tie to clinch a playoff spot. The first round game is Tuesday, Oct. 31, the semi-final, Thursday, Nov. 2 and the championship game, Saturday, Nov. 4.

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 won all three games last week by identical 1-0 scores, downing St. Mary's, Oct. 17, Macalester College, Oct. 18 and UW-Platteville, Oct. 21.   Following a scoreless first half, Kaitlyn Hess scored her fifth goal of the season, getting an assist from Hannah Kirchner in the 72nd minute. Kirchner received a through ball from Sydney Kasper took a single touch and crossed the ball on the ground to Hess for a 1-0 win at UW-Platteville, Oct. 21. The Blue Devil defense had another good effort, holding the Pioneers to six overall shots and four shots on net. | St. Mary's Story and Stats | Macalester Story and Stats | UW-Platteville 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 Oct.15 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 1-1-5 at home this season, but 6-3-0 on the road. Sydney Kasper leads the team with six goals and four assists, while freshman Kaitlyn Hess has five goals and three assists. Kasper is ninth in the WIAC in goals scored (0.35), and Hess is tied for 10th (0.29). Kasper is tied for the conference lead in game-winning goals with three game winners. Bethany Hanson has three goals and Sarah Dickmann has two goals, both on penalty kicks. Ryanne Millis has a goal and team-best six assists, ranking second in the league (0.35). 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 three 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 5-4-4 with a saves percentage of .825 and a GAA of 1.19. Johnson has not allowed a goal in the last four games and the Blue Devils have seven shutouts. As a team, the Blue Devils have scored 22 goals and have allowed 21 goals. All but three of Stout's 17 games have been one-goal 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-EAU CLAIRE: Following a scoreless first half and well into the second half,  Mercedes Wilson scored her third goal on the year in the 64th minute and put the Blugolds in front and Eau Claire went on to a 1-0 win over UW-River Falls to stay in contention for a WIAC playoff spot. Anne Sveinen recorded 10 saves for the Blugolds. Emily Sullivan is the Blugolds' leading scorer with five goals. Monica Zoellner has four goals and an assist. Sveinen has worked 14 games in goal and has a saves percentage of .787 and a GAA of 1.56. Sammie Lafaive has worked seven games, with a saves percentage of .792 and a GAA of 1.19.  | Game Story | Season Statistics

THE LAST TIME EAU CLAIRE AND STOUT MET: UW-Eau Claire scored what would prove to be the game-winning-goal with just over 10 minutes left in regulation as UW-Stout lost to the Blugolds 1-0 Oct. 29, 2016, at Bollinger Soccer Fields. The Blugolds' Caroline Henderson scored in the 80th minute, with an assist by Bailee Hyde. | Story and Stats

THE SERIES: The Blugolds hold a 21-3-2 lead in the series and have won the last four meetings. The Blue Devils' last win over the Blugolds came Oct. 9, 2013, a 3-2 win at Nelson Field.



BLUE DEVIL ATHLETES OF THE WEEK: Offense: Bethany Hanson, Sr, Coon Rapids, Minn...Defense: Taylor Poss, Sr, St. Michael, Minn. (St.Michael/Albertville)

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 (51-58-18) 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: Five of Stout's seven 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: TThe Blue Devils will participate in the WIAC Soccer Championship next week. The first round game is Tuesday, Oct. 31, the semi-final, Thursday, Nov. 2 and the championship game, Saturday, Nov. 4.