Soccer Preview: at Hamline Tuesday, open WIAC w/Whitewater Saturday

THIS WEEK'S GAMES: The Blue Devils (2-4-1, 0-0-0 WIAC) will be at Hamline University (5-2-1, 3-1-0 MIAC), Tuesday, Sept. 26 at 4 p.m., then will open the WIAC season when they host 12th-ranked UW-Whitewater (6-1-2, 0-0-0 WIAC), Saturday, Sept. 30 at 2 p.m.

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 went 1-1-1 last week, falling at Gustavus Adolphus, 2-1, Sept. 19, playing to a 1-1 tie with Bethel University, Sept. 21 and downing Viterbo University, 1-0, Sept. 23. The Blue Devils used three different goalies throughout the week. | Gustavus Adolphus Story and Stats | Bethel University Story and Stats | Viterbo University Story and Stats

A LOOK AT UW-STOUT: The Blue Devils defense has been tested the last week as the two goalies on the roster went down to injury. Lynn Johnson was lost in a loss at Gustavus Adolphus. Rachel Nowak stepped up to finish the game, then got her first collegiate start in a 1-1 tie with Bethel University. Nowak was injured after 20 minutes in a 1-0 win over Viterbo, so Bethany Hennen was called on to put on the goalie jersey and the sophomore made three saves in 70 minutes of work and her first collegiate win. Hennen was the beneficiary of freshman Kaityn Hess' game-winning goal, her third goal of the season, this one coming on a header after Hannah Kirchner crossed the ball. Hess is leading the team in goals with three, and has an assist for seven points. Last year's leading scorer Sydney Kasper has matched Hess' point total with seven, scoring two goals and picking up three assists. The Blue Devils have gotten goals from seven different players, including two by Sarah Dickmann, both on penalty kicks. Ryanne Millis has a goal and a team-high four assists. Bethany Hanson, Hennen, and Nikki Sedivy each have a goal. Kirchner has two assists.  Lynn Johnson, a first team all-WIAC selection last season, has been out since late in the Gustavus Adolphus game and is posting a 2.04 GAA, with a .727 save percentage. Johnson has played nearly 400 minutes. Nowak has played in four games, rolling up just under 190 minutes and has a GAA of 0.95. Hennen, who was called early in the Viterbo game, has not allowed a goal and has three saves. As a team, the Blue Devils have allowed 11 total goals, but have also scored 11 goals. The goalies collectively have two shutouts and have a GAA of 1.51.    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 HAMLINE: The Pipers already have a signature win in taking down St. Thomas, 1-0, last week. Jenna Sampson scored in the 84th minute for the win and Kat Armstrong made five saves in the win. The Pipers also defeated Concordia-Moorhead by the same 1-0 score, Sept. 23, as Kaley Roberts scored in the 13th minute and Armstrong made the goal stand up with six saves. Despite a 5-5-1 conference record last season, the Pipers were picked to finish 10th in the MIAC this season, according to a preseason coaches poll. Hamline is currently tied for thrid in the MIAC with St. Thomas.  |  Statistics  | St. Thomas Story and Stats | Concordia Story and Stats

THE LAST TIME HAMLINE AND STOUT MET: In an early season game, Sept. 7, 2016, that was moved to Chippewa Falls High School because of a soggy Nelson Field, the Pipers carried a 1-0 win home. The Pipers' Mayla Hirshkowitz lofted a long shot from about 30 yards out that went over the outstretched arms of Blue Devil goalkeeper Lynn Johnson  in the 13th minute of the contest. | Story and Stats

THE SERIES: Hamline leads the series at 6-5-1.


A LOOK AT UW-WHITEWATER: Winner of the six of the last seven regular-season titles and four of the last five tournament trophies, UW-Whitewater was picked to capture the 2017 WIAC  championship, based on a preseason poll conducted by the league's head coaches and sports information directors. The Warhawks welcome back eight starters from last year's squad that made the program's sixth appearance in the NCAA championship. Leading the returnees are sophomore midfielder Marie Lesperance, junior midfielder Mackenzie Serbousek and sophomore goalkeeper Sara Klimisch. Lesperance tied for second on the team last season with 10 goals, while ranking third with 24 points. Serbousek contributed three goals and one assist for seven points. Klimisch allowed just 11 goals and compiled a league-leading 18 victories, 10 shutouts and 0.59 goals-against-average.Whitewater is the first WIAC  program to record back-to-back 20-victory seasons – winning 20 contests in 2015 and 22 a year ago. The Warhawks' only loss of the season came Sept. 17 at Washington University, a 1-0 setback. The Warhawks played to 2-2 ties to Loras, Sept. 6, and to Concordia-Wisconsin, Sept. Sept. 13. Anna Boyd has four goals and two assists to lead the team, while Morgan Beaty has come off the bench in all nine games and has scored four goals and an assist. Karina Rosales and Mackenzie Serbousek each have three goals. The Warhawks are outscoring their opponents, 22-8, and have four shutouts. Sara Klimisch has made seven starts and is posting a 4-1-2 overall record with a GAA of 0.84. Nina Yonan has started two games and has a 2-0-0 record, with a GAA of 0.84. | Statistics

WHITEWATER LAST TIME OUT: On Senior Day, Whitewater racked up a 4-0 win over MSOE, Sept. 23, with Anna Boyd, Meghan Riordan, Mackenzie Serbousek and Gina Rogala each scoring a goal. Boyd added an assist, helping out on Riordan's goal. The Warhawks are scheduled to be at Luther College, Wednesday, Sept. 27. | MSOE Story and Stats

THE LAST TIME WHITEWATER AND STOUT MET: The Blue Devils were able to hold ninth ranked Whitewater scoreless until the 37th minute mark in the first half. In the first half, Whitewater's Marie Lesperance and Brianna Ried scored in the 37th and 41st minutes, respectively, to make it 2-0 in what would prove to be the final score. The Blue Devils recorded four of their six shots in the first half, but were unable to find the net. The Blue Devil defense was stout in the second half, not allowing a score to the Warhawks, but once again the offense could not find the net. | Story and Stats

THE SERIES: Whitewater leads the series at 17-6-1. Stout last win over the Warhawks came Sept. 24, 2011, a 2-1 win in Menomonie, in coach Ryan Raufus' first season at Stout.


BLUE DEVIL ATHLETES OF THE WEEK: Offense: Kaitlyn Hess, Fr, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. (Lincoln) Defense: Nikki Sedivy, Sr, Medford, Minn. (Owatonna)

AWARDS: 2017: 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...2016: Goalie Lynn Johnson, and forwards Kelly Conn Sydney Kasper were all-WIAC first team selections...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.


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 (46-57-14) 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: 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...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 UW-River Falls, Wednesday, Oct. 4 for a 4 p.m. contest, then return home to host UW-Stevens Point, Saturday, Oct. 7, at 2 p.m. in a Playing for a Cause game with the Pointers.