Soccer Preview: Host non-conference Hamline Wednesday, then leap into WIAC play Friday hosting Platteville

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THIS WEEK'S GAMES: The Blue Devils (7-2-1, 0-0-0 WIAC) host Hamline University (4-3-0, 1-2-0 MIAC), Wednesday, Sept. 29 at 7 p.m., then open conference play by hosting UW-Platteville (5-0-2, 0-0-0 WIAC), Friday, Oct. 1 at 4 p.m.  Stout was ranked fourth in the Sept. 28 United Soccer Coaches NCAA Region IX rankings. 

ON-LINE: All of Stout's home games are expected to be available in a live video stream and in live stats. 

PARKING: Parking on the UW-Stout campus is restricted during the business week. For games at Nelson Field during the week, please plan to park in Lot 29, which is located adjacent to Nelson Field. Do not park in Lot 4, which is a reserved lot for students that live in the residence halls.

PETS: While service animals are allowed, no pets are allowed at UW-Stout athletic events.

A LOOK AT THE 2021 BLUE DEVILS: The Blue Devils are off to one of the best starts in school history, posting five shutouts among their first eight games. Stout has outscored their opponents, 18-7 after 10 games, averaging 1.8 goals per contest. The Blue Devils tend to be a second half scoring team, scoring 12 of their goals in the second half. Stout is holding a whopping 119-66 lead in overall shots and has put 70 shots on frame, compared to 37 for their opponents. Senior Marissa Steele leads scoring with three goals and five assists on the season. Steele is sixth in the WIAC for scoring. She is followed closely by Stout's young core of Freshman. Liv Winkler (4-1-9), Lexi Boyd (4-0-8), Remy Soulak (2-3-7), Carly Kauffman (2-3-7), and defender Hailey Kane (1-1-3) have been Stout's key to success. Finishing out scoring is Senior Caylee Boone, who has has three assists, Freshman Lauren Boyd with a goal and classmate Lauren Chukel with an assist. Junior Whitley Carothers also has an assist. After missing the first two games in net, which were filled admirably by Julia McNamar who posted two shutouts, freshman Haley Vokaty, assisted by a strong defense, has been solid in net, recording 19 saves and allowing seven goals for a goals against average of 0.88.  | 2021 Statistics

THE BLUE DEVILS LAST TIME OUT: Stout lost at Viterbo University, 2-1, Sept. 25, but bounced back to hand Saint Mary's University their first loss of the season, a 2-1 win, Sept. 26, with first half goals by Rachel Younker and Lexi Boyd.  | St. Mary's Game Story and Stats | Viterbo Game Story and Stats

REGIONAL RANKINGS: The Blue Devils were ranked sixth in the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division III Region IX Sept. 21 poll. | USC Regional Poll

A LOOK AT HAMLINE UNIVERSITY:  The Pipers are led in scoring by Juniors Cailey Schmitt and Anna Browne. Schmitt has three goals and three assists, with Browne having four goals of her own. Freshman Maya Dempsey has three goals and one assist. Hamline's other goal-scorers include Emily Hillis, Ku Gay Thu, Catie Regan, and Tylar Salas who all have one goal. Hillis and Thu also have an assist. Finishing out the scoring is Sydni Thompson (0-2-2), Carin Currier (0-1-1), and Hannah Schatz (0-1-1). The Piper's goal is held down by Lauren Sicora who has allowed seven goals in six games with 51 saves.  |  Season Statistics

THE PIPERS LAST TIME OUT: The Hamline University women's soccer team made the short trek to Bethel University in Arden Hills, Minnesota on Saturday afternoon. The Pipers set the tone with a 1-0 lead courtesy of Maya Dempsey's goal in the 25th minute, but the Royals rattled off three unanswered goals en route to a 3-1 victory. | Game Story and Stats

THE LAST TIME HAMLINE AND STOUT MET: A shorthanded UW-Stout women's soccer team came up on the short end of a 3-0 decision to Hamline University Oct 13, 2019.  The Pipers' Cailey Schmitt scored in the 34th minute to put Hamline on the board. Schmitt scored her second goal of the game in the 49th minute of the contest. Three minutes later the Pipers' Anna Browne closed out the scoring. Hamline out-shot Stout 26-3 and put 16 shots on net. The Blue Devils' Kali Brahs recorded Stout's shot on goal.  Stout's Claudia Anderson tallied 13 saves, while the Pipers' Lauren Sicora and Melanie Hopkins combined for one save.  The Blue Devils are currently down to three field players on the bench due to injuries over the past few weeks. The game was originally scheduled for Sept. 11, but was postponed due to wet field conditions. The weather was far from ideal, even in the make-up, played in a mixture of sun, snow and hail. | Game Story and Stats

THE SERIES: The series is knotted at 7-7-2.  | History


A LOOK AT UW-PLATTEVILLE:  The Pioneers are scheduled to play Dubuque on Wednesday, September 29 after their previous two games had been postponed. UW-Platteville are led by Senior Amber Lueder with six goals, which places her fifth in the WIAC for scoring. Lueder is followed by three Freshman, Alyssa Petterson (3-1-7), Lauren Lodico (2-2-6), and Annalise Spindle (1-3-5). Senior Leah Kubasta has a goal and two assists to her name, followed by another group of Freshman with Vanessa Peterson (2-0-4), Lilly Rausch (2-0-4), Lydia Smith (0-4-4), and defender Bryanne Pinkowski (1-0-2). Sophomore Danielle Culotta (1-1-3) and Junior Caitlin George (0-1-1) finsh out the Pioneers scorers. Plateville has utilized Juniors Emma Ball and Onalee Erickson in goal, both playing over 300 minutes in the net. Plateville remains the only unbeaten team in the WIAC, only allowing three goals, placing them at the top of the WIAC in Goals Allowed. |  2021 Season Statistics

THE PIONEERS LAST TIME OUT: The University of Wisconsin-Platteville women's soccer team shutout Nebraska Wesleyan University 5-0 Sunday afternoon at Ralph E. Davis Pioneer Stadium. The Pioneers (5-0-2 overall) remain unbeaten. | Game Story and Stats

THE LAST TIME UW-PLATTEVILLE AND STOUT MET:   Sammy Krugel netted her first collegiate goal in exciting fashion as the sophomore scored the game-winner in overtime to lift the Blue Devils to a 1-0 win at UW-Platteville Oct. 19, 2019. Both teams were looking for their first conference win of the season and the scoreboard showed goose eggs for both teams at the end of regulation. Claudia Anderson turned away 10 shots in regulation for Stout, while the Pioneers' Kathyrn Flaherty turned away both shots tossed at her in regulation. The Blue Devils pierced the net at 98:10 when Rachel Washington hit Krugel, who put the ball into the back of the net. The win not only broke a five-game skid for the Blue Devils, but also a five-game scoreless streak. The Pioneers outshot Stout, 17-4 overall and 10-3 on net.   |  Game Story and Stats

THE SERIES: The Blue Devils hold a 20-4-1 lead in the series and Stout has won five of the last six games. | History


BLUE DEVIL ATHLETES OF THE WEEK: Week Four: Offensive athlete of the week: Remy Soulak, So, Northfield, Minn. Defensive athlete of the week: Haley Vokaty, Fr, Hugo, Minn. (White Bear Lake);  Week Three: Offensive athlete of the week: Liv Winkler, Fr, Duluth, Minn. (East);  Week Two: Offensive athlete of the week: Marissa Steele, Sr, Farmington, Minn; Defensive athlete of the week: Hailey Kane, Fr, Green Bay, Wis (Bayport). Week One: Offensive athlete of the week: Liv Winkler, Fr, Duluth, Minn. (East); Defensive athlete of the week: Hailey Kane, Fr, Green Bay, Wis (Bayport).


AWARDS: 2021: Marissa Steele was the WIAC/Kwik Trip athlete of the week and the UW-Stout athlete of the week, Sept. 14, after scoring two game winning goals against St. Scholastica and Cornell College...Liv Winkler was the UW-Stout athlete of the week after scoring a goal in each of the first two games of the season, including the game winner in the season opener against Concordia-Moorhead.


TEAM CAPTAINS: Blue Devil team captains for the 2021 season are Lexie Wescott, Caylee Boone and Marissa Steele.

UW-STOUT COACH RYAN RAUFUS: Coach Ryan Raufus (67-87-20) is in his 11th year as the head coach of the Blue Devils in 2021. 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. 


TWENTY-FIVE-PLUS 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, Angela 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: Stout will host Bethel University, Wednesday, Oct. 6 at 7 p.m., then return to conference play by traveling to UW-Oshkosh, Oct. 9 at 4 p.m.