After warming up their home field in an exhibition against the University of Minnesota's club team on Friday, the College of Saint Benedict soccer team will officially open their season today (Sept. 15), hosting the University of Wisconsin-Stout Blue Devils. This will be the Blazers first chance to defend their #25 national ranking and will be their last non-conference tune-up before opening up their MIAC season against Hamline this Tuesday.
 
The Schedule:
Wisconsin-Stout @ Saint Benedict, 1 p.m., Sept. 15, St. Joseph, Minn.
 
The Records:
UWS: 2-4-0 (0-0-0 WIAC)
CSB: 3-0-1 (0-0-0 MIAC)
 
Who To Watch:
CSB:
Sr. F Colleen Bouchard (Cear Rapids, Iowa) - Leads Blazers with eight points, tied for tenth in the country with one assist per game
Sr., M Laura Kosch (Eden Prairie, Minn.) - Leads Blazer midfielders with three points
Fy., K Heather Kaluzniak (Plymouth, Minn.) - 0.90 GAA, 0.857 Sv%, one shutout
 

Colleen Bouchard	Laura Kosch	Heather Kaluzniak

UWS:
Sr., F Alix Hyduke - Leads Blue Devils with five goals, one assist, and eleven points
Fy., F Kelly Conn  - Only other Blue Devil with two-plus goals this season
Jr., K Robbie Shelby - 1.57 GAA, .799 Sv%, one shutout
 
Last Year:
It was almost exactly one year ago that the Blazers traveled to Wisconsin-Stout with an undefeated record. After a scoreless first half, the Blue Devils were the first to score in the second, getting a goal from Alix Hyduke early in period. Then-senior Natalia Kruse gave the Blazers an equalizing goal shortly thereafter, tying the score 1-1. Unfortunately Hyduke would strike again with only a few minutes remaining, giving the Blue Devils a 2-1 win over the Blazers.
 
About the Blue Devils:
Wisconsin-Stout comes into this game looking to turn around a three-game losing streak. They are led by their senior forward Alix Hyduke, who has accounted for more than half of the Blue Devils' offensive production (she has scored five of her team's nine goals). They have used a goalie-by-committee format thus far, with Junior Kelly Conn splitting time with Sophomore Paige Meyer. Neither has had great success keeping the ball out of the net however, carrying 1.57 and 2.03 GAA's respectively. The Blazers could draw either goalie this afternoon. The Blue Devils are also 1-2 against MIAC opponents this year, losing to Gustavus and Macalester but defeating Bethel.
 
Matchup:
The Blazers once again come into the Stout game undefeated, although this time they boast a #25 national ranking and three-game winning streak coming into the match. Not to mention this year they will have the luxury of playing on their home field.
 
The Blue Devils have had much more trouble defending the net, giving up almost two goals per game on average. The Blazer offense comes into the match averaging a tough-to-beat 2.5 goals per game and will certainly not make life any easier for the Blue Devil defender. The Blue Devils have given up 1.8 goals against per game this year, and have given up two or more goals in four of their six matches.