FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Thursday, September 29, 2016 Dragomir’s second-half goal helps MSUB to 1-1, overtime draw at SPU Thursday
Julien Dragomir scores the only goal for MSUB on Thursday, equalizing the score in the 68th minute and helping the Yellowjackets earn a point with a 1-1 draw at Seattle Pacific. SEATTLE – Despite out-shooting its opposition 26-12, the Montana State University Billings men’s soccer team only found the net once on Thursday night and played to a 1-1, double-overtime draw against host Seattle Pacific University in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference match at Interbay Stadium. The Yellowjackets placed 11 of their 26 shots on target, but SPU goalkeeper Cody Lang came up with 10 saves in the match. The ‘Jackets also won 10 corner kicks, but could not convert aside from a Julien Dragomir goal in the 68th minute. “In six years coaching at MSUB we’ve never gotten a result at SPU, and to get it in the fashion we did today makes me very proud,” said MSUB head coach Alex Balog. “We asked the guys to up it a little bit in the second half and they did that. That’s something we are proud of.” For the Falcons, Sam Malloch scored his first career goal in the 11th minute, finishing a rebound from close range after a shot by Keenan dePinna that hit the crossbar. SPU moved to 2-3-3 on the season overall and is now 0-1-2 in GNAC play.
Dragomir punched home the equalizer in the 68th minute, as he waited inside the box and finished a ball knocked away by Lang from 12 yards away. The Yellowjackets’ unbeaten streak reached six with the draw, and the team is now 5-2-2 overall and 1-0-2 in conference play. “In the back we were very solid, and we kept creating opportunities,” Balog said. “In the midfield, I thought it was the best performance of the season for us. We are definitely headed in the right direction, and if we can bring this intensity to Saturday at Saint Martin’s we have a great chance to get the three points we need.” Despite the one-sided game in terms of shots, the Falcons out-shot the ‘Jackets 5-1 in the two overtime periods. It took a save by MSUB keeper Joe Scott to keep the game tied after a shot by SPU’s Carlos Franco in the 105th minute. Flavio Colasanti had a final chance with nine seconds left on the clock, but Lang made his 10th and final save of the evening. Colasanti led all players with eight shots in the match, placing three of them on target. Sophomore captain Guillaume Kremer had five shots and three on frame, while senior Thiago Novis had four looks in the match. Playing 84 minutes off of the bench, Ricardo Palomino was on target with the only two shots he took. Gabe Kellum led SPU with three shots in the game, while Franco and Jordan Kollars had two apiece.
Flavio Colasanti led all players with eight shots on Thursday.
Scott finished the match with four big saves, as he faced a dozen shots in his 110 minutes between the posts. Junior captain Rhys Lambert and freshman Oliver Posarelli played the entire 110 minutes as the team’s center backs, while Kremer played the whole game as holding midfielder.
THE BUZZ: Dragomir was selected as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…Dragomir is now tied for the team lead in goals with four, and leads the squad with 12 points…this marks the second straight game MSUB came from behind to earn a point with a draw…the ‘Jackets matched their season high with the 26 shots…MSUB senior starter Julian Toenges exited the match within the opening 10 minutes with an injury…SPU kept its home unbeaten streak alive at 22 games, while MSUB kept its current unbeaten streak intact at seven games…the ‘Jackets snapped a seven-game losing streak to SPU, and earned their first point in Seattle since a 4-2 win on Nov. 6, 2008. NEXT UP: MSUB heads an hour south to Lacey, Wash., to challenge Saint Martin’s University on Saturday in another GNAC contest. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. Mountain time, and live statistics will be available through MSUB’s Stretch Internet portal here. --@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--