FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Saturday, October 29, 2016 Road woes continue for ‘Jackets in 2-0 loss to WWU Saturday
Two goals in the final 10 minutes lift host Western Washington to a 2-0 win over MSUB’s men’s soccer team on Saturday in Bellingham, Wash. BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Two goals by host Western Washington University in the final 10 minutes of play lifted the Vikings to a 2-0 win over Montana State University Billings in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference men’s soccer match at Harrington Field Saturday night. Eleazar Galvan curled a shot into the back of the net with just under 10 minutes on the clock, and Anthony Dean added an insurance goal with four minutes to play as WWU avenged a 3-1 loss to MSUB on the road earlier this season. The Yellowjackets lost their second straight game, and are now 8-6-3 overall and 4-4-3 in GNAC play. The Vikings moved to 7-4-4 with the win, and are now 4-3-3 in GNAC play.
“We didn’t develop our way of playing, and didn’t get our midfielders on the ball enough,” said MSUB head coach Alex Balog. “We didn’t have our midfielders drop into the hole enough, and that hurt us in terms of our playing style. We defended well in the first half, but in the second half early on, the momentum went to Western.” Struggling away from home all season, MSUB finished its regular-season road schedule with a record of 1-4-3. Saturday’s loss came after a 4-0 defeat at No. 3 Simon Fraser University on Thursday, as the NCAA Division II West Region’s leading offense entering play this week was held without a goal. MSUB earned the first dangerous chance of the game 13 minutes in, when Julien Dragomir was fouled just outside of the box. Flavio Colasanti curled a shot on target on the set-piece attempt, but WWU goalkeeper Tyler Visten was able to hold onto it for the save. Dragomir came inches away from giving MSUB the lead with 13 minutes to go before the break, as his left-footed shot from the top of the box just missed scraping the far post as it rolled wide. Ian Bream had a chance to put the ‘Jackets ahead 10 minutes into the second half, but his shot from 10 yards away was smothered by the Vikings’ back line. The ‘Jackets dodged a major bullet with 26 minutes to play, as WWU’s Luke Olney pushed a shot on a breakaway wide of the far post. Less than a minute later, Wesley Stark hit the post with a diving half-volley shot in the box, as he came close to putting the home team in front. Galvan struck from the top of the box on the left side, as he was granted a comfortable amount of open space in the offensive third. He tucked a strong, right-footed shot over the head of MSUB goalkeeper Joe Scott and into the upperright corner of the net. Pushing forward in an attempt to find an equalizer left the ‘Jackets exposed defensively, and WWU capitalized on a counter attack minutes later. Winning the ball deep in MSUB territory, Dean carried it into the box and beat an oncoming Scott with a shot into the back of the net to seal the win. JD Hauenstein, Dragomir, and Bream tied for the team high with two shots apiece. Guillaume Kremer played the entire match in the midfield for the Yellowjackets, as did Oliver Posarelli and Rhys Lambert at the center back position. MSUB was out-shot 15-12 in the match, and the Vikings put six shots on target while MSUB managed four. Visten had four saves in earning the shutout, while Scott had three stops in goal for the ‘Jackets. “We had some chances to score, but overall they were more intense and ready to compete,” Balog said. THE BUZZ: Hauenstein was picked as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…this was the fifth time this year MSUB has been shut out…MSUB is now in fourth place in the GNAC standings with 15 points. NEXT UP: MSUB plays its final regular season game at home next Thursday, as Saint Martin’s University comes to Billings for Senior Day. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. at Yellowjacket Field, and live video and live statistics will be available through MSUB’s Stretch Internet portal here. --@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--