FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Thursday, November 3, 2016 Seniors shine in sendoff, ‘Jackets dominate in 7-1 win over SMU
Seniors scored five goals and had four assists on Thursday, as MSUB’s men’s soccer team closes its regular season with a dominant 7-1 win over visiting Saint Martin’s. BILLINGS, Mont. – A hat trick by Julien Dragomir, the first goal of the year for Flavio Colasanti, and a finish from senior Julian Toenges highlighted the greatest offensive display of the season for the Montana State University Billings men’s soccer team, as the Yellowjackets rolled to a 7-1 Great Northwest Athletic Conference win over Saint Martin’s University Thursday on Senior Day at Yellowjacket Field. MSUB scored three goals in the opening 45 minutes, and added four more in the second half to put an exclamation point on one of the best seasons in program history. The ‘Jackets finished the regular season with a mark of 9-6-3 overall and could finish as highly as second place in the GNAC with a league record of 5-4-3. The team was ranked as highly as No. 6 in the NCAA Division II west region poll, but dropped out of the top-8 entering the week and is not likely to earn a berth into the postseason. Dragomir’s best performance of the season pushed him into first place in the GNAC in scoring, as he finished his lone year at MSUB with a dozen goals. “For me to finish my career off here was an amazing feeling, and I just want to thank
everybody from MSUB,” the senior said after the match. “My expectations were just to play my best this season, and I couldn’t have been a top goal scorer without my teammates. I just want to thank all of my teammates and coaches.” Colasanti led the team in shots with 44 and in assists with seven, but had not scored a goal until his final match of the year on Thursday. The Italian’s finish kicked off the scoring in the 17th minute, as he tucked a pass into the box from his fellow countryman Oliver Posarelli inside the far post. Posarelli scored a goal of his own on Thursday as well, pushing his total to three in his debut campaign as a center back for the ‘Jackets. Defending a corner kick well, the ‘Jackets created momentum out of the back as Colasanti touched the ball into space in the defensive third. The senior drilled a cross-field pass to a streaking Posarelli on the left flank, and the freshman played an equally-impressive diagonal ball back to Colasanti near the edge of the box. Working its way into the corner, the ball left Thiago Novis’s foot, took a touch from Guillaume Kremer, and wound up in the net as Posarelli punched it home from eight yards out in the 29th minute. The two goals sandwiched Dragomir’s first finish of the day, which he headed inside the right goal post off of a cross from Novis in the corner in the 21st minute. The senior’s second goal came 10 minutes into the second half, when he controlled another pass from Novis and tucked a low shot inside the far post. “This was a special day, and five years (in the U.S.) went by fast,” said Novis, who finished with three assists in the game. “I knew how much it would mean for all of the seniors to get a win today, and we had a great season.” Flavio Colasanti reacts after scoring his first goal of the year for MSUB on Senior Day Thursday.
The Saints countered in the 58th minute, as Kyle Witzel temporarily moved back into a tie with Dragomir as he scored his 11th goal of the year. His finish came on a header shot directly off of a free-kick service from McKray Kohn on the right side of the field. The goal didn’t deter MSUB however, as Toenges quickly put away the team’s fifth goal of the game. Playing in front of his mother Andrea and father Andre for the first time in five years, Toenges collected a deflected pass and just beat SMU goalkeeper Griffin Small to the ball in the box for the finish. A frustrating season that was cut short by a broken wrist ended on a positive note for the German senior, who finished his career No. 5 in MSUB history with 16 assists in three seasons. “It meant a lot to play one more game, and it was nice to get a 7-1 win with all of the guys,” Toenges said. Dragomir capped off his hat trick in the 69th minute, watching as his shot from the left side of the box dramatically glanced off of the far post and into the back of the net to make the score 6-1. Putting an exclamation point on the season, Ricardo Palomino scored his sixth goal of the year and 22nd of his career in the 89th minute. The junior striker received a pass from JD Hauenstein inside a crowded box, and tucked the ball off of the crossbar and in.
Senior defenders Tom Saltwell and Garret Robinson closed their careers on Thursday as well, as each wore the captain’s arm band for their final match with the ‘Jackets. Saltwell nearly scored his first career goal in the second half, but he struck his penalty kick with too much ambition and blasted it high over the crossbar. “It has been a roller coaster of emotions and experiences, and I can’t wait to start my life now after I graduate,” Saltwell said. “There is so much talent returning to this team, and I know with our coaches that they will recruit some amazing players. As long as we stick together, we are going to be a real force next fall.” Overall, eight different Yellowjackets got on the scoresheet in the game, and the team finished the year with a total of 40 goals. Ian Fry had five saves in goal during the first half, and Small finished with five in the second half for the Saints. SMU fell to 3-12-1 on the year and moved to 2-8-1 in GNAC play. SENIOR SENDOFF: MSUB’s six graduating players were honored in a pregame ceremony, that included family and friends on the field prior to kickoff. “We were able to send our six seniors out the way they deserved to go out, and I’m glad that their teammates and the coaching staff were able to repay them with a performance like we saw today,” said MSUB head coach Alex Balog. “Today was about our seniors, and I am extremely grateful for what they have done not just for our program, but for our university.” THE BUZZ: Dragomir was picked as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…it was his third multi-goal game of the year…MSUB is currently tied for most goals in the west region with Simon Fraser, but the Clan have two more regular-season games and have already clinched a berth into the NCAA tournament…the teams tied 2-2 in their first meeting of the year in Lacey, Wash., on Oct. 1. --@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--