FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Tuesday, September 13, 2016 Preview: Home stand continues for Yellowjacket men this weekend
After posting two shutouts in-a-row, MSUB’s men’s soccer team returns to the pitch to host Cal Baptist and the University of Mary at Yellowjacket Field. BILLINGS, Mont. – After posting consecutive shutout victories last week and pulling its record even at 2-2 on the season, the Montana State University Billings men’s soccer team continues its home stand with two more NCAA Division II matches at Yellowjacket Field over the weekend. The Yellowjackets will play host to California Baptist University on Thursday, in a match that kicks off at 4:30 p.m. The Lancers will then take on the University of Mary in a neutral-site contest at Yellowjacket Field on Saturday starting at 1 p.m. The soccer action will wrap around into next week, as the ‘Jackets will host the Marauders next Monday in a 1 p.m. start that will conclude their non-conference schedule. “We want to get two good performances, so we can go into our GNAC schedule with a lot of confidence,” said Alex Balog with regard to his team’s final non-conference matches of the fall. “I’m very happy with our two shutouts last week, and I’m proud of our whole defensive line and the way that they played.”
All three matches coming up this weekend will feature live video coverage, along with live statistics, available through MSUB’s Stretch Internet portal here. MSUB is coming off of at 1-0 win over Dixie State University last Friday, followed by a 3-0 result over South Dakota Mines last Sunday in a pair of matches at Yellowjacket Field. MSUB responded positively after starting the year 0-2 in California, posting consecutive shutouts for the first time since Sept. 19-24 during last season. LOHMANN NABS GNAC AWARD: Earning his second career Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Week honor, senior goalkeeper Tom Lohmann was the driving force behind MSUB’s two shutouts last week. His 10 total saves pushed his career total to 145, as he continues to rank fourth in MSUB history in that category. He is now second with six career shutouts, and needs two more to assume the top spot in Yellowjacket history. NEWCOMERS NET GOALS: Freshmen Oliver Posarelli and JD Hauenstein accounted for all of MSUB’s scoring in its 3-0 win over South Dakota Mines on Sunday, with the former scoring twice and the latter giving MSUB its first lead of the match. The timely firstcareer goals for the newcomers were the product of quality services from two more new faces among MSUB’s program. Senior Julien Dragomir recorded a pair of assists, playing Hauenstein through into the goal box for the first score, and serving a cross to Posarelli’s head for the third goal of the match. Though it wasn’t a direct assist, a cross on a corner kick by freshman Ian Bream led to Posarelli’s first goal, as MSUB received key contributions from all four players. “We had troubles in our first couple of games with our offense, but we came out last weekend against two tough opponents and we clicked,” said Bream. “We had a lot of assists and different scorers, which was good.” Freshman JD Hauenstein scored his first collegiate goal for the
HOLDING THEIR SHAPE: While a wealth of newcomers got on the ‘Jackets in their 3-0 win over South Dakota Mines on Sunday. scoresheet last week, several others played pivotal roles in the Yellowjackets’ midfield and building the team’s attack. Central midfielders Guillaume Kremer and Flavio Colasanti were crucial in connecting passes from MSUB’s back line through to its forwards, with the former making his career debut last week. On the defensive unit, Posarelli and junior captain Rhys Lambert anchored the center back positions, while senior Garret Robinson and junior Eli Williams contributed to the shutout wins as outside backs. “We came into those big games last week after a rough start, and I’m really proud of our back line,” Williams said. “The four of us have been doing really well melding together.” FAMILIAR CONNECTION: While the newcomers handled the scoring in the 3-0 victory, it was a familiar sight on Friday that provided MSUB with the game-winning goal as seniors Julian Toenges and Thiago Novis connected for the finish.
Novis’s first goal of the year came on a cross from the right corner, as he stuck a curling, right-footed shot into the lower-right corner of the net from 15 yards away. Toenges, who led MSUB and ranked second in the GNAC with 10 assists a season ago, earned his first assist of the 2016 season on the play. With 13 in his career so far, Toenges is now in sole possession of sixth place in MSUB’s record book for assists. MSUB Career Assists Leaders Rk. Name Ast. 1. Chris Andre 24 2. Sam Charles 18 Thomas Chameraud 18 4. Scott Dixon 17 5. Thomas Pertuit 14 6. Julian Toenges 13 7. Kyle Emerick 12 8. Jarred Weisen 11 Jeremy DeHerrera 11 10. Sam Butterworth 10
Years 2007-2010 2006-09 2011-12 2007-08 2001-04 2014-16 2011-14 2006-09 2007-09 2012-15 Senior Julian Toenges ranks sixth in MSUB history with 13 career assists.
WORKING BACK INTO THE ROTATION: After each missing MSUB’s first match of the week, senior defender Tom Saltwell and junior striker Ricardo Palomino both saw action in Sunday’s Rimrock Classic finale. After Lambert filled in brilliantly at center back while Saltwell nursed an injury, it appears the four-year starter is taking steps towards returning to the starting lineup in MSUB’s upcoming matches. Palomino, last year’s NCAA Division II west region leader in goals with 16, has been limited to just four shots through his first three games, and only one on target. The junior did score four times in MSUB’s 7-1 exhibition win over Northwest College on Aug. 27, and the ‘Jackets will look for him to fit into the offensive structure as an integral piece again this season. TEAM FIGURES: Entering last weekend having conceded four goals and scored none, MSUB reversed the trend by scoring four of their own and holding a clean sheet over 180 minutes. The ‘Jackets have out-shot their four opponents this season 51-39, but have only placed 20 of those shots on target for a shots-on-goal percentage of .392. Thursday, September 15 – California Baptist University Lancers – 4:30 PM 2016 Record: 3-0 Head Coach: Coe Michaelson, 1st season 2015 Record: 6-10-2, 5-7-1 PacWest Under the direction of new head coach and longtime Northwest Nazarene University lead man Coe Michaelson, the Lancers have started off the 2016 season with an unblemished 3-0 record. The team’s strong start includes a 3-2 victory over GNAC opponent Saint Martin’s University and a pair of 2-1 results against Sonoma State University and Chico State University. Having out-scored opponents 7-4 overall as a team, Aidan Apodaca has accounted for the majority of CBU’s goals with four in his first three games this season. Luca Tschaidse, Baptiste Marec, and Matthew Bernard have each also found the net, while Daniel Westholm has provided a pair of assists for the Lancers.
In goal, Noah Oyler has played in all three matches, and made 10 saves while facing 26 shots. Marec, a sophomore this year, leads the defensive unit as he has started all three matches and played all 270 minutes on the year. The Lancers have out-shot opponents 44-31 so far this season, and placed exactly half of their attempts on frame for a shots-on-goal percentage of 50.0. The Series: Thursday’s meeting will be the first-ever between MSUB and Cal Baptist, with the game counting as an inregion contest as both teams are within the west region. Monday, September 19 – University of Mary Marauders – 1 PM 2016 Record: 4-1 Head Coach: Dave Cook, 9th season 2015 Record: 3-13-2, 2-11-1 GNAC After starting the season 4-0, the Marauders suffered a 5-0 setback last week against Dixie State University at Yellowjacket Field. The loss came after a dramatic, 2-1 double-overtime win over South Dakota School of Mines last Friday, as UM split its two games at the Rimrock Classic. Jordan Pearce is leading the team with four goals scored in four games this year, while Jakob Olsson and Marc Hernandez each have a pair to their names. Senior midfielder Aaron Brennan, who earned Rimrock Classic all-tournament honors, leads the team with three assists and has also found the net once. Ludvig Rhodin has played every match in goal for Mary, and has made 30 saves while facing 81 total shots. Rhodin has a pair of shutouts, and holds a goals-against average of 1.55 so far on the year. Jaden Allen is the lone defender to have started all five matches, racking up 413 minutes and piloting the back line in front of Rhodin. Mary has out-scored opponents 13-8 on the year, and has placed 36 of 74 shots on target for a shots-on-goal percentage of 48.6. The Series: MSUB leads the all-time affair 26-7, with two draws factoring into the mix as well in the 35 historic meetings dating back to 1996. A 2-1 loss by MSUB on Oct. 18, 2014 snapped a 23-game unbeaten streak for the ‘Jackets, who are 13-3-1 all-time at home against the Marauders. Last Time Out: MSUB dominated in a 4-0 win over Mary on the road last September, as Palomino scored twice and had an assist, and Toenges scored as well. The ‘Jackets surrendered a two-goal lead late at home in the rematch however, as the teams drew 3-3 in double-overtime in the final match of the 2015 season last November. Novis had a pair of goals, and Toenges supplied two assists in the last meeting. --@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--