A fitting finish: Perez scores top-class goal, winding up career with 'Jackets

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Friday, October 16, 2015 A fitting finish: Perez scores top-class goal, winding up career with ‘Jackets

After transferring to MSUB in 2014, Fernando Perez carries himself as an experienced senior leader with the ability to be a game-changer in moment’s like Thursday’s world-class, game-winning goal.

MSUB SPORTS – As the second half was set to kick off at Yellowjacket Field on Thursday, Montana State University Billings men’s soccer head coach Alex Balog elected to go with a familiar lineup save for one switch.

The Yellowjackets would start the second half the same way they started the match, except senior Fernando Perez was slotted in as a center midfielder to begin the final 45 minutes against tough Great Northwest Athletic Conference opponent Northwest Nazarene University.

Little did he know it, but Perez, a transfer to MSUB last year from Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne, Wyo., was about to make the most significant contribution of his career for the ‘Jackets.

Six minutes into the second half, Perez watched as junior Julian Toenges, controlled the ball down the left side of the field and took on several NNU defenders. Toenges’s patience on the play allowed Perez to make a run towards the top of the 18-yard box on the right side, and what happened next prompted a chaotic celebration on the field by Perez and his teammates.

Perez had one chance to make his shot towards goal count, as he knew the only way to finish the rolling cross by Toenges was going to be with a single touch from his left – off – foot. Burying his head in concentration, Perez swung his left leg around with perfect timing, meeting the Nike Ordem ball with the instep of his left foot and curling it expertly into the upper-right corner of the goal.

A customary dive from NNU goalkeeper Ryan Foo didn’t come until the ball had already hit the back of the net – there was no play on a shot that perfect.

What started as an ecstatic Rhys Lambert failing to keep his legs under him as he embraced Perez turned into a swarm of Yellowjackets around the senior who had just nudged his team in front 1-0. When the final whistle sounded 40 minutes later and the goal stood as the game-winner, Perez had done more than just score his second goal of the season and perhaps best of his life.

He had helped the Yellowjackets claim sole possession of second place in the GNAC standings with six matches left to play in the regular season. He had shown the flash of brilliance that caught the eye of Balog during an I.D. camp two years ago, when he ultimately decided Perez was a player the ‘Jackets could not pass up.

FOLLOWING HIS BROTHER’S LEAD Perez was born in Greeley, Colo., where he and his two brothers and sister grew up with athletics as a fundamental activity. The youngest of the four, Perez looked up to his older brother Jesus who began to excel in soccer at the highschool level while Perez was still at an impressionable young age. “My oldest brother didn’t start playing soccer until high school,” Perez said. “I would go watch him play, and that’s when I realized I should give it a try.”

Rhys Lambert (10) embraces Perez after his game-winning goal Thursday against the Crusaders.

Perez first started playing organized soccer at age nine, learning the game dually through watching his brother and playing on a club team. By the time he reached high school, Perez had stood out enough on the pitch to earn a starting spot with the varsity team and began taking his game to the next level.

It was ultimately Perez’s brother who inspired him to reach out to the college offers that were beginning to trickle in, and Perez elected to stay close to home and begin his career at LCCC. “I never thought I wanted to play college soccer, but my brother really influenced me to continue my career and get to where I am now,” Perez said. “I just wanted to follow in his footsteps.”

Perez also considered the prospect of kicking on a college football team, but his passion for soccer fueled his decision to continue the sport he considers his first love.

GETTING HIS MSUB I.D.

Perez began his career at LCCC with the understanding that he would have a tough decision to make after his first two seasons. He would eventually have to transfer to another school to complete his degree, and if he wanted his soccer career to continue he had to find the right fit.

“I was in the middle of whether or not I should continue playing,” Perez said. “I still loved the sport, and I realized that I should keep playing and see where I ended up.”

Where Perez did end up was in front of Balog’s eyes at MSUB’s annual I.D. camp in March of 2014. Standing out among the wide array of hopeful collegiate players, Balog knew quickly that Perez had the skill not just to make his roster, but to grow into an impact player in the two seasons of eligibility he had left.

“Fernando ended up at MSUB almost by accident,” Balog said. “He came to one of our I.D. camps in 2014, and our guys who were there during the camp all came to me and told me we needed to try to sign Fernando. We did, and it has proven to be a great decision, both for him and for us as a program.”

During his first-ever trip to Montana for the camp, MSUB’s campus stood out to Perez as he began to see himself fitting into the university. An education major, Perez felt MSUB could supply him with a valuable academic experience, as he has aspirations to one day combine the paths of teaching and coaching.

“I liked the campus, and everything about the coaches,” Perez said. “Alex gave me a great opportunity to come here and continue my college soccer career. I was excited about that.”

ADJUSTING TO DIVISION II Just as Balog suspected during the camp, Perez came in and had an impact right away. In his first season, he started nine matches and played in 13 as a central midfielder, racking up 746 minutes and taking 16 shots.

Though he saved his first goal for this season, the maturity and experienced decision making were the traits that stood out most to his new head coach. “I like that Fernando has an apparent beacon of calmness in the middle of the field where things can often become frantic,” Balog said. “Fernando is also someone who has completely bought into our program’s philosophy and fits in very well. We know we can rely on him on and off the field.”

Entering the program only with community college experience, Perez credits 2015 seniors Kyle Emerick and Matt Brink with helping him adjust and providing leadership to the program. “They had been here, and they were senior captains,” Perez said. “They were great guys to hang around with and to be around.”

Perez quickly learned how to manage his time, between his busy class schedule and the demanding agenda required by collegiate athletics. One thing that stood out to Perez was the conglomeration of different styles within MSUB’s program, with players from all over the globe coming together and playing as a unit.

Perez has roots in Mexico, with Spanish being his first language. Being bilingual helped with Perez’s acclimation to the team, as he was easily able to pick up on the different chatter throughout the squad in multiple different languages.

“When it comes to soccer, you have to be open-minded to different people and the way that they play,” Perez commented on the diverse team. “It wasn’t too hard to adapt to. Once we had been here for two weeks, we learned how each other played.”

FINISHING STRONG “Fernando is a composed, mature, intelligent young man. He likes to listen and “steal” with his eyes and ears. Few things go unnoticed by him. His composed character translates itself in his demeanor on the field, where as a center midfielder, he often seems unfazed by what is going on around him.” – MSUB head coach Alex Balog on Fernando Perez.

Just as Balog described him, Perez was totally unfazed Thursday when he found the back of the net. He used his keen observation to recognize the play Toenges was setting up, and hit his mark with a composed, worldclass finish.

While the game-winning goal was a tangible reminder of Perez’s ability to influence a match, it is the effort that he displays winning challenges in the midfield and distributing the ball with intentional skill that have defined his career at MSUB. “Fernando is someone who will give everything he has when we step onto the field,” Balog said. “The best compliment I can give him is that I wish we could have had him for four years instead of two, but having him beats not having him.”

Perez is thankful for the opportunity to continue his career with the Yellowjackets, recognizing the unique family aspect of the team he has grown with over the past two years. “It is special how we all come together and make somebody feel welcome,” said Perez, who is often referred to by his teammates as ‘Nando’. “Even if it is a recruit, someone from the community, or if they play a different sport, we bring them in and make them part of the Yellowjacket Family. It is great to end my college career here playing for Alex and Thomas (Chameraud). I have enjoyed every second of it.”

With the Yellowjackets now in second place in the GNAC standings, Perez and his teammates are poised to continue the momentum of their current two-match winning streak with an opportunity to keep rising in the conference table.

“Everybody just came ready to work, ready to play soccer and to have fun,” Perez said. “That is what is happening right now, and everybody is just enjoying it.”

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