Yellowjackets dominant in final exhibition match, down NWC 5-0

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Saturday, August 27, 2016 Yellowjackets dominant in final exhibition match, down NWC 5-0

Alycia Wright and Jessica Spang each have two goals and an assist, and Bailey Griglio adds a goal in a 5-0 win for MSUB’s women’s soccer team Saturday.

BILLINGS, Mont. – Alycia Wright and Jessica Spang each had two goals and an assist, and Bailey Griglio added a goal as the Montana State University Billings women’s soccer team shut out Northwest College 5-0 in its final preseason exhibition match Saturday afternoon at Yellowjacket Field.

MSUB held control of the match from the start, firing 32 shots and 12 on target, while allowing just three shots to the visiting team. Twelve different players had shots for the ‘Jackets, and four tied for the team lead with five. Freshman Mackenzie Breeden matched Wright with three shots on target, while Wright and Grilglio had a pair on frame apiece.

“This was definitely a good performance by the team, and I think we possessed the ball really well,” said MSUB head coach Wojtek Krakowiak. “To have a shutout and that many shots on goal, I am very proud of the team today.”

Katelynn Kerkvliet and Lili Delgadillo combined for the shutout in goal, each making a big save and keeping the ball out of MSUB’s net.

The tone for the match was set in the opening two minutes, when Kalin Sandow rattled a shot from 28 yards off of the crossbar.

Wright scored MSUB’s first goal in the sixth minute of action, collecting a through ball from Spang and calmly tucking it into the corner of the net from five yards away. The sophomore added another goal early on in the opening half, winning a loose ball in the box and finishing inside of the far post from the right side. “Alycia and Jessica are building a really nice partnership, and they are reading each other very well,” Krakowiak commented on the Yellowjackets’ top-two scorers from a season ago. “Getting goals from attacking players is important, and for them to score and assist builds up their confidence.”

Wright and Spang connected again midway through the first, with the latter on the scoring end this time. Wright delivered a cross to Spang on the right side of the box, and the junior made it 3-0 with a strong finish into the net.

Delgadillo helped the ‘Jackets hang onto the clean sheet early on in the second half, diving to her right to deny a close-range shot by NWC’s Holly Burley. Freshman Courteney Shovlin was a key factor for the full 90 minutes, holding tough on defense for the entire match.

Freshman Courteney Shovlin played 90 minutes defensively in the shutout for the ‘Jackets Saturday.

Spang’s second goal came midway through the second half, as she cleared herself of a defender and worked into the box. Freshman Erin Reynolds delivered a cross from the right corner, and Spang once again beat the keeper with her finish.

The scoring wrapped up in the 68th minute, when Delgadillo delivered a full-field pass to Griglio out of her goal box.

Griglio took a touch into the box, and beat the keeper for an open-net finish to put the match out of reach at 5-0.

Breeden was an effective facilitator in the midfield throughout the match, playing a full 90 minutes for the ‘Jackets.

Fellow freshman Amanda Hemmen played 67 minutes along MSUB’s back line, and Rachel Lythgoe contributed 70 solid minutes defensively off of the bench.

Alexa Iacolucci tied for the team lead with five shots, and Jordan Devoto had a pair of shots in 75 strong minutes in the offensive third.

“We had three good exhibition matches, and I think we are ready for Thursday,” said Krakowiak on opening the regular season in Colorado on Sept. 1. “We had a lot of players contribute throughout our three preseason games, and a lot of our younger players did really well. I think we are really deep this year with our subs, and that is always a good thing.”

THE BUZZ: Wright was picked as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…MSUB out-scored its opponents 8-1 in three preseason exhibition matches…MSUB had 10 corner kicks while allowing just one in the match.

NEXT UP: The ‘Jackets open their regular season with a pair of matches next week in Colorado. On Thursday, MSUB will square off at Colorado Christian University at 3 p.m., before challenging Western State Colorado on Saturday in an 11 a.m. kickoff. The team’s first regular-season home match is on Sept. 8 against San Francisco State University.