MSUB Women's Soccer Recap 9/5/2015

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Saturday, September 5, 2015 MSUB women’s soccer ties University of Mary 0-0 in double overtime

Each team places three shots on target but neither MSUB nor Mary find the back of the net in a scoreless draw Saturday in Bismarck, N.D. BISMARCK, N.D. – Playing into overtime for its second straight match to start the 2015 season, the Montana State University Billings women’s soccer team battled host University of Mary to a scoreless draw Saturday afternoon at the MDU Resources Community Bowl.

The Marauders (0-0-1) took six shots while MSUB had four, and both teams put the ball on target three times during the match. The Yellowjackets won seven corner kicks while allowing just two, and each team was whistled for being offside twice during the match.

With the draw, MSUB moves to 1-0-1 on the season, after picking up a dramatic, 3-2 overtime victory over Carroll College in the team’s season opener on Thursday at Yellowjacket Field.

“Mary is a good team and this was a good physical game for us,” said MSUB head coach Wojtek Krakowiak. “It was our first away game and we came out with the right attitude, but we just needed to put the ball away. A lot of credit goes to the girls for being physical, and there were moments where we definitely looked very dangerous.”

The ‘Jackets picked up an early corner kick, but Mary cleared out the cross from Elizabeth Howard in the third minute of the game.

Inside of 15 minutes to play in the first, Dana Lubieniecki helped create a chance by beating a defender on the left side and crossing the ball into the box. Howard got her foot on it, but her shot missed wide to the left.

MSUB goalkeeper Lili Delgadillo held onto a shot on the ensuing counter attack by UM, ensuring that the game remained scoreless as time wound down in the first. “Our four defenders and Lili in goal were very organized in the back,” Krakowiak said regarding his defensive unit. “Kari won tons of headers, her passing was good, and she made smart decisions. Katlyn was physical and stepped in front of a lot of balls. On the outside, Kiena and Sarah shut down their dangerous forwards pretty well.”

Creating a chance early on in the second, Howard drilled a long ball towards the goal box on a free kick. Mary goalkeeper Bailey Wenz came off of her line and got the first touch on it, before corralling the ball inside her box to prevent a shot from the ‘Jackets.

With 33 minutes remaining, MSUB earned a corner kick after a near miss on another free kick sent into the box by Howard. A header attempt carried just over the crossbar for the ‘Jackets on the corner service, and the game remained scoreless.

The Marauders played a quick corner kick with 18 minutes remaining, but the Yellowjackets’ back line was able to clear the ball and prevent a threat towards goal.

Delgadillo handled a high cross into the box without issue, grabbing the ball out of the air before it reached a Mary forward with 13 minutes to play.

Fresh into the game, Alycia Wright found herself with the ball with five minutes remaining. The freshman fired a shot towards goal just before her defender closed on her, but Wenz secured it for a save.

Showing off her speed, Sarah Coghlan ran down a UM attacker, stole the ball, and helped create a chance for the ‘Jackets in the offensive third. She curled in a cross after a throw-in, but Mary’s back line cleared the ball deep and out of danger.

As the clock struck one minute remaining, Delgadillo grabbed another cross that came through the box and held it to prevent another shot.

With just more than five minutes left in the second overtime period, Howard let loose a shot from 25 yards away. It took a leaping grab by Wenz to stop the ball from reaching the goal line, and the game remained scoreless.

The Marauders appeared to punch in the game-winning goal, but the ball was ruled out of bounds over the end line before it was pushed into the net and the Yellowjackets were awarded a goal kick with three minutes left.

Katlyn Lokay was picked as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game, as she helped anchor a defense that recorded its first shutout of the season.

“We are definitely excited to go to California next week, and these are two teams we haven’t played since I have been here,” Krakowiak commented on his team’s upcoming opponents. “We have had a good start to our season and we have to work on a couple of things. The girls are in good spirits and everybody is excited to play these California teams and go to San Francisco.”

NEXT UP: MSUB heads to California to face San Francisco State and the Academy of Art next week. The ‘Jackets will face the Gators on Sept. 10 at 3 p.m. Mountain time before challenging the Urban Knights at 1 p.m. Mountain on Sept. 12.

The two games will be MSUB’s final contests before kicking off Great Northwest Athletic Conference play the following weekend at home against Northwest Nazarene.

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