FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Sunday, September 18, 2016 ‘Jackets stumble in 3-1 loss to College of Idaho Sunday
Hayley Warren scores her first career goal, but MSUB falls at home 3-1 against the College of Idaho in its final nonconference match of the year. BILLINGS, Mont. – Senior Hayley Warren scored her first career goal on a penalty kick, but not before the Montana State University Billings women’s soccer team surrendered three goals in a 3-1 non-conference loss to the College of Idaho on Sunday at Yellowjacket Field. Emma Powley scored the first goal for the Coyotes, and contributed an assist on the third to lead the team offensively. Bailey Watson and Reilly Coyle also found the net for COI, which improved to 4-2 with the win. Warren’s goal came in the 64th minute, but MSUB was trailing 3-0 and couldn’t build on the comeback effort. The ‘Jackets fell to 0-4-1 with the loss. “We didn’t play our best game today, and we needed to be a lot more aggressive,” said MSUB head coach Wojtek Krakowiak. “We need to focus on Thursday’s game now and try to get a win.” Alexa Iacolucci had the first three shots of the game for the ‘Jackets, the most promising of which came on a free-kick attempt 15 minutes into the match. The freshman fired a left-footed shot on target from 30 yards away, but COI’s Brittany Houghton held onto it for her first save of the match.
The Coyotes’ first goal of the match developed in the 23rd minute, when Katelyn Benavidez carried a long through ball down into the left corner. Powley recognized an opening towards the top of the box, and streaked onto her teammate’s cross before finishing a shot into the lower-right corner of the goal from 15 yards away. It was the first of just three shots in the opening 45 minutes for COI, but the visiting team managed to score on two of those attempts. MSUB fell into a 2-0 hole just before halftime, as the Coyotes connected well in the middle of the field and fed a ball forward to Allie Boyd. Setting up Watson with a cross from the left side, Boyd watched as the latter tucked a high shot just over the head of MSUB goalkeeper Lili Delgadillo and under the crossbar from 23 yards away. Despite out-shooting COI 11-3 in the opening half, MSUB trailed by a pair of goals at the break. The Coyotes scored within the opening 10 minutes of the second half, putting the game out of reach in the 54th minute. After winning a free kick in the left corner of the field, the Coyotes set up for a corner on the other side when MSUB’s back line cleared the ball over the end line. Powley got her foot on the cross, and Coyle quickly re-directed a shot inside of the right goal post.
Alexa Iacolucci led all players with seven shots, and placed three on target in MSUB’s loss on Sunday.
Playing in her first game of the season, Warren created one of MSUB’s best chances 10 minutes later when she ran onto a ball inside the goal box. She was tackled from behind to earn the penalty kick, and calmly tucked it just past Houghton and inside the lower-right corner of the net.
The ’Jackets kept on the offensive to close out the game, and took nine shots in the second half to push their total to 20. Though COI took just eight shots in the match, four were on frame and three found the back of the net. Iacolucci led all players with seven shots, and placed three of them on target. Jessica Spang and Warren also had multiple shots on frame, with two apiece. Delgadillo finished the match with one save, a leaping deflection over the crossbar late in the match to prevent a fourth goal. The Coyotes kept pressure on MSUB, winning five corner kicks in the match while only conceding a pair. Houghton earned her fourth win of the season in goal, making eight big saves and getting a hand on Warren’s penalty shot before it rolled into the goal. THE BUZZ: Warren was selected as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…MSUB’s back line of Kalin Sandow, Courteney Shovlin, Kari Kastelic, and Amanda Hemmen all played 90 minutes in the match…Alycia Wright had three shots and one on target in 59 minutes off the bench…this was the first-ever meeting between the Yellowjackets and Coyotes.
COMING UP: MSUB kicks off Great Northwest Athletic Conference Play this week, hosting Western Oregon University and Concordia University. Thursday’s game against the Wolves is set to kick off at 2 p.m., while Saturday’s matchup against the Cavaliers will start at noon. --@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--