FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Saturday, September 19, 2015 ‘Jackets shut down Crusaders in 2-0 win in GNAC opener
Elizabeth Howard and Jessica Spang each score for the Yellowjackets, as MSUB picks up a solid 2-0 win over Northwest Nazarene in its 2015 GNAC opener Saturday. BILLINGS, Mont. – Scoring once in each half, the Montana State University Billings women’s soccer team used goals from Elizabeth Howard and Jessica Spang to defeat visiting Northwest Nazarene University 2-0 in the teams’ Great Northwest Athletic Conference opener Saturday afternoon at Yellowjacket Field. The ‘Jackets held a 1-0 lead at halftime after an early goal by Howard, and Spang ensured the victory with her third goal of the season in the 78th minute. The shutout victory was the second of the season for MSUB, which did not allow a shot to NNU in the first half and gave up just four on the game. Freshman Chloe Hopps earned her first career shutout, making three saves in the clean sheet effort. Center backs Kari Kastelic and Katlyn Lokay played all 90 minutes, and Sarah Coghlan, Kienna Ogden, and Lindsay Lucore all contributed as outside backs in the victory. “I am proud of the defense, and to hold their team to no shots in the first half is definitely challenging in GNAC,” commented MSUB head coach Wojtek Krakowiak. “It was good for Izzi hitting the long ball into the goal box on the
frame and getting it to go in. It was a good shot from 40 yards out, and that is not easy to do. She hit the ball with power and it went over keeper’s head. The first half was very strong for us.” MSUB improved to 3-1-1 on the season with the win and the ‘Jackets are now 1-0 in conference play. The Crusaders dropped to .500 with the loss at 3-3, and NNU began its conference season 0-1. With 15 minutes gone in the match, Howard scored her first goal of the season as her high ball into the box was misplayed by the NNU keeper and wound up in the back of the net. Spang took her first shot of the day midway through the first, but her left-footed strike curled high over the crossbar from the right side of the goal box. Brittney Greenback came close to doubling MSUB’s lead with 24 minutes to go in the first, but her hard shot from the top of the box carried just high over the goal. Lexi Fesenbek created a dangerous opportunity as she carried the ball into the box down the left side. Her pass across the box carried over the heads of Crusader attackers however, and MSUB dodged a bullet with 20 minutes to go. Senior captain Katlyn Lokay.
The ‘Jackets held strong for the rest of the first half, limiting NNU’s opportunities in the offensive third and utilizing the wind at their backs.
The Crusaders upped their tempo in the second half, utilizing a strong wind and producing several scoring opportunities. Ashley Cook-Cox, Hannah Holm and Rebekah Kelley each had shots on target, but Hopps was there to make the save on each attempt. NNU took five of its six corner kicks in the second half, but the Yellowjackets held strong defensively to prevent a true scoring threat. As time wound down, MSUB created its second goal as Spang intercepted the ball just outside the box. The sophomore carefully took three touches into the box around NNU defenders, and beat Crusader goalkeeper Daniele Ortiz with a powerful, low shot that curled inside the far post from the left side of the box. “Jessica has been playing very intelligent and smart,” Krakowiak said. “She outmuscled two defenders, which set her up perfectly in front of their goalie. She created that chance out of nothing; she read the pass, won it, beat two defenders, and then placed it into the corner.” MSUB out-shot NNU 16-4 in the match, and Ortiz had a pair of saves for the Crusaders. THE BUZZ: MSUB made history last time NNU visited, holding the Crusaders without a shot for the match, and the Yellowjackets again achieved the feat through the first 45 minutes on Saturday…Hopps earned St. Vincent Healthcare
Player of the Game honors for her first career shutout victory…the goal was the first of Howard’s career, after she missed all but eight matches in 2014 with a torn ACL. “This was a very important win for us getting a shutout and limiting NNU to only four shots,” said Krakowiak. “That says a lot about the team’s chemistry. The women know everything is going to be tough, and they have to show up and play each game. We have to earn the wins in the GNAC, and we are definitely very happy. We are looking forward to playing at home again Thursday.” AHEAD: MSUB remains at home next weekend with a pair of GNAC contests against Western Oregon University and Concordia University (Ore.). The Yellowjackets will host the Wolves on Sept. 24 at 4 p.m. before welcoming the Cavaliers two days later at noon. Both matches will be part of a doubleheader with the MSUB men’s soccer team, which hosts Western Washington University and Simon Fraser University on the same days. --@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--