FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Tuesday, September 6, 2016 Preview: MSUB women’s soccer set for home opener this weekend
MSUB’s women’s soccer team returns home to host its first two regular-season matches of the 2016 season on Thursday and Saturday. BILLINGS, Mont. – Yellowjacket Field will be full of action from Thursday through Sunday, as both Montana State University Billings soccer teams host four-team events in their 2016 regular-season home openers. The Yellowjacket women (0-2) will take on San Francisco State University on Thursday at 5 p.m., before challenging the University of Mary on Saturday in a 3 p.m. kickoff. MSUB’s most recent opponent, Western State Colorado, will also be in Billings this weekend and will play MSUB’s two opponents as well. Women’s Soccer Weekend Schedule Thursday, Sept. 8 – 2 PM: Western State Colorado vs. University of Mary. 5 PM: San Francisco State vs. MSU Billings. Saturday, Sept. 10 – 12 PM: San Francisco State vs. Western State Colorado. 3 PM: University of Mary vs. MSU Billings.
Live video and live statistics will be available for all four matches at Yellowjacket Field, through MSUB’s Stretch Internet portal here. “We are excited to be back home, and I think we are improving each game,” said Yellowjacket head coach Wojtek Krakowiak. “We played these teams last year so we know what they are going to bring, and these are our first games at home so the team is excited.” The Yellowjackets are coming off a pair of losses to start their season, falling 2-1 at Colorado Christian last Thursday and losing 1-0 in a tough overtime battle at Western State Colorado on Saturday. HOMETOWN GOAL FOR LUBIENIECKI: Playing in her hometown of Lakewood, Colo., for the first time in her collegiate career, senior captain Dana Lubieniecki made the most of the appearance and scored MSUB’s only goal of the road trip. The finish in front of goal was the fourth of her career in 52 matches played and 44 starts. “It was really exciting being home, and it was definitely a fun experience getting to play on some familiar turf,” Lubieniecki commented. “It was very exciting to get a goal, and I had a lot of family and friends there.”
Freshman Kalin Sandow played every minute of the Yellowjackets’ first two matches of the season on the defensive unit.
DELGADILLO KEEPS ‘JACKETS IN THE GAME: Sophomore goalkeeper Lili Delgadillo had a busy weekend, facing 26 total shots in the two matches that were decided by a single goal each. She put forth her best effort in both matches, making five saves against CCU and following up with a career-best eight stops against WSCU. “A lot of it is communicating with our team and defense, and our back line is holding really strong so far,” Delgadillo said. “The past two games have been some tests for us, but I think our defense has held
together really well.” FRESHMEN FITTING IN: Being called upon to step into action right away, several of the Yellowjackets’ true freshmen have seen extended minutes already this season. Helping to anchor the back line are newcomers Kalin Sandow, Amanda Hemmen, and Courteney Shovlin, while senior captain Kari Kastelic has continued her string of playing every minute since she joined the program in 2014. Hemmen and Sandow have played all 183 minutes so far this season, while Shovlin is close behind at 163 minutes in a pair of starts. On the offensive side, freshman Alexa Iacolucci has had a strong presence in her two starts as a midfielder. She tied for the team high with six shots last week – four of which were on target – and took all five of the corner kicks that the ‘Jackets won.
Visiting Team Scouting Reports San Francisco State University Gators Conference: California Collegiate Athletic Association 2016 Record: 0-1-1 Head Coach: Tracy Hamm, 2nd season 2015 Record: 8-7-3, 4-5-3 CCAA The Gators are still in search of their first victory of the season, after losing 2-1 to Central Washington and drawing Dominican University 2-2 in a pair of matches last weekend. Junior midfielder Sierra Sagasta supplied all of the offense for SFSU against Dominican, scoring a pair of goals to kick off her career with the Gators. Sarah Guensler scored the other goal for the team this season in the loss to the Wildcats. The Gators will rely on a veteran core defensively this year, led by senior Paige Yeider and junior Laura Shea. The two upperclassmen have played every minute on the back line so far, in front of sophomore goalie Arianna Wesley. Wesley has made eight saves on 24 shots faced, in her first season as a starter for SFSU. The Series: SFSU has won all three prior meetings against the Yellowjackets. Last Time Out: The Gators used a pair of goals late in the first half to hold on for a 2-1 win on Sept. 10, 2015 in San Francisco. Alycia Wright scored the lone goal for MSUB, using an assist by Jessica Spang. University of Mary Marauders Conference: Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference 2016 Record: 0-0 Head Coach: Sarah Cook, 5th season 2015 Record: 3-12-2, 3-11-1 NSIC The Marauders will make their 2016 debut on Thursday against Western State, coming off of a 3-12-2 record in 2015. While the team lost its top scorer from a season ago, Mykala Benjamin, senior Megan Searson returns after finding the net five times and adding three assists for a team-best 13 points. Defensively, Elizabeth Patterson and Caitlin Dooley are the top returners experience-wise, each playing north of 1,400 minutes last year. Senior Michelle McGeary is also a key returner, after starting 16 matches and recording a team-best five assists in 1,350 minutes in 2015. Elizabeth Heintzman is the lone returning goalkeeper with experience, as Mary said goodbye to 2015 starter Bailey Wenz. Junior Hannah Smith and redshirt freshman Karleen Pappert will also figure into the conversation for minutes between the posts. The Series: Having played each other 22 total times, the series between MSUB and UM is even at 10-10-2. Last Time Out: The teams battled to a scoreless, double-overtime draw in Bismarck, N.D., on Sept. 5, 2015. Delgadillo made three saves in the match, and earned her first collegiate shutout.
Western State Colorado University Mountaineers Conference: Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference 2016 Record: 1-0-1 Head Coach: Amy Bell, 1st season 2015 Record: 7-7-4, 4-5-2 RMAC After defeating the Yellowjackets 1-0 in overtime on Saturday, the Mountaineers will take on Mary and SF State this weekend at Yellowjacket Field. The win over the ‘Jackets came after a scoreless double-overtime draw against Eastern New Mexico University on Sept. 1. Jessica Kresl scored the game-winner for WSCU, and goalkeeper Katie Simpson-Johnson has totaled 21 saves to earn shutouts in each of her first two matches of the year. Jennifer Kahle, who punched home five goals and added an assist in 15 matches primarily off the bench last year, returns as the top scorer for the squad. Senior Izzy Engeman is the top defender returning to the team, as she started 16 matches last year and contributed heavily to the team’s eight shutouts. Ingrid Alvarez is another offensive player who has potential, as she played in all 18 matches last year and scored a pair of goals with a team third-best 30 shots. The Series: The meeting in Gunnison, Colo., on Saturday was the first between the programs historically. --@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--