MSUB Women's Soccer Preview 9/9/2015

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Wednesday, September 9, 2015 ‘Jackets headed to the City by the Bay for 2 west region games

The MSUB women’s soccer team travels to northern California to face San Francisco State University and the Academy of Art in a pair of west region matchups this weekend.

BILLINGS, Mont. – Heading west for a pair of NCAA Division II west region matches, the Montana State University Billings women’s soccer team will take on San Francisco State University and the Academy of Art this weekend in San Francisco.

“We are definitely excited about the trip, and it has been a long time since we have been to California,” said MSUB head coach Wojtek Krakowiak. “Playing different opponents from different conferences and playing on the road will test us as a team. Hopefully by playing these nonconference games, it will help get us ready to face Northwest Nazarene in our GNAC home opener next week.”

The Yellowjackets (1-0-1) will challenge the Gators on Thursday with a 3 p.m. Mountain time kickoff at Cox Stadium on the SFSU campus. MSUB will then jump over to Boxer Stadium at the Academy of Art on Saturday, for a 1 p.m. Mountain time kickoff against the Urban Knights. Both games will feature live statistics, available via www.msubsports.com.

The Yellowjackets began their 2015 regular season last week with a 3-2 overtime victory over Carroll College at home, and a scoreless, double-overtime draw against the University of Mary on the road.

“We are definitely happy with the win against Carroll, and against Mary it was a very physical, competitive game,” commented Krakowiak. “Our defense played extremely well to limit them and not allow very many clear scoring opportunities.”

HARDWARE FOR SPANG: Sophomore forward Jessica Spang was a catalyst for MSUB in the victory, scoring her first goal of the season to give the ‘Jackets a 2-1 lead just four minutes into the second half. The Skyview High School graduate then contributed to the game-winner scored by Alycia Wright in the 100th minute, as she notched an assist after heading the ball back to the freshman inside the box.

The high offensive output earned Spang Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Week honors, the second time in her career she has received the award.

“Jessica’s work ethic is unbelievable,” said Krakowiak. “She plays with so much heart and passion, and as a coach you want players like that because you know what you can expect from them. She takes a lot of responsibility on her shoulders, getting an assist and a goal against Carroll.”

Sophomore Jessica Spang.

VETS, FROSH FITTING TOGETHER ON D: Picking up where it left off a season ago, MSUB’s defensive unit was in top form as it picked up its first shutout of the season in the draw against the Marauders.

In 2014, the ‘Jackets recorded eight shutouts while allowing just 12 goals.

Mixing in with returners and team captains Katlyn Lokay and Kari Kastelic on the defensive unit have been freshmen Sarah Coghlan and Kienna Ogden. Coghlan, a Billings Senior High School graduate, has played all 210 minutes as an outside back for the ‘Jackets as she has had an impact right away.

“We fought hard, and all of the hard work we have been putting in during preseason came together,” said Coghlan on her team’s first two games of the season. “If we play this weekend the way we played against Mary and we put it all together, we are going to come out strong. They are both going to be good matches and good fights, but as long as we keep doing what we are doing and getting better we are going to pull out with wins.”

Kastelic and Lokay have each also played every minute so far, anchoring the ‘Jackets as experienced central defenders from last season’s team.

Freshman goalkeeper Lili Delgadillo earned her first career shutout, playing all 110 minutes and making three saves on Saturday. Chloe Hopps, another freshman goalkeeper, made her debut in the game against Carroll and recorded her first collegiate save and victory in the 100-minute effort.

HOWDY HOWARD: After tearing her ACL eight games into the 2014 season, senior midfielder Elizabeth Howard is back this fall for the ‘Jackets and has played every minute of the young season. Playing an invaluable role as MSUB’s set piece specialist, Howard earned her first assist of the season as her service into the box led to Spang’s goal against Carroll.

DO THE WRIGHT THING: A freshman from Arvada, Colo., Wright wasted no time getting on the score sheet in her collegiate debut. Coming on as a substitute, Wright slotted home a game-winning, golden goal on her very first shot as a Yellowjacket to end the game against the Saints with just 23 seconds to go before the overtime intermission. Wright also played 26 minutes as a reserve against Mary, and both of the shots she has taken so far have been on frame.

MIDS LOOKING TO SCORE: Leading the team in shots so far this season is junior midfielder Brittney Greenback, who has placed two of her five attempts towards goal on target. A third shot, while not counting as an official ‘shot on goal’, rattled the crossbar from 25 yards out as she narrowly missed giving the ‘Jackets a 3-1 lead in the second half against Carroll with a strong left-footed strike.

Following Greenback’s lead, freshman midfielder Bailey Griglio has taken three shots towards goal so far, and has played 101 minutes in MSUB’s midfield in her first season.

Junior Dana Lubieniecki and senior Ashely Marra have also contributed quality minutes for the ‘Jackets in the midfield, with the former notching 192 and the latter 127 while each starting both games.

Thursday, September 10 – San Francisco State University Gators – 3 p.m. MTN 2015 Record: 0-2 Head Coach: Tracy Hamm, 1st season 2014 Record: 7-9-2, 2-8-1 California Collegiate Athletic Association The Gators opened their 2015 season against a pair of foes familiar to the ‘Jackets, falling on the road to Central Washington University and Northwest Nazarene University last week.

Freshman midfielder Bailey Griglio (2) challenging a UM attacker on Saturday.

In the 2-1 loss to the Wildcats, sophomore defender Laura Shea scored her first goal of the season in the 10th minute. Last year, Shea played in 17 of SFSU’s 18 matches, and was an all-CCAA defender.

Against Northwest Nazarene, the Gators could not find the net despite totaling 30 shots and placing 11 of them on target in Nampa, Idaho in the 2-0 defeat.

Although it lost its top goal scorer from a season ago in Elizet Ceja, SFSU returns Autumn Fox who contributed four goals and a pair of assists as a sophomore in 2014. Junior midfielder Brittany Oldham also returns as an offensive weapon, scoring twice and adding an assist last season.

The Gators will need to find a replacement for 2014 goalkeeper Allison Land, who started all 18 matches and played every minute between the posts while notching a goals-against average of 0.95. So far, senior Karin Nordin has filled that role as she played all 180 minutes last weekend in the Gators’ debut matches.

Rookie head coach Tracy Hamm is in her first season in charge of the program, taking over for long-time SFSU coaching veteran Jack Hyde who had been the only head coach in the 32-year history of the Gators’ program.

The Series: The Yellowjackets and Gators have not played one another since 2003, with SFSU earning a 1-0 victory in the last meeting. Overall, the Gators have won both of the matches in the series history.

SFSU Preview

Saturday, September 12 – Academy of Art University – 1 p.m. MTN 2015 Record: 1-2 Head Coach: Katie Awerkamp, 2nd season 2014 Record: 3-14-1, 3-9-0 PacWest Conference Taking on three CCAA teams to begin its 2015 season, including No. 20 Cal Poly Pomona, Academy of Art heads into Saturday’s match with a 1-2 overall record.

The Urban Knights fell on the road 3-0 to Cal State San Bernardino on Sept. 3, before losing a tight match 1-0 against the Broncos on Sept. 5. Making its home debut on Sept. 8, AAU downed Cal State Monterey Bay 3-1 as three different players found the net.

Rea Laudat assisted Natalie Rhodes on AAU’s first goal just before halftime, before scoring a goal of her own in the 64th minute. Laney Haviland sealed the victory with a goal in the 83rd minute on an assist from Kendall Bozart.

Laudat is AAU’s top returner offensively, as she found the net six times and had an assist as a junior a season ago. She is the lone returner who scored multiple goals last year, as the Knights will look to improve upon their goal differential of minus-31 (12 goals scored, 43 allowed) in 2014.

AAU will also need to replace Rachael Rempe in goal, as she started 17 of 18 matches last year. So far, Morgan Wirz and Maggie Alikpala-Wilson have split time in the net evenly with 135 minutes apiece, and the former has started all three games.

The Series: Saturday’s encounter will be the first-ever between MSUB and AAU. AAU Preview

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