FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Tuesday, October 25, 2016 MSUB women close 2016 season, host No. 1 WWU on Senior Day Saturday
With its final two games of the 2016 season at home this week, MSUB’s women’s soccer team hosts Simon Fraser on Thursday and No. 1 Western Washington on Saturday. BILLINGS, Mont. – With two games left on the 2016 schedule, the Montana State University Billings women’s soccer team will conclude its season this week at Yellowjacket Field. The Yellowjackets (3-9-3, 3-5-2 Great Northwest Athletic Conference) will host Simon Fraser University on Thursday at 2 p.m., before welcoming No. 1 Western Washington University on Saturday in a 1 p.m. kickoff. Both matches will feature live video and live statistics, available through MSUB’s Stretch Internet portal here. Coming off of a loss and a draw last week, the ‘Jackets are currently in sixth place in the GNAC standings with 11 points. With four teams sitting at 18 points or more, the Yellowjackets are not in contention for a berth into the GNAC Championships.
MSUB responded to a 1-0 loss at Saint Martin’s University last Thursday by drawing Seattle Pacific University 3-3 in double overtime on Saturday. The ‘Jackets have won one of their last seven matches, a 2-1, come-from-behind road win over Simon Fraser in overtime on Oct. 8. “I am really excited for all three of our seniors,” said MSUB head coach Wojtek Krakowiak. “Our win over Simon Fraser last time gave us a lot of confidence, and if we can come out with as much character and discipline on Thursday as we had the first time, then we have a chance to come out with a win.” SENIOR SENDOFF: Prior to Saturday’s match against the Vikings, MSUB’s three graduating seniors will be honored in a ceremony at the field. Dana Lubieniecki, Kari Kastelic, and Hayley Warren will each finish their careers with the team’s final two matches this week. “It’s going to mean a lot to have my parents at the game on Saturday, and they’re the reason I got into soccer in the first place,” said Lubieniecki, the lone four-year senior on the team. “It will be weird seeing them at my last game ever, but it will be awesome.”
In her final season with the ‘Jackets, senior Dana Lubieniecki leads the team with five goals.
BALANCED SCORING CONTINUES: Three different players scored MSUB’s three goals in the match against the Falcons, and two more had assists. Jordan Devoto logged her third goal of the season, while Kylee Wolfe and Alycia Wright each scored for the second time.
WARREN MAKES AN IMPACT: Playing 63 strong minutes against the Falcons, Warren was the key to MSUB’s offensive output and she picked up her first assist of the season on Wright’s goal. Warren enters the final weekend of the year tied for third on the team with a pair of goals. GRIGLIO GETS ON THE SCORE SHEET: Overcoming an injury early in the season, sophomore Bailey Griglio earned her first assist of the year as she played the cross to Devoto. Griglio made her first start of the season against SPU, after scoring three goals in her freshman campaign in 2015. FINDING THEIR RHYTHM: Freshmen Claire Tevaseu and Alexa Iacolucci played some of their best soccer of the season, combining well in the midfield for the Yellowjackets in the match against SPU. Tevaseu has started 14 games as a holding midfielder, while Iacolucci has eight starts and has played in all 15 matches with one assist in her first year with the ‘Jackets. CENTER BACKS DON’T MISS A MINUTE: Senior Kari Kastelic and freshman Amanda Hemmen have played every minute of the season as the Yellowjackets’ center backs, leading all players on the team with 1,418 minutes in 15 matches. Both players have been integral in keeping MSUB in matches, and have helped in developing the team’s offensive movement as well. DELGADILLO AMONG GNAC LEADERS: Making seven saves against the Falcons, sophomore goalkeeper Lili Delgadillo upped her season total to 77 in 15 games. She currently ranks third in the GNAC, and is averaging 5.13 saves per match.
Her 110-minute performance on Saturday was her third of the season, and the seven saves tied for her fourth-best mark of the year. COMEBACKS, CLOSE CALLS: Saturday’s game against SPU marked the third time this season that the ‘Jackets have faced a 1-0 deficit and come back to earn at least a draw. MSUB’s 2-1 comeback wins at both Northwest Nazarene and Simon Fraser were the other two matches in which the team overcame an early deficit. Two-thirds of MSUB’s games this season have been decided by one goal or ended in a tie, with the team holding a 2-5-3 record in such matches. Thursday, October 27 – Simon Fraser University Clan – 2 PM Yellowjacket Field | Billings, MT 2016 Record: 8-5-1, 6-4-0 GNAC Head Coach: Annie Hamel, 4th Season 2015 Record: 7-6-2, 5-6-1 GNAC After narrowly missing out on the GNAC Championships last season, Simon Fraser can clinch a berth in the postseason tournament with a win this week. The Clan are coming off of back-to-back 1-0 wins, defeating Concordia at home last Thursday and Western Oregon University on the road last Saturday. The team has won three of its last four since a 2-1 home loss to the Yellowjackets on Oct. 8 in Burnaby, B.C. SFU will play at Northwest Nazarene on Saturday after its game at MSUB on Thursday. Emma Pringle leads the team and is tied for the top spot in the GNAC with nine goals this season. She has started all 14 matches for the Clan, and has added one assist for 19 total points. Christina Dickson has been another key offensive player, with three goals scored and three assists for nine points. The strong scoring led by those two players has helped SFU out-score opponents 22-12 on the year, and the defense has done its part with the third-fewest goals allowed in the GNAC. Veteran goalkeeper Priya Sandhu has started all 14 matches and has the third-best goals-against average in the league at 0.85. She has totaled 50 saves and has earned eight shutouts in 1,277 minutes. Defensively, Teagan Sorokan, Samantha Donald, and Allyson Dickson have also started all 14 games and have each logged more than 1,100 minutes on the field. The Series: MSUB is 10-4 all-time against the Clan after its victory earlier in the month on the road. Last Time Out: The ‘Jackets didn’t give up after falling behind in the 10th minute, as Lubieniecki evened the score on a penalty kick and Wolfe pushed home the golden goal in the first overtime period. Pringle scored the Clan’s only goal of the game.
Saturday, October 29 – No. 1 Western Washington University Vikings – 1 PM Yellowjacket Field | Billings, MT | SENIOR DAY 2016 Season: 15-0-1, 10-0-0 GNAC Head Coach: Travis Connell, 14th Season 2015 Season: 21-2-1, 11-0-1 GNAC Two wins away from a perfect season in the GNAC, the Vikings have already clinched the regular-season conference title and have been ranked No. 1 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America top-25 poll for the last three weeks. After drawing Sonoma State 0-0 in their first game of the year, the Vikings have won 15 straight games and out-scored opponents 42-5 during that period. The Vikings defeated Central Washington 4-1 on Saturday, after cruising past Seattle Pacific 4-0 last Thursday. WWU has surrendered just one goal in its last six matches. Seniors Caitlyn Jobanek and Elise Aylward are tied for the team lead with seven goals apiece, and 17 of the 18 players who have played at least 100 minutes on the season have scored at least once. In goal, Ashley Homer ranks No. 2 in the NCAA with a goals-against average of 0.26 and has needed to make just 22 saves while earning 10 shutouts on the year. The Viking defense surrenders just 6.8 shots per game on average. Emily Webster, the reigning GNAC Defensive Player of the Week, and Annaliese Laurila have each started all 16 matches on the back line. The Series: The Vikings are 18-3-2 all-time against MSUB and have won the last 10 meetings between the teams. Last Time Out: WWU received goals from Sierra Shugarts, Jordyn Bartelson, and Becca Cates in a 3-0 win over MSUB on Oct. 6 in Bellingham, Wash.