2016 MSUB women’s soccer schedule features full GNAC slate, strong preseason competition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Wednesday, June 1, 2016 2016 MSUB women’s soccer schedule features full GNAC slate, strong preseason competition

MSUB’s women’s soccer team is set for a full 17-game regular-season schedule in the fall, as the Yellowjackets will strive to finish in the top-4 in the GNAC and return to the conference tournament for a fourth time.

BILLINGS, Mont. – The season has ended at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Women’s Soccer Championships in three of the last four years for Montana State University Billings, and the Yellowjackets will be in pursuit of another tournament berth with a full schedule in the fall of 2016 announced Wednesday.

MSUB will play a dozen GNAC contests preceded by five games against nonconference opponents to open the fall.

“We are definitely excited about the upcoming season, and we will be opening with a couple of competitive games in Colorado,” commented head coach Wojtek Krakowiak, who will be entering his sixth season at the head of the program in the fall. “Our preseason games will help and challenge us as a team, and will get us ready for our tough GNAC schedule.”

The ‘Jackets start the year on the road, taking on Colorado Christian University on Sept. 1 in Lakewood, Colo., before a match at Western State Colorado University two days later in Gunnison, Colo. MSUB will then challenge two more NCAA

Division II opponents in San Francisco State University and the University of Mary in its home opener Sept. 8-10 at Yellowjacket Field.

The team’s final match before starting conference play will be at home against the College of Idaho on Sept. 18. “We always strive to play teams that will push us and test us as a team in different areas of the field,” Krakowiak commented on his team’s preseason schedule. “These five games will give us a chance to test our formations and tactics, and will be a time for our players to become a cohesive team.”

Half of MSUB’s 12 GNAC games will be at Yellowjacket Field, beginning with Western Oregon on Sept. 22 and Concordia on Sept. 24. The longest home stand of the year will run from Sept. 8 to Sept. 24, as the ‘Jackets will play five straight games in Billings.

The longest road trip of the season for the ‘Jackets covers 10 days, with four games from Sept. 29 to Oct. 8 against league opponents.

The team’s annual MSUB Kicks Cancer day is scheduled for Oct. 15 against Central Washington, and will be played as a doubleheader with the Yellowjacket men’s soccer team.

MSUB’s final home games of the year fall on Oct. 27 against Simon Fraser University, and on Oct. 29 – Senior Day – against Western Washington University.

Kari Kastelic will return as a senior captain in 2016 and will help anchor the Yellowjackets’ defense.

“Our players and coaching staff have great expectations for the 2016 season, and we are looking forward to getting back on the field,” Krakowiak said.

A trio of preseason exhibition matches are scheduled for the end of August in Billings, as the ‘Jackets will take on Rocky Mountain College on Aug. 20, Sheridan College on Aug. 23, and Northwest College on Aug. 27.

The 2016 GNAC Championships are scheduled for Nov. 3-5 at Terry Fox Field in Burnaby, British Columbia, and will be hosted by Simon Fraser for the second year in-a-row. MSUB finished the 2015 season in fourth place in the GNAC with an overall record of 8-7-2 and a mark of 6-5-1 in conference games.

Live video and statistics will be available for all MSUB home games and many road contests throughout the 2016 season, through MSUB’s Stretch Internet portal here.

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