FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Thursday, June 8, 2017 Cavallo unveils 2017 MSUB women’s soccer schedule
Ready to take on a 17-game schedule in the fall season, MSUB’s women’s soccer team announces a full slate of games on tap in the 2017 season. BILLINGS, Mont. – Looking ahead to the 2017 fall season, the Montana State University Billings women’s soccer team announced its schedule for the upcoming year on Thursday. The Yellowjackets will play 17 regular-season matches, will host an early-season tournament, and will compete for a berth in the 2017 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships. “The fall campaign will be driven by a young team looking to make its true mark in the GNAC,” commented first-year head coach Stephen Cavallo. “Our season will begin with a road trip to Nebraska where we will get to play against opposition we have never faced before. I believe our non-conference games will help prepare us for an extremely competitive GNAC schedule.”
For the first time in program history, MSUB will head to Kearney, Neb., to challenge a pair of new opponents. Competing at the UNK Classic from Sept. 1-3, MSUB will challenge the University of Nebraska Kearney, as well as Drury University to kick off its season. The following week, the ‘Jackets will make their regular-season debut at Yellowjacket Field, hosting the Fourth Annual Rimrock Classic in conjunction with MSUB’s men’s soccer program. The ‘Jacket women will face Black Hills State University and Colorado Christian University on Sept. 8-10, and the University of Mary will also participate in the four-team affair. The Yellowjackets’ final non-conference opponent will be Carroll College, with an away match in Helena, Mont., scheduled for Sept. 14. The 12-game conference schedule for MSUB will begin with three straight games away from home covering Sept. 16-28. MSUB will then enjoy a sixgame home stand, as all of its league contests at Yellowjacket Field will occur in succession from Sept. 28-Oct. 14.
Jessica Spang will lead the Yellowjackets next fall as a senior on the squad.
During the long home stretch, MSUB Kicks Cancer Day is scheduled for Oct. 7, when the ‘Jackets face Saint Martin’s University at 3 p.m. MSUB will then celebrate its graduating players with Senior Day on Oct. 14 against Concordia University (Ore.).
Among its GNAC opponents, MSUB will face Northwest Nazarene University, Concordia, Saint Martin’s, and Western Oregon two times each, while playing Seattle Pacific University, Central Washington University, Simon Fraser University, and reigning NCAA Division II National Champion Western Washington University once each throughout the fall. “The focus for the team is to put in hard work over the summer so we can hit the ground running in August,” Cavallo said. “A strong start to the season is the ideal path towards conference play and postseason aspirations. The team’s goal is to earn a spot in the GNAC Championships.” The 2017 GNAC Women’s Soccer Championships are scheduled for Nov. 2-4 in Portland, Ore., and will be hosted by Concordia University. The top-four teams in the GNAC regular-season standings will earn a spot in the tournament, and the winner will earn the league’s automatic berth into the NCAA West Region Championships. The opening round of the NCAA tournament, which MSUB last appeared in after the 2010 season, is set for Nov. 9-11. Prior to its regular-season schedule, MSUB will play home exhibition matches against Northwest College (Aug. 19) and Sheridan College (Aug. 23), and will challenge cross-town rival Rocky Mountain College at Herb Klindt Field on Aug 26. All home contests and select road games this fall will feature live video and live statistics, available online through MSUB’s Stretch Internet portal here. Ticket prices for all home games are $5 for the general public, $3 for seniors (age 65 and up), students in grades 7-12, and MSUB faculty and staff, and free admission for all MSUB students and children in grades six and lower.
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