FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Wednesday, November 9, 2016 Season review: Yellowjacket women looking forward to returning young talent
Carrying a roster with 11 freshmen and 18 underclassmen overall, MSUB’s women’s soccer team looks forward to a bright future after a 4-10-3 season in the fall of 2016. BILLINGS, Mont. – A squad packed with potential is reason for optimism as the Montana State University Billings women’s soccer team heads into the offseason, as the Yellowjackets wrapped up their 2016 fall slate with a record of 410-3 overall. MSUB finished with 14 points in the GNAC standings and wound up in sixth place, after completing its league schedule with a mark of 4-6-2. “It was awesome to see so many of our younger players step into huge roles from the get-go,” said interim head coach Stephen Cavallo. “Our team chemistry and the way the players interacted with each other bodes very well for the future of the program.” Signature performances for MSUB this fall included a pair of golden-goal victories, each coming against Simon Fraser University. The ‘Jackets stunned the Clan in come-from-behind fashion on the road on Oct. 8, receiving a golden goal
from Kylee Wolfe in the first overtime period and winning 2-1. MSUB repeated the feat at home on Oct. 27, as senior Hayley Warren found the net with a game winner in another 2-1 triumph. The ‘Jackets also picked up their lone shutout of the year at home against Concordia University, battling the Cavaliers to a 0-0, double-overtime draw against highly windy conditions on Sept. 24. “Those games showed that we had the skill to compete with the best teams in the GNAC,” said Cavallo. “We played with a lot of drive and focus, and we did a great job of not giving up. Those games showed that the talent is definitely here to move forward and build the program.” Leading the squad all season were senior captains Dana Lubieniecki and Kari Kastelic. Lubieniecki paced the team with five goals and added a pair of assists, putting together her best season to date and earning second-team allGNAC honors. The midfielder started all 17 games and ranked third on the team with 1,589 minutes played. Senior Dana Lubieniecki led the team with five goals scored in her senior season with MSUB.
Lubieniecki, the team’s lone four-year player, finished her career No. 20 in MSUB history in points with 20, and No. 12 in minutes played with 5,392.
Kastelic started all 17 matches and played every minute of the season, completing her three-year career with the ‘Jackets having never been subbed off and playing all 4,806 minutes. Kastelic led the team with three assists this fall, while anchoring the defensive unit as a center back. She earned second-team allGNAC honors for the second time in her career, and was an academic all-conference and all-district pick. “Kari and Dana did a remarkable job being approachable and welcoming to all players from the very start of the year,” Cavallo said. “They tried to drive the team forward even through hard games, and did their job on the field. They truly showed what being a leader in our program is about.” Adding to the senior leadership was Warren, who overcame an early-season injury and tied for second on the team with three goals scored. Finding the net in each of her first two games of the year, Warren played in 13 matches and started nine while tying for fourth on the team with 17 shots. “Hayley was the heart of the team this year, and she was our driving force,” said Cavallo. “She could have given up especially after her injury, but she put in a lot of hours with (athletic trainer) Patrick (Behre) to get as healthy as she could. She is an incredible teammate and someone who really looked out for the best interests of the team.” While the defensive unit possessed the veteran leadership of Kastelic, three freshmen started alongside the senior on the back line throughout the year. Putting together the best season of the newcomers was freshman center back Amanda Hemmen, who earned the honorable mention all-GNAC nod after playing every single minute. Next to Hemmen were outside backs Kalin Sandow and Courteney Shovlin, who each excelled in their first year with the ‘Jackets. Sandow started all 17 matches at right back, and recorded her first-career point on an assist to Warren. Sandow ate up 1,511 minutes and consistently paced the defensive unit on the outside. Shovlin matched her fellow freshman’s effort on the left side, starting 15 matches and playing in all 17 while racking up 1,321 minutes.
“Amanda is a player who is well beyond her years on the field, and there was not one moment when I thought she was a freshman,” Cavallo said. “Kalin is another player like Amanda who needed no time to adjust to the college game, and for Courteney to come in and start in the GNAC is also impressive.” Playing directly in front of the back line was freshman Claire Tevaseu, who held down the holding midfield spot in 16 starts in her first college season. Consistently one of the team’s top players on the ball, Tevaseu was instrumental for the ‘Jackets in the midfield. “Claire shows incredible composure, and brings a calmness to the game that is so often needed,” said Cavallo. “She never gets flustered on the ball, and the kind of person she is and positive attitude she brings to the team is really important.” In goal, sophomore Lili Delgadillo stepped into the starting role and played 1,589 minutes over 17 matches. She ranked third in the GNAC with 84 saves, held a goals-against average of 1.64, and recorded one shutout. Fellow sophomore Kaylee Praska fought through an injury and made her career debut in goal in the Yellowjackets’ final game of the year. “Lili was the vocal, positive leader of the defense, and had a good, loud presence in goal,” Cavallo said. “She made some unbelievable saves throughout the year, and she is another person who is always upbeat and always pushing her teammates. As the season went on, we saw growing confidence in her, and she became more focused.”
Freshman center back Amanda Hemmen earned honorable mention all-GNAC after playing every minute of the year.
On the attacking front, it was a combination of returning players who influenced the team in the finishing third of the field. Sophomore Jordan Devoto tied Warren with three goals, and added an assist for seven points in her second season. “Jordan embodies the definition of positivity over everything, and I’ve never seen her without a smile on her face,” said Cavallo. “She has worked really hard and the improvement and self-confidence she showed this year were remarkable.” Alycia Wright followed her six-goal performance from last year with two more finishes and her first-career assist this fall, and Bailey Griglio and Jessica Spang turned in one goal apiece. Wright and Griglio each fought through injuries to see playing time in 12 and 11 games, respectively, while Spang started all 17. “Jessica always brings a great work ethic and we know that she is going to give 110 percent every time,” Cavallo commented. “Alycia and Bailey had to fight through injuries this season, and neither was at full strength. Alycia still found a way to score when the ball was in her zone, and the first practice that Bailey returned she lifted the level of play immediately.” Joining the team as a junior transfer, Wolfe found the net twice and added an assist of her own in 15 games played. Also impacting the team in the offensive realm was freshman Alexa Iacolucci, who led the squad with 31 shots attempted and 16 placed on target. Filling in as holding midfielder, attacking mid, and forward, Iacolucci started eight games and played in all 17, and recorded one assist in her first college season. “Alexa is a very skilled player who has an incredible left foot, and she had some really good moments on the field,” Cavallo commented on the freshman. “She is a great player to have on the team, and I am excited about her potential.”
Mackenzie Breeden and Sarah Farris also earned time in the midfield as true freshmen, with Breeden playing 13 games and Farris seeing action in seven. Combining with freshmen Erin Reynolds, Rachel Lythgoe, and Kayce Moore, the ‘Jackets will have numerous returners next season who all saw the pitch. “This freshman class is going to be at the heart of our program moving forward,” said Cavallo. “They all have great attitudes, and the seniors relied on the freshmen just as much as the freshmen relied on the seniors. I am very excited about this group, and they have set the gold standard for how a freshman class should act and carry itself.” MSUB finished the year with 17 goals scored and 29 conceded, for an average of 1.00 goals per game. The ‘Jackets played five overtime games, and held a record of 2-1-3 in matches that extended beyond 90 minutes. The team went 25-2 at home, and 2-5-1 in road matches, and 11 of 17 games were decided by one goal or fewer.
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