Lady Yellowjackets Look to Gain Series Edge against Rocky (Sept. 18, 2003)

BILLINGS, MT – The MSU Billings women’s soccer team will try to start another upturn in what has been an up-and-down start to the 2003 season when the Lady Jackets make the short trip down Poly Drive to face cross-town rival Rocky Mountain College on Saturday.  The game, originally scheduled for a 3:00 p.m. start, has been moved to 4:00 p.m.

#12 Margot Merrill-Johnson

The Yellowjackets are 2-3-1 overall after dropping three games in Washington last weekend.  After not allowing a goal in their first three games of the season, MSUB was outscored a combined 12-0 by Central Washington, Seattle University and Seattle Pacific.  With the three-game skid added to the mix, this weekend’s rivalry game against Rocky takes on added importance.

“For us,” said head coach Don Trentham, “coming off a road trip 0-3 and not playing as well as we would have liked, we want to come out strong Saturday and put ourselves in a position to win.  Rocky probably isn’t as talented as Seattle or Seattle Pacific (who are regionally ranked Division II teams) but they will present a bigger challenge for us than the games in Seattle because they are an in-town rival and they’re a good team.”

After starting the all-time series against Rocky with four straight wins, the Yellowjackets have dropped the last four games to even the series at 4-4.  Included in that four-game losing streak are last season’s losses of 3-1 at home and 3-0 at Rocky.  The last time MSU Billings beat Rocky was October 24, 2000, when the Jackets won 1-0 at home.  MSUB shut-out the Bears both times that season, including a 4-0 win at Rocky.

“They were a better team than we were last year,” said Trentham.  “The thing with Rocky is they have some talented players with international experience, and I think they get motivated to play us.  Both games last year they came out fired up to win.  In their minds they’re the best college soccer team in Billings and they want to stay that way.  Our goal is to not only be the best college program in Billings, but the best in Montana.  That’s what the players want, so that makes Saturday a big game for us, too.”

Added to the rivalry last season was the Rimrock Cup that goes to the winner of the season series.  With their two wins, the Bears claimed the Cup in 2002.  To move the Cup from Fortin to Alterowitz this season, the Yellowjackets will need to either sweep the season series or win at least one of the two games and outscore Rocky overall.

“The main focus for us is playing a good defensive game and getting back to limiting our opponent’s opportunities,” said Trentham.  “We also need to take advantage of the opportunities we get.  That will be the key.  In our first couple games we were able to turn the chances we got into goals.  That didn’t happen in Seattle, but we’ll need to do that again Saturday.”

The Yellowjackets will be led by the defensive foursome of Heidi Robertson (Sr., Great Falls, MT), Mandy Reed (Sr., Denver, CO), Candy Cherry (Jr., Missoula, MT) and Margot Merrill-Johnson (Jr., Salt Lake City).  Merrill-Johnson also leads the team with three goals and six points.  Freshman Ally Taylor (Ojai, CA) has added speed and a scoring threat to the Yellowjackets’ front line, scoring two goals and two assists for six points.  Taylor leads the team with 18 total shots in six games, followed closely by Sara Otis (Sr., Vancouver, WA) with 16 shots.  Otis has been the tough-luck recipient of some great saves and near misses, putting ample pressure on opposing defenses without finding the net thus far.

Trentham has used a freshman tandem in goal, with Megan Plank (Phoenix, AZ) and Alyssa Wolfer (Longmont, CO) splitting time.  Plank has logged 334 minutes and made 21 saves against only two goals for a 0.54 goals-against average.  Wolfer has been in net 225 minutes and made a team-high 27 saves, allowing 10 goals. 

Rocky is led by Rachel Hegarty and Jeannie McGonagle with 13 points apiece.  Hegarty has six goals and one assist.  McGonagle has five goals and three assists.  Claire Crosbie has also scored five goals with two assists.

After Saturday’s game at Rocky, the Yellowjackets travel to California to face three more regionally ranked teams.  In a span of five days, MSUB will play at Chico State, Sonoma State and San Francisco State.  Those three teams are ranked 9^th, 8^th, and 4^th respectively in the Far West Region.