Lady Jackets host CO Mines on Futbol Frenzy Day (9/22/05)

BILLINGS, MT – The Montana State-Billings women’s soccer team will try to bounce back from a shutout at Carroll College last Sunday when they host Colorado School of Mines on Saturday.  The game is part of the third annual Futbol Frenzy.  Kick off is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at the MSU Billings College of Technology.  A barbeque will be available before the game until halftime.  It costs $3 for the general public and is free to all MSU Billings students who have a current ID.

The Yellowjackets lost 3-0 at Carroll on Sunday, snapping a six-game unbeaten streak.  MSU Billings is now 5-2-1 overall.  The game against the Saints was scoreless through the first 54 minutes.  That scoreless time gave goalkeeper Megan Plank (Jr., Phoenix, AZ) the school record for consecutive scoreless minutes at 414.  But the three second half goals by the Saints were the most allowed by the Yellowjackets in any game this season.  MSU Billings had given up just four goals combined in the previous seven games.  Even with the three Saints’ goals, the Jackets’ season goals against average is still below 1.00.

Offensively the Yellowjackets were shutout for the first time this season at Carroll.  Entering the game they had outscored their opponents by a combined 16-4.  Most of the Jackets’ scoring this season has come from midfielders Ally Stroup (Jr., Ojai, CA) and Brittney Sandau (So., Billings, MT).  Stroup has five goals on the season and Sandau has four. 

Colorado School of Mines is playing women’s soccer for the first time in 2005 after adding the program this summer.  However, the Orediggers don’t have the record of a first year program.  They will enter the NCAA Midwest Region game against the Yellowjackets with a 5-2-0 overall mark and a three game winning streak.  The Diggers have outscored their opponents by a combined score of 18-9 with seven different players netting two goals each.  Goalkeeper Marissa Burson has a solid 1.21 goals against average and three shutouts.

Following Saturday’s game against Colorado Mines, the Yellowjackets will be idle until October 2 when they play at University of Mary in Bismarck.  They return home October 6 to host Dallas Baptist University.