2005 Women’s Soccer Wrap Up

BILLINGS, MT – To have the best season in school history is quite a feat for a collegiate athletic team.  It’s even more impressive to do it two years in a row as the Montana State University-Billings women’s soccer team did.  Coming off their first-ever winning season in 2004, the Lady Yellowjackets posted an 11-5-2 mark in 2005 and qualified for the Heartland Conference Championship Tournament.

“Coming here four years ago, one thing I wanted to do was stress to the players how to make this a respectable program in the region,” said head coach Don Trentham.  “I think we’ve done that over the past two years.  Last year we were top 10 in the West Region.  This year we were top 10 in the Midwest Region.  I don’t think we’re an opponent on anyone’s schedule that anyone takes lightly anymore.  We’ve built a very solid, reputable program here at MSU Billings.  We played consistently well all year long.  One of the things we talk about is now we’re a good team.  We’ve proven that over the past two years.  Now, do we want to be a good team or do we want to be a very good team?  That’s the transition we’ve got to make.  The players are working hard to make that happen.”

After graduating five seniors from the 2004 squad that went 12-4-3, a young Yellowjacket team stumbled out of the gates in 2005.  They dropped the season opener 2-1 on the road at Colorado State-Pueblo and followed with a 1-1 draw at Fort Lewis.  MSU Billings salvaged the three-game August trip to Colorado with a convincing 3-1 win at Mesa State. 

That win at Mesa State kick started a school-record five-game winning streak that put the Yellowjackets back on the map in the Midwest Region.  Three of the five wins during the streak were against regional teams, including a 1-0 shutout of St. Mary’s in the Jackets’ first Heartland Conference game.

“One thing that says a lot about this team was there wasn’t ever a time when we lost more than one game in a row,” said Trentham.  “When we lost we rebounded with a win.  That’s a credit to the players.  A lot of times when you lose you can feel sorry for yourself, or you can bounce back.  The players did a good job of bouncing back this year.”

One of those times the team bounced back was following a midseason loss to Carroll College on the road.  The Yellowjackets had started the season 5-1-1 and were ranked fifth in the Midwest Region.  The 3-0 defeat in Helena could have been tough to overcome, but the Yellowjackets rebounded with back-to-back overtime wins and another conference victory.

The three-game winning streak started at home with a 1-0 overtime win against Colorado School of Mines to close out September.  The Jackets followed with a 3-2 overtime victory on the road at University of Mary and a 5-1 blowout of conference foe Dallas Baptist. 

“The schedule this year was another good schedule,” said Trentham.  “I think the players are enjoying the Midwest Region.  For us, being in the Heartland Conference was a big bonus.  Our players have never been able to experience what it’s like to be in a conference.  It was exciting for them to have those games that have a little more meaning to them.  I think what we’re going to see now in this program—something this program has been missing—is rivalries are going to be established at the Division II level with being in a conference.  Also, schools closer to home like the schools in Colorado are now in the same region.”

The Lady Jackets struggled over the next two weeks, winning just one of their next four games.  They started the stretch by losing at home in double overtime to Rocky Mountain College.  That loss snapped the team’s school-record 16-game home winning streak.  MSU Billings closed the home schedule that same week with a 2-1 win over Carroll.

MSU Billings made its first trip to Texas the following week for a pair of Heartland Conference games and a regional non-conference game.  They opened the trip with a 1-0 loss to eventual conference champion Incarnate Word.  A 1-1 draw with St. Edward’s followed, along with a 1-0 win at Angelo State.

The Lady Jackets had a quick turnaround in Billings before flying back to Texas for the Heartland Conference Championship Tournament.  They avenged their earlier loss to Rocky Mountain with a 2-0 win on the Bears’ home field.  Janica Larsen’s shootout goal gave the Jackets the Rimrock Cup for the second consecutive year.

“Winning the Rimrock Cup—while the games don’t mean as much in terms of getting to the NCAA Tournament—certainly means a lot here in Billings,” said Trentham.  “That was good for the players.”

The Yellowjackets returned to Austin the following week for the Heartland Conference Tournament, only to be bounced in the first round by St. Mary’s.  The Rattlers represented the Yellowjackets’ first-ever Heartland Conference win back in early September as well as their season-ending loss at the conference tourney in November.

“I’ve very happy with an 11-5-2 season,” said Trentham.  “But at the same time I think we left the season with a little bit of a bitter taste in our mouths because we felt we could have won the Heartland Conference.  It’s been weird.  We did well, but you can tell the players are hungry.  That’s exciting as a coach that they’re still very motivated to be even better.  Over the past four years I’ve been blessed that we’ve had solid student-athletes who have been willing to work hard to get us there.  I’ve gone through the trials and tribulations of a first time head coach.  Overall I’m happy with the student-athletes, the coaching staff, and everybody who has been part of it.”

Despite the disappointment at the conference tournament, the Yellowjackets still posted their most successful season ever.  They set eight team single season school records: most shutouts (7), lowest goals against average (0.86), fewest goals allowed (16), most consecutive shutouts (4), most consecutive shutout minutes (416:24), most consecutive wins (5), longest home unbeaten streak (16), and longest home winning streak (15).  MSU Billings also achieved its highest-ever regional ranking by the NSCAA at eighth.

Said Trentham, “Last year we talked about having the first winning season.  Now I think that winning tradition that we want to have here is starting to take place.  There’s still a lot of work ahead, but it’s very successful to have two winning seasons in a row.  I credit the players.  It’s not easy to win 11 games in a season at the college level.  One thing people might not realize is that we were 6-2-2 in the region.  That’s a pretty good record in the region.  There was one point in the season when we were ranked as high as No. 5 in the region in the NCAA poll.”

Along with the team’s success came a number of individual honors and records.  In their first year in the league, the Yellowjackets had three Heartland all-conference selections.  Ally Stroup, Megan Plank, and Brittney Sandau were each named to the all-conference team.  In addition, freshman Mandy Ploskonka was selected as the Heartland Conference freshman of the year.

“We were excited about having three first team all-conference players and the freshman player of the year,” said Trentham.  “I think that’s all positive for our program.  They’re individual awards, but it’s just another thing for our team to say, ‘We had success.’”  Ally, Megan and Brittney wouldn’t get all-conference without a good supporting cast behind them.  That is important for the players on the team and for incoming players as well.”

Stroup, a junior from Ojai, Calif., scored nine goals with seven assists for a team-high 25 points.  She moved to second on the school’s all-time scoring list and will enter her senior season just one point behind school record holder Margot Merrill-Johnson.  Stroup, who already holds the career assists record with 22, will likely break the career goals and career points records next year.

“Ally had another solid year,” said Trentham.  “She scored nine goals and seven assists.  She probably does that better than any player I’ve had the opportunity to coach.  She scores goals and she also has assists.  There’s not a big ratio there.  She always makes things happen.”

Plank, a junior goalkeeper from Phoenix, Ariz., holds almost every goalkeeping record in school history after three seasons as a starter.  Her 0.91 goals against average this year set the single season school record and lowered her school-record career GAA to 1.02.  Plank also holds school records for wins (28), saves (255), shutouts (13), and minutes played (4508:38).

“You can’t say enough about Megan Plank and what she’s done here,” said Trentham.  “She came in as a player who was battling for a starting spot her freshman year and has just taken over the goalkeeping position.  We look forward to her senior year.”

In front of Plank was possibly the best collection of defenders the Yellowjackets have fielded.  Despite losing starter Kelsey Vinnedge (Jr., Great Falls, MT) to injury in the first game of the year, the Yellowjackets were still the second toughest team to score on in the Heartland Conference.

“Lacy Albrent (Sr., Ojai, CA) had a very solid year,” said Trentham of his top defender.  “She’ll be greatly missed in this program.  She was the anchor back there on defense, and we’re talking about a defense that was the best in the history of the program statistically.  She’s going to be a hard one to replace.  Abby Bennett (So., Livingston, MT) is one that not a lot of people will probably talk about, but when Kelsey Vinnedge had to medically redshirt, Abby stepped in to the center back position.  You do a lot of your learning in the preseason.  Abby didn’t train at all to play center back and all of the sudden after the first game of the year she’s playing back there.  She stepped up and did a great job and filled a massive hole for us.”

Sandau, a sophomore from Billings, tied Stroup for the team goals lead with nine.  She also had one assist for 19 points.  After just two seasons she already ranks fourth in school history with 31 career points.  In 2005 Sandau just missed the school record for consecutive games with a goal, scoring in the first four games of the year.

“Brittney had a good, solid season,” said Trentham.  “On the field she certainly was a big part of our success.  Off the field she is becoming one of our leaders.  Overall I’m very pleased with the way Brittney is succeeding as a student-athlete in our program.”

Ploskonka, a freshman from Federal Way, Wash., had 11 points in her debut season with the Yellowjackets.  She scored four goals and had three assists in playing a key role in the Jackets’ offense.

“Mandy had a terrific year,” said Trentham.  “I think she’s going to be a player that’s going to be fun to watch over the next three years.  Two other freshmen, Sara Gress (Boise, ID) and Melissa Carlson (Renton, WA), also contributed a great deal to our team this year.”

With only one senior (Albrent) graduating from the 2005 squad, the Yellowjackets expect to be able to make a run at the 2006 Heartland Conference title.  If they are able to accomplish that, they may also be able to make history by reaching their first-ever NCAA Tournament.

“Next year we’re going to a home-and-home conference schedule,” concluded Trentham.  “We’re going to play everyone twice and potentially have two new teams in the conference.  We’re excited about having everyone come up here, and going down and playing everybody at their place.  Looking at next year’s schedule, of the top six teams in the region this year in the final ranking, we’re playing the No. 1 team, the No. 2 team, the No. 4 team, the No. 5 team, and the No. 6 team. 

“So we’re playing the schedule that’s going to get us to where we want to be next.  Where this program wants to be in the next four years is in the NCAA Tournament.  We feel we’re a reputable program in the region.  Now we need to take the next step and get to the NCAA Tournament.  We’ve put together a solid schedule.  Again, that’s a credit to the players in the program because those top teams aren’t going to play you unless you’re a good program.” 

2005 Individual Records
1st - Season Goals Against Average: 0.91 – Megan Plank (16 goals allowed)
1st – Career Wins by Goalkeeper: 28 Megan Plank
1st  – Career Saves: 255 – Megan Plank
1st – Career Shutouts: 13 – Megan Plank
1st – Career Goals Against Average: 1.02 – Megan Plank (51 goals allowed)
1st  – Career Goalkeeper Minutes Played: 4508:38 – Megan Plank
1st – Season Game Winning Goals: 4 – Ally Stroup
1st – Career Assists: 22 – Ally Stroup

2nd – Season Wins by Goalkeeper: 10 – Megan Plank
2nd – Season Shutouts by Goalkeeper: 5 – Megan Plank
2nd  – Season Goalkeeper Minutes Played: 1575:43 – Megan Plank
2nd – Consecutive Shutout Minutes: 369:34 – Megan Plank
2nd – Consecutive Games with at Least One Goal: Brittney Sandau
2nd – Season Assists: 7 – Ally Stroup
2nd – Fastest Goal Scored: 1:10 vs. DBU – Ally Stroup
2nd – Career Game Winning Goals: 8 – Ally Stroup

3rd – Consecutive Shutout Minutes: 318:23 – Megan Plank
3rd – Season Game Winning Goals: 3 – Brittney Sandau
3rd – Season Points: 25 – Ally Stroup (9 goals, 7 assists)
3rd – Career Points: 70 – Ally Stroup (24 goals, 22 assists)
3rd – Career Goals: 24 – Ally Stroup 

2005 Team Records
1st – Season Shutouts: 7 games
1st – Team Defense: 0.86 gaa
1st – Fewest Goals Allowed in a Season: 16
1st – Consecutive Shutouts: 4
1st  – Consecutive Shutout Minutes: 416:24 (Megan Plank and Anita Renemans)
1st – Consecutive Wins: 5 games (8/30-9/11)
1st – Consecutive Unbeaten Streak at Home: 16 games (9/4/04-10/12/05)
1st – Consecutive Home Wins: 15 games (9/6/04-10/12/05)
1st – Consecutive Winning Seasons: 2 seasons (2004-Present)
1st – Highest NSCAA Regional Ranking: #8

2nd – Wins in a Season: 11 games
2nd – Consecutive Unbeaten Streak: 6 games (8/28-9/11)
2nd – Consecutive Unbeaten Streak on the Road: 3 games (10/23-10/29)
2nd – Best Win-Loss-Tie Percentage: .667 – 11-5-2 record 

3rd – Season Points: 87
3rd – Goals Scored in a Season: 32
3rd – Assists in a Season: 23
3rd – Scoring Offense: 1.71 – 32 goals/18 games
3rd – Consecutive Shutout Minutes: 329:04 (Megan Plank and Anita Renemans)
3rd – Highest Season Average Attendance: 93 – 8 games
3rd – Highest Season Total Attendance: 743 – 8 games 

Career Scoring Leaders
2nd – Ally Stroup (24 goals; 22 assists; 70 points)
4th – Brittney Sandau (12 goals; 7 assists; 31 points)
8th – Alyssa Wolfer (6 goals; 5 assists; 17 points)
14th – Mandy Ploskonka (4 goals; 3 assists; 11 points) 

Conference and National Awards
9 Heartland Players of the Week
Heartland All-Conference - Megan Plank, Brittney Sandau, Ally Stroup
Heartland Freshman of Year - Mandy Ploskonka
CoSIDA ESPN Academic All-District (2nd Team) - Ally Stroup 

Team Awards
Quest for Excellence – Lacey Albrent
Most Valuable Player – Megan Plank
Newcomer of the Year – Mandy Ploskonka
Scholar Athlete – Ally Stroup