Another Shutout Keeps Lady Jackets Perfect (9/3/06)
Box Score
Game Photos
Ally Stroup post game audio

BILLINGS, MT – The Montana State-Billing women’s soccer team posted its fourth shutout of the season on Sunday to improve to 5-0-0.  The Yellowjackets blanked University of Mary 2-0 in the championship game of the MSU Billings Cup, giving them the best five-game start in school history.  Mary fell to 1-2-0 on the season.

Even though the offense scored 13 goals in two games over the weekend, the Yellowjacket defense deserves credit for holding opponents at bay.  In five games this season, including one overtime game, the Yellowjackets have surrendered just one goal for a miniscule 0.20 goals against average.  Senior goalkeeper Megan Plank (Phoenix, AZ) has played her part in the four shutouts, but the defense in front of her isn’t allowing many shots.  Plank has had to make 18 saves—just less than four per game.

“Everyone is really solid back there,” said junior defender Abby Bennett (Livingston, MT).  “We have a really solid back four, then we have bench players who come in and do just as well.  Everyone’s talking, and we’re an organized unit.  Everyone shifts and covers for each other.  A lot of it has to do with the talking.  We always know where everyone is.”

In Saturday’s 11-0 blasting of Texas-Permian Basin, Plank didn’t have to make a save.  On Sunday her job wasn’t much more difficult as she had to stop two Marauders shots for the shutout.

The Yellowjacket defense received all the offensive help it needed in the 38^th minute when senior forward Ally Stroup (Ojai, CA) took a pass from Brittney Sandau (Billings, MT) and fired from the top of the box, beating Mary keeper Brannigan Coyle.  The assist was Sandau’s team-leading sixth of the season. 

With her fourth goal of the weekend and seventh of the season, Stroup made school history on Sunday by tying Abby Farmer for the school career goals record at 31.  Stroup already holds the school records for career assists and points.  Her next goal will give her sole possession of all three scoring records.  For her four-goal weekend, Stroup was also named the tournament’s MVP.

MSU Billings added an insurance goal in the 77^th minute when freshman Jelisa Guy (Kalispell, MT) scored her third goal of the season.  Following a Marauders foul, Guy sent the free kick from near the left sideline over the top of Coyle’s outstretched hands.  The two-goal cushion was more than enough for Bennett and Co., who did not allow a shot on goal in the second half.

“I think we’re in a pretty good spot,” said Bennett of the Yellowjackets’ fast start.  “We’re definitely in shape compared to the teams we’ve played.  We did a lot of that during the preseason and it shows.  Not only is our defense coming through, but obviously so is our offense with 13 goals this weekend.”

The Yellowjackets get their toughest test of the season next week with a three-game road trip to Texas.  The swing opens on September 9 at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio.  After a September 10 non-conference game at Texas A&M-International in Laredo, the Jackets face defending league champion Incarnate Word on September 12 in San Antonio.