Lady Jackets Suffer First Soccer Loss of the Season (Sept. 11, 2003)

ELLENSBURG, WA – The MSU Billings women’s soccer team allowed its first goal of the season in a 3-0 loss at Central Washington on Thursday.  The Yellowjackets fall to 2-1-1 for the season and drop the first game of a three-game road trip.

The Wildcats (2-3-0) wasted little time stopping Yellowjacket goalkeeper Megan Plank’s (Fr., Phoenix, AZ) scoreless streak, finding the net just 8:12 into the game.  McKenzie Brongil beat Plank one-on-one for an unassisted goal.  Plank gave up her second goal of the season just 4:39 before halftime when Rachel Casillas beat her to the top of the goal from 15 yards out.  Plank registered four saves in the first half.

“We started out playing pretty well,” said head coach Don Trentham.  “We gave up a goal that maybe we shouldn’t have because of a breakdown in the back, and we kind of lost our composure for a while after that.  Our players worked hard all the way through, though.  Central Washington just played better today.”

After trailing for the first time this season, the Yellowjackets tightened up the defense in the second half, giving up nine of 22 shots in the final 45 minutes.  Alyssa Wolfer (Fr., Longmont, CO) was in goal for MSUB in the second half.  She stopped seven of eight shots on goal after giving up a breakaway goal at 51:52. 

The Yellowjackets were out-shot 22-6 in the game.  Sara Otis (Sr., Vancouver, WA) had three of the Jackets’ six shots with two shots on goal.  MSU Billings will travel to Seattle to face Seattle University on Saturday and Seattle Pacific on Monday.

“We just need to learn from this one, knowing we have a big game on Saturday,” said Trentham.  “The big thing will be not giving up an early goal.  Seattle is one of the top teams in the Far West Region and it will be a good test for us.”