Men’s Soccer Preview: Experience Could Be on Jackets’ Side in 2004

BILLINGS, MT – After consecutive six-win seasons, the 2004 MSU Billings men’s soccer team will field one of its most experienced teams in recent years.  Coach Doug Seigle, entering his third season at the helm of the Jackets, will have seven starters and 13 lettermen returning from a 2003 team that finished 6-9-1.

“One of the biggest things for us this season will be having our six seniors,” said Seigle.  “They’re going to take a big leadership role on this team.  I finally feel like this is my team that fits the mold that I want.  With the six seniors and new players who I’ve brought in, we’re ready to play the style of soccer that I want us to play.”

Defense has been the emphasis of Coach Seigle’s teams thus far.  A former goalkeeper, Seigle has employed a physical, attacking defense that was designed to create scoring opportunities for the offense.  After posting a 2.25 goals-against average in 2003—second best in school history—the Yellowjackets will once again count on the “D” to dictate the tempo of games.  However, MSU Billings may field one of its most potent offensive squads of the past three years.

Midfielders and Forwards

Explosive scorers Thomas Pertuit (Sr., MF, Billings, MT), Victor Sargent (So., MF, Billings, MT), Dustin Kono (Jr., F, Aberdeen, SD) and Robbie Thimm (Sr., MF, Park City, UT) return after combining last season for 16 of the team’s 25 goals, 12 of 20 assists and 44 of 70 points. 

Pertuit found the net a team-high 10 times and added four assists for 24 points in 2003.  The ten goals were the third most scored in a season in school history, and the 24 points tied for the second-highest output in school history.  He will enter his senior season with 12 career goals, 11 assists and 35 points.  He currently ranks fourth in school history for career goals scored, first for assists, and third for points scored.

Sargent, Kono and Thimm were all impact players in their first season with the Yellowjackets in 2003.  Sargent scored three goals and two assists as a true freshman.  He missed the final three games of the season with an injury but still finished second on the team with eight points.  Kono had a solid season after transferring from University of Evansville.  He scored two goals and had three assists for seven points.  Thimm scored a goal with three assists in just seven games before breaking his leg midway through the season.  Both Sargent and Thimm are completely recovered from their injuries.

Other midfielders and forwards returning are Lucas Sanchez (Sr., MF, Park City, UT), Jesse Spann (Jr., MF, Rock Springs, WY) and Brian Palmer (Sr., F, Laramie, WY).  The three combined for 13 points, with Spann and Palmer each scoring two goals.  Kyle Bales (Sr., MF, Cody, WY) and Dan Johnson (Fr., MF, Pierre, SD) will likely see action after redshirting last season.  New recruits include Colin Adams (Fr., MF, Kirkland, WA), Kean Christensen (Fr., F, Billings, MT), Matt D’Hont (Fr., F, Rapid City, SD), and Alex Newton (Fr., MF, Juneau, AK).

“This team has the most depth of any team I’ve had in my three years here,” added Seigle.  “With the better players we have, we have a deeper bench.  It allows us to attack from different positions and do things that we couldn’t do in the past.  Now that we have skillful defenders, we’ll get them involved in the attack, and that will make our attack more dangerous because we can attack from different angles on the field.”

Defenders

The Yellowjackets’ defense may have to reload a little because of graduation losses, but still returns three players who saw action in at least 10 games last season.  Jeff Marsich (Sr., D, Laurel, MT), Patrick Boltz (Jr., D, Kaneohe, HI) and Matthew Holm (So., D, Billings, MT) will provide the game experience on the defense.  Marsich played in 14 games, Boltz played in 16 and Holm played in ten.

With just three returning players, the MSU Billings defense will have to rely on newcomers to step into contributing roles.  Those fighting for playing time will be Joshua Hernandez (Fr., D, Palmdale, CA), Greg McKeever (Fr., D, Kirkland, WA), Marcus Riley (Jr., D, Kalispell, MT) and Nathan Will (Fr., D, Colorado Springs, CO).

Goalkeepers

The Yellowjackets will not be deep at goalkeeper, but they do return their most experienced keeper from last season.  Jess Feldtman (Jr., GK, Lander, WY) played in eleven games as a sophomore last season after transferring from Bethany College.  He posted a 2.64 goals-against average after giving up 26 goals in 885 minutes.  Feldtman had a 2-7 record and made 49 saves with a .653 save percentage.  Kyle Bales (Sr., MF, Cody, WY) will back up Feldtman.

Schedule

After playing 15 of their 16 games on the road last season, the Yellowjackets will play six of 18 in Billings this year.  While it is not quite a balanced schedule, it is a vast improvement over the past few seasons.

MSU Billings opens with two road tournaments, playing at the Chico State tournament in Chico, Calif., on August 28 and 30, and at the Westminster tournament in Salt Lake on September 2-4.  The first home game of the year will be September 6 when the Jackets host University of Colorado-Colorado Springs.

The Yellowjackets will get their chance to test themselves against a Division I team on September 11 when they travel to Spokane to face Gonzaga.  After a September 18 game at University of Mary in Bismarck, MSU Billings will make its biggest West Coast swing of the season with three games in Washington.  The Jackets will play at Seattle on September 25, at Western Washington on September 27 and at Seattle Pacific on September 28. 

“By far this is the most competitive schedule we’ve had in three years,” said Seigle.  “Our goal all along has been to be a quality DII program with the potential to make the tournament.  Now that we have the talent, we have to schedule more competitive teams.  Our goal is to make the national tournament.  We finally have a schedule that, if we play well, will allow us that opportunity. Although we’re playing a tougher schedule overall, we look forward to playing at home six times.  It’s helpful for team morale to play in front of the home crowd.”

Five straight home games over a two week period will highlight the October schedule.  MSU Billings will host a pair of three-team tournaments, starting October 1-3 with Colorado School of Mines and Westminster College.  They will follow that by hosting Si Tanka and Grand Canyon on October 8-10.  The home stand will wrap up with an October 14 match with University of Mary.

Following the longest stretch of home games in the program’s history, the Yellowjackets will conclude the season with a pair of late October games in Colorado.  They travel to Colorado-Colorado Springs on October 17 and finish the season at Metro State in Denver on October 18.