Lady Jackets Open Home Schedule with MSU Billings Cup (Sept. 2, 2004)

BILLINGS, MT – The Montana State-Billings women’s soccer team, fresh off a two-game sweep in Minnesota to start the season, will open the 2004 home schedule with the third annual MSU Billings Cup Sponsored by Thrifty Car Rental on Saturday.  The Yellowjackets will take on North Dakota Saturday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. and wrap up the tournament against Mesa State on Monday at 1:00.  North Dakota and Mesa State will meet each other in a neutral site contest on Sunday at 1:00.  All games will be played at the MSU Billings College of Technology.

The Yellowjackets defeated Bemidji State and St. Cloud State last weekend in St. Cloud, Minn.  They downed Bemidji, 2-1, on Friday before soundly defeating St. Cloud, 4-0, on Sunday.  Megan Plank (So., GK, Phoenix, AZ) earned both victories while playing all 180 minutes in goal.  Last year’s team MVP made four saves against five shots on goal and has a 0.50 goals against average.

Alyssa Wolfer (So., F, Longmont, CO) had a breakout weekend in her first games at forward.  The former backup goalkeeper netted two goals in the win over St. Cloud State, and according to head coach Don Trentham, had a solid weekend all around. 

Also scoring their first collegiate goals for the Yellowjackets were former West High standout Brittney Sandau (Fr., MF, Billings, MT) and former C.M. Russell standout Kelsey Vinnedge (So., MF, Great Falls, MT).  Sandau added a goal in the shutout win over St. Cloud State, and Vinnedge tallied the game winning goal against Bemidji State.

The Lady Jackets’ top two scorers from last season also produced points on the opening weekend.  Ally Taylor (So., MF, Ojai, CA) and Margot Merrill-Johnson (Sr., MF, Salt Lake City) each had a goal and an assist.  Merrill-Johnson was the team’s leading goal scorer last year with eight, while Taylor was the points leader with 21.

North Dakota was picked to finish third in the North Central Conference, but dropped its opening game of the year, 3-1 to No. 19 Truman State.  It was UND’s first home loss in its last 13 home games.  The Fighting Sioux bounced back for a 2-0 win at Minnesota-Crookston on Wednesday.  Senior Stephanie Pfeiffer scored a pair of second half goals to give UND its first win of the season.  Saturday’s meeting will be the first between the Yellowjackets and Fighting Sioux.  MSU Billings has scheduled North Dakota twice in the last three seasons, but both games were cancelled due to weather.

Mesa State will play its first official contest of the season on Sunday when the Mavericks face North Dakota in Billings.  Mesa State had a solid season last year, finishing 12-6-4, and has been picked to finish third in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.  The Mavericks return seven starters, including the RMAC’s preseason Defensive Player of the Year, Michelle Favero.  The Yellowjackets will take on the Mavericks on Monday in the seventh meeting between the schools.  MSU Billings has never beaten Mesa State, last losing 3-0 on August 31 of 2001.