Lady Jackets Look to Stay Perfect at Home (Oct. 6, 2004)

BILLINGS, MT – On track for their best record in the program’s history, the MSU Billings women’s soccer team will try to remain unbeaten at home this weekend when they host Jamestown College and Grand Canyon University.  The Yellowjackets are 8-3-1 overall and currently ranked ninth in the Far West Region by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

MSU Billings puts its seven-game home unbeaten streak (6-0-1) on the line Saturday at 2:00 p.m. when it faces Jamestown.  The Yellowjackets will take on Grand Canyon at 1:00 on Sunday with both games at the MSU Billings College of Technology.  An interesting side note to Sunday’s game will be the fact that MSU Billings and Grand Canyon were both recently invited to join the Heartland Conference.  While neither school has yet accepted or declined the offer, they could be future conference opponents.

Jamestown is also having a good season at 8-3-0.  Diana Cripe leads the Jimmies with seven goal and 16 points.  Jamestown will play at Rocky on Friday before facing the Yellowjackets.  Grand Canyon is 2-9-0 as an NCAA independent.  The Antelopes have been outscored 23-7 in 11 games.

MSU Billings bounced back from a three-game losing streak last weekend with wins over Minnesota-Crookston and Northern State.  The win over Northern State knocked the Wolves out of the Central Region top ten.

Margot Merrill-Johnson scored the game winner in overtime against NSU on Sunday.  After the Wolves had tied the game with just 46 seconds remaining to force overtime, Merrill-Johnson (Sr., Salt Lake City) ended the game with only 15 ticks left in the second overtime period.  Her header attempt was blocked by a defender, but she recovered her own rebound and converted for the win.

Merrill-Johnson leads the Yellowjackets with six goals and 14 points.  Sophomore Ally Taylor (Ojai, CA) also scored in the game for her fifth goal of the season.  Taylor has three assists for a total of 13 points.

A number of underclassmen have developed into important players for the Yellowjackets this season.  Those young guns include freshmen Brittney Sandau (Billings, MT), Abby Bennett (Livingston, MT), Vanessa Edwards (Kent, WA), and Amy Stephens (Colorado Springs, CO).  The four have combined for six goals and six assists.  Sophomores Taylor, Alyssa Wolfer (Longmont, CO), Jenny Moellendorf (Green River, WY), and Kelsey Vinnedge (Great Falls, MT) have accounted for 11 goals and nine assists.

As important as the infusion of youthful talent has been the steady play of the upperclassmen in 2004 has been equally impressive.  Along with Merrill-Johnson, seniors Candy Cherry (Missoula, MT), Megan Beckstead (Salt Lake City), and Stephanie Clark (Tualatin, OR) have had their best seasons as Yellowjackets.  Clark scored a goal and two assists before a knee injury sidelined her in the eighth game.  Cherry and Beckstead have combined for three goals and two assists.

This weekend’s series, which also includes two men’s games, will be Alumni/Parents Weekend for the MSU Billings women's soccer team.  There will be a women’s alumni scrimmage at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday morning at the COT field.  The Lady Jackets will host an Alumni/Parents social at the Rock Pile Restaurant at 6:00 p.m. Saturday evening.  For information on the social or the alumni scrimmage, contact head coach Don Trentham at (406) 657-2373.