Lady Jackets Travel to Carroll Sunday (9/16/05)

BILLINGS, MT – The Montana State-Billings women’s soccer team will travel to Helena on Sunday to face Carroll College in a non-conference game.  Kickoff is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. at Nelson Stadium.  The game is the Saints’ Homecoming game.

The Yellowjackets are off to a 5-1-1 start and were ranked fifth in the most recent NCAA II Midwest Region poll.  Sunday’s game at Carroll is the first of two against the Saints this year.  Carroll will make a return trip to face the Jackets in Billings on October 15.

MSU Billings currently has a six-game unbeaten streak after dropping its season-opener at Colorado State-Pueblo.  The Yellowjackets have won their last five behind a stingy defense.  In the five wins, MSU Billings has given up just one goal.  That goal came in the final two minutes of a 3-1 decision at Mesa State on August 30.  The Jackets have shutout their last four opponents by a combined score of 11-0.

Yellowjacket goalkeeper Megan Plank (Phoenix, AZ) is boasting a microscopic 0.60 goals-against average with 26 saves against just four goals.  The defense in front of her has played a large role in the Jackets’ success.  Abby Bennett (So., Livingston, MT) was named Heartland Conference defensive player of the week for last week’s three shutouts.  Also playing key parts in the Jackets’ defensive attack last week were Vanessa Edwards (So., Kent, WA) and Sara Gress (Fr., Boise, ID).

The Yellowjacket offense has been paced by Ally Stroup (Jr., Ojai, CA) and Brittney Sandau (So., Billings, MT).  The pair has combined for nine of the team’s 16 goals this season.  Stroup was named Heartland Conference co-offensive player of the week last week.  She currently leads the Heartland Conference with five goals, three assists, and 13 points.  Sandau has four goals and an assist on the season.

Two freshmen had big offensive weeks for the Yellowjackets last week.  Chelsea Libby (Puyallup, WA) scored a pair of goals including the game-winner in the Jackets’ 1-0 upset of regionally-ranked St. Mary’s (TX).  Micah Merrill-Johnson (Salt Lake City, UT) netted a pair of goals in the 4-0 win over University of Great Falls, her first collegiate goals.

The Saints are 3-2-1 following a draw and a loss last weekend.  They had a scoreless tie with Corban College on September 9 and a 4-1 loss to Concordia-Portland on September 11.  In their three wins, the Saints defeated University of Mary, Rocky Mountain College, and Embry-Riddle by a combined score of 16-2.

MSU Billings returns to NCAA regional play on September 24 when the Yellowjackets host Colorado School of Mines on the third annual Futbol Frenzy Day.