Lady Jackets Host Bears Wednesday (10/11/05)

BILLINGS, MT – Montana State-Billings will host Rocky Mountain College on Wednesday in the first game of their annual home-and-home series.  Kick off is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. at the MSU Billings College of Technology. 

The cross-town series winner each year is awarded the Rimrock Cup.  This year’s rivalry will mark the fourth year of the Cup, won in 2004 by MSU Billings after Rocky took it the first two years.  In addition to Wednesday’s meeting, the teams will square off at Rocky’s field on October 29. 

MSU Billings enters Wednesday’s game with a 6-5-1 all time record against the Bears.  The Jackets won at home last year, 7-2, before settling for a 3-3 draw at Rocky.  With just two home games remaining in 2005, the Yellowjackets have a 16-game unbeaten streak on their home turf.  They are 6-0-0 this year after going 9-0-1 in 2004.  The last loss at home for the Yellowjackets was on October 29, 2003, when Rocky defeated MSU Billings 2-1 in double overtime.

MSU Billings enters the game with an 8-2-1 overall record.  In the NSCAA regional rankings released Tuesday, the Yellowjackets are ranked fifth in the NCAA II Midwest Region.  It’s the third week at No. 5 for the Lady Jackets.  Rocky enters the game with a 7-4-1 overall mark after starting the season 0-3. 

The Yellowjackets are coming off an important Heartland Conference win, defeating Dallas Baptist 5-1 last Thursday.  Brittney Sandau (So., Billings, MT) scored a pair of goals in that game and was named Heartland Conference offensive player of the week.  Sandau and Ally Stroup (Jr., Ojai, CA) are tied for second in the Heartland with eight goals apiece.  Stroup also has four assists and is second in the league with 20 points.

While the Yellowjacket offense is third in the HLC for scoring, the Jacket defense has carried much of the load this season.  They are ranked first in the conference for goals against average (0.89), allowing just 10 goals in 11 games.  Freshman Mandy Ploskonka (Federal Way, WA) was named this week’s conference defensive player of the week.  Goalkeeper Megan Plank (Jr., Phoenix, AZ) is third in the Heartland with a 0.98 goals against average and leads the league with four shutouts.

Rocky is led by Jeannie McGonagle who has nine goals and seven assists this season.  She is just one goal short of tying the school record of 10 goals set by Rachel Hammill in 2001.  Rocky had its eight-game winning streak snapped last week by Simon Fraser.

MSU Billings will wrap up the home season on Saturday when they host Carroll College on Parents/Alumni Day sponsored by Rimrock Inn.  That game will start at 1:00 and will also be senior day for the Yellowjackets’ lone senior, defender Lacey Albrent (Ojai, CA).  In addition, Saturday’s game will include the barbeque that was rained out on Futbol Frenzy Day on September 24.

MSU Billings finishes the season with four-straight road games leading up to the Heartland Conference tournament.  They will play conference games at Incarnate Word (Oct. 21) and St. Edward’s (Oct. 23) and non-conference games at Angelo State (Oct. 25) and Rocky Mountain (Oct. 29).  The conference tournament will be November 3-5 in Austin, TX.