October 12, 2007

Jacket Men Edge Marauders on Road
Box Score
MSUB Season Stats

BISMARCK, N.D. – A school-record goal by Sam Charles helped propel Montana State Billings to a 2-1 win at University of Mary on Friday in non-conference men’s soccer.  Charles, a sophomore forward from Chiswell, England, found the net just 40 seconds into the contest, making it the fastest goal from the start of a game in school history.  The previous school record was 51 seconds set by Dustin Kono in 2005.

Charles, who already owns single season school record for goals in a season, netted his 18th.  He was assisted by Scott Dixon (Dorset, England), who returned to the lineup after missing the last six games.  The assist was Dixon’s team-leading sixth of the year.

“Scott Dixon was outstanding after missing the last six games,” said Yellowjacket head coach Dan McNally.  “It was great to have him back.”

The Jackets’ 1-0 lead stood for most of the first half before the Marauders knotted the game just before halftime.  Mary’s Casey Harrod beat Jacket keeper Sander Tollefson (Missoula) in the 41st minute to send the game to intermission deadlocked.  Tollefson finished the game with one save.

“In the first half we played well below our usual high standard,” said McNally.  “At halftime we discussed how important this game was to our season.  If we wanted to have any chance to make the national tournament, we had to turn it around and win the game.  I’m very proud of the way the guys responded in the second half.  We played with great intensity.”

The game winner came from Jeremy DeHerrera (Kalispell) at 64:15.  After Greg McKeever (Kirkland, Wash.) sent a free kick into the box, DeHerrera emerged from the scramble for the ball and netted his second goal of the season. 

The win gave MSU Billings its first 10-win season in school history.  The Jackets improved to 10-3-1 overall.  It was also an important win because Mary (3-9-1) was one of just two NCAA Division II opponents left on the Jackets’ schedule. 

MSUB hosts Seattle Pacific University on Oct. 22 in what will essentially be the Jackets’ last chance to make their case for one of the Far West Region’s four NCAA Tournament spots.  The Jackets played the Falcons, currently ranked fourth in the region in the coach’s poll, to a 1-1 draw in Seattle on Sept. 20.  The first official NCAA Far West Region poll will be released on Oct. 23.

The Yellowjackets have an off day Saturday before facing Westminster College at 1 p.m. on Sunday at the Marauder Classic.  Mary will take on Westminster on Saturday.  Westminster entered the weekend with a 10-4-0 record and also faced winless Jamestown in Friday’s early game.