Men's Soccer Begins Final Stretch on the Road

Game Notes in PDF Format

BRIEFLY
The MSUB men’s soccer team looks to build on a five game winning streak as it as it returns to conference play this week at Northwest Nazarene and at Western Washington.  MSUB stands at 9-4 overall and 2-1 in conference play, just one game behind Seattle Pacific in the GNAC. 

SCOUTING MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
The Yellowjackets begin the final stretch of the regular season schedule as four of their last five games are away from home.  The Jackets conclude a four game road trip at Northwest Nazarene and at Western Washington this week. 

Leading the way for the Jackets this season in Sam Charles who has a team and conference best-16 goals on the year in 13 games. Charles also has four assists and 36 points.  He also leads the team with 69 shots and 39 on goal.  He has seven game winners and had his first penalty kick of the season against Jamestown, followed by his second against Saint Martin’s.   For his career, Charles is a perfect 10 for 10 in PK’s.  Jarred Weisen is second on the team with four goals  Weisen is second on the team with 12 points and has four assists.  Scott Dixon leads the team with five assists. 

In goal, the Jackets are led by Matt Mitchell who leads the team with a 8-3 record and a league-best 0.65 goals against average.  Mitchell has 34 saves, seven goals against and four shutouts.  Sander Tollefson is 1-1 with five goals against and 11 saves.  Michael Sheridan saw his first action of the season as head coach Dan McNally gave each goalkeeper approximately 30 minutes against Jamestown, Sept. 27  Sheridan had one save against the Jimmies.    

THE LAST TIME OUT
The Yellowjackets posted two non-conference victories last week as the defeated Jamestown College, 4-0 and Mary 1-0 in double overtime.  MSUB had two goals from Sam Charles against Jamestown to lead the team and Charles added the lone goal in double overtime against Mary.

SCOUTING NORTHWEST NAZARENE
The Crusaders enter the week with an 8-3-2 record and a 1-3-1 record in the conference.  NNU has not won since upsetting the Yellowjackets in Billings, 2-1 Sept. 20.  The Crusaders are 0-3-1 since then and have scored just four goals during the last four games. 

Leading the way for the Crusaders is Alex Mangeac who leads the team with seven goals, two assists and 16 points.  He also leads the team with 53 shots and has one game winner.  Chris Voth is second with six goals, while Benjamin Mangeac leads the team with five assists.  Voth leads NNU with three game winners. 

In goal, the Crusaders are led by Alexander Engemann who is 6-3-2 on the year with a 1.51 goals against average and 45 saves.  Engemann has allowed 18 goals in 1075:34 minutes of action and has four shutouts.  Mitchell Rice is 2-0 with five saves and one shutout as well.

LAST MEETING WITH THE CRUSADERS
In the first meeting between the two teams Sept. 20, NNU posted the 2-1 victory as Sam Charles scored midway through the half, but NNU’s Josh Grewe scored a late first half goal to tie and then in the 61st minute Brock Ogami scored the game winner unassisted for the upset. 

SCOUTING WESTERN WASHINGTON
The Vikings enter the week with a 6-5-2 record and a 2-1 record in conference play.  WWU is 2-2-1 in the its past five games.  Leading the way for the Vikings this season is Samir Vejo who leads the team with 14 goals and one assist.  He leads the team with 42 shots and 23 on goal.  Vejo has three game winners and is 3 for 3 in penalty kicks.  Gibson Bardsley is second on the team with four goals, while Michael Ricci leads the team with five assists. 

In goal, Cameron Copps-Tilley leads the team with a 6-5-2 record and a 1.44 goals against average.  He has 49 saves on the year and has allowed 19 goals.  Christian Warman has played in one game with two assists. 

LAST TIME AGAINST THE VIKINGS
WWU owns an 8-1 record in the series, including a perfect 6-0 record in Bellingham.  The Jackets got their first win last season - a 2-1 victory in the first ever meeting in Billings.  WWU won the second game in Bellingham, 3-0.  The Jackets have scored just two goals in six trips to WWU and in two neutral site losses, one goal.  WWU has outscored MSUB 26-4 in the nine meetings.

SAM’S CLUB
Sam Charles ranks third nationally in goals per game (1.23) and sixth nationally in points at a 2.77 clip in this week’s NCAA Division II national statistical report.  Charles leads the GNAC with 36 points, including 16 goals and four assists. He is the only GNAC player ranked in the top 10 in any category.

MIGHTY, MIGHTY MITCHELL
Sophomore Matt Mitchell ranks 11th nationally in goals against average and leads the conference with a 0.65 average.  In addition, he is ranked 19th nationally in save percentage at an 0.829 clip.  He has four shutouts on the year and an 8-3 record with just seven goals against.  Mitchell has allowed only two goals against in two games this season.  He has not allowed a goal in three games and just one goal in the last five.

BACK-TO-BACK VIKINGS
The Yellowjackets will play the WWU Vikings in back-to-back games.  MSUB travels to WWU Sunday and then will host the Vikings Friday, Oct. 31 in the regular season home finale at the COT Field.  MSUB will have an 11-day layoff prior to the home game versus WWU.

THE UNFAMILIAR ROAD BECOMES FAMILIAR
The Yellowjackets are making their fourth road trip of the season this week and will play their third and fourth road games of the year.  MSUB began the year with two neutral site games against Dixie State and Metro State in Salt Lake City, then had its first road game at Fort Lewis College.  The Jackets are 4-2 overall away from College of Technology Field.  The Jackets started with eight of their first 11 games at home.  Before last week in Bismarck, MSUB will end its season with six of its final seven away from home.

TOUGH IN THE CLOSE ONES
MSUB is 4-4 in one goal games this season.  In fact, all four losses have come by one goal.  The Jackets began the season with a 4-3 double overtime victory over Dixie State, then lost to No. 7 Metro State, 2-1, lost to NAIA No. 6 Simon Fraser, 1-0, beat Great Falls, 1-0, lost to Northwest Nazarene, 2-1 and lost at Fort Lewis, 2-1.  The Jackets won two one goal games this past week with a 2-1 victory over Saint Martin’s and a 1-0 victory over Seattle Pacific in conference play. 

DIXON DISHES
Scott Dixon had his team-leading fourth assist of the season Oct. 2 against Saint Martin’s as he, Tom Milroy and Sam Charles hooked up for a score.  With that assist, Dixon ties Thomas Pertuit as the all-time leader in MSUB history with 14 assists. 

CHARLES NAMED PLAYER OF THE WEEK AGAIN
Junior forward, Sam Charles, earned Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Week honors for the second consecutive week (9/15) as he scored four goals helping the Jackets to a 2-1 record.  He had his third career hat trick against the University of Mary, tying the career best for hat tricks in the GNAC.  He also had the game winner in the 89th minute against Great Falls.  The week before, Charles earned co-weekly honor as he broke the school record for goals in a career and points in a career against nationally ranked opponents.

SAM’S TRICK
Sam Charles recorded his third career hat trick in the GNAC in 3-1 victory over Mary Sept. 8.  The hat trick ties him for the most all-time.  In addition, it was the 20th three goal (or more) game in the history of the GNAC. 

MSUB SOCCER FIELD WINS AWARD
The newly renovated MSUB Soccer Field won a NCAA Community Engagement Award as the top community relations effort submitted from the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.  MSUB was one of 22 schools to receive the award and also received a $500 grant from the NCAA to be used in future community-engagement efforts.

JACKETS TABBED LEAGUE FAVORITE
The MSUB men’s soccer team has been selected as preseason conference favorite by the league coaches.  The Jackets received 23 points and three first place votes, edging out Western Washington by two points overall and one first place vote for the top spot.  Following the Vikings is Seattle Pacific who received 15 points after a 7-6-3 record and a 2-3-3 record in conference play.  Saint Martin’s was tabbed fourth with 10 points after going 3-16 last season and Northwest Nazarene was picked fifth as a first year men’s soccer program with six points.  Points are awarded on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis.

LISTEN TO COACH MCNALLY
Head coach Dan McNally’s weekly coaches show will be uploaded to the website every Wednesday.  Click on audio library from the front page and select men’s soccer to hear the weekly show.

TEAM NATIONAL RANKINGS
The Yellowjackets are ranked nationally in a number of areas.  The Jackets are 38th in scoring offense at 2.27 per game, 43rd in team goals against average (1.08), 42nd in shutout percentage (0.36) and 78th in save percentage (0.755).

WWW.MSUBILLINGS.EDU/ATHLETICS
Montana State Billings launched a newly redesigned website in August.  The new website features improved navigation, improved layout and a crisper look.  Log on and checkout the new www.msubillings.edu/athletics for all MSUB athletic information.