Five Named to GNAC Women’s Soccer All-League Team; Gress Named First Team

BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State Billings women’s soccer team had five players named to the 2008 Great Northwest Athletic All-Conference team, the league office announced Tuesday.  Senior defender Sara Gress became the first MSUB women’s soccer player to earn GNAC first team honors since the Yellowjackets joined the league in 2007. 

In addition to Gress, sophomore midfielder Kari Foreman was named to the second team, while sophomore forward Ali Gamberg, senior midfielder Mandy Ploskonka and freshman defender MyKenzie Deverell were honorable mention selections.

Seattle Pacific’s Meredith Teague was named Player of the Year, while WWU’s head coach Travis Connell was named Coach of the Year.  Saint Martin’s Jill Jensen was named Newcomer of the Year and Melinda Ingalls of Western Oregon was tabbed Freshman of the Year to round out the specialty awards.

Gress, a co-captain, helped lead the Yellowjackets to a 10-10 record overall and a 5-7 record in league play this season.  She anchored a defense that had five shutouts which was the most since 2006.  Individually, she was the only Yellowjacket to play every minute this season.  Gress scored two goals and had the game winner in a 2-1 victory at Saint Martin’s Oct. 25.  She also scored in a 4-0 victory over Northwest Nazarene Oct. 16.

She will leave MSUB as the all-time leader in starts with 75, topping Ally Stroup who had 74 starts from 2003-2006.  In addition, Gress also will leave as the all-time leader in games played with 78, three more than Amy Stephens who played from 2004-2007.  Gress finishes her career tied for 20th all-time in school history in scoring with 13 points (five goals and three assists).

Foreman led the team with five goals this season and had two game winners.  She was named GNAC Player of the Week twice.  Foreman tallied 12 points on the year with two assists.  She played and started in 18 games.  She scored two of the three goals in a 3-2 come-from-behind victory over Saint Martin’s Oct. 2.  The Jackets were down 2-0 with seven minutes to play and Foreman scored the equalizer with 19 seconds left in regulation and had the game winner with 23 seconds left in the first overtime.  It was the ‘Jackets’ first conference victory of the season.

Gamberg was in instrumental force for the Yellowjackets this season as she tied with Ploskonka for the lead in scoring with 13 points.  Gamberg had four goals and tied for the team lead with Ploskonka and Samantha Sandau with five assists.  Gamberg caught fire toward the end of the season as she scored points in five of the final eight games, including three-straight games with goals.  She led the team in shots with 38 and shots on goal with 25.

Ploskonka also had 13 points this season on four goals and five assists to tie for the team lead.  She had two game winners with 37 shots and 15 on goal.  In addition, she was the only Yellowjacket to attempt a penalty kick this season and converted.

The senior co-captain leaves MSUB as the fifth all-time scorer with 49 points (17 goals, 15 assists).  She also ranks fifth all-time in goals with 17 and moved into third all-time in assists with 15.  She finishes second all-time in games played with 76 and tied with Stroup for second in starts with 74.

Deverell will be a force to be reckoned with next season as she helped the defense immensely this season.  She was one of five Yellowjackets to play and start all 20 games and was third on the team in minutes with 1707.  She had five shots and three on goal.

In addition to Deverell, Ploskonka, Gamberg, Gress and sophomore Carly Valentine all played and started in all 20 games.

2008 GREAT NORTHWEST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE WOMEN’S SOCCER ALL-STAR TEAM         

Second Team       Pos.        Ht.          Cl.           Hometown

+Jill Jensen, Saint Martin’s                F              5-8          So.          Puyallup, WA
+Jocelyn Charette, Seattle Pacific    F              5-10        Jr.            Lakewood, WA
*Claire Morgan, Western Washington            F              5-8          So.          Bellingham, WA
*+Meredith Teague, Seattle Pacific M            5-4          Sr.           Redmond, WA
*+Shannon Oakes, Seattle Pacific   M            5-5          Sr.           Boise, ID
Lynde Clarke, Central Washington M            5-3          Sr.           Albuquerque, NM
Kelly Irving, Western Washington   M            5-6          Jr.            Gig Harbor, WA
*+Katie Warner, Western Washington            D             5-8          Sr.           Burlington, WA
+Claire Grubbs, Seattle Pacific         D             5-9          Sr.           Sterling, VA
Sara Gress, Montana State Billings  D             5-9          Sr.           Boise, ID
+Kyle Broadbent, Western Washington         GK          5-9          Sr.           Spokane, WA
   +Unanimous  *Repeater 

Second Team       Pos.        Ht.          Cl.           Hometown
Melinda Ingalls, Western Oregon     F              5-7          Fr.           Wilsonville, OR
Amanda Johnson, Seattle Pacific    F              5-7          So.          Duvall, WA
Molly Shannon, Western Washington             F              5-10        So.          Bellingham, WA
Kim Bowen, Northwest Nazarene    M            5-3          So.          Nampa, ID
Kaycie Hutchins, Central Washington            M            5-7          So.          Port Orchard, WA
Jessica Wilson, Saint Martin’s           M            5-8          Sr.           Redlands, CA
Janae Godoy, Seattle Pacific            M            5-4          Jr.            Yakima, WA
Kari Foreman, Montana State Billings           M            5-5          So.          Lakewood, CO
Monique Thees, Western Oregon     D             5-8          Fr.           Camano Island, WA
Jessica Andrews, Central Washington             D             5-5          Jr.            Spanaway, WA
Katie Taylor, Seattle Pacific             D             5-6          Sr.           Vancouver, WA
Amber Easterbrook, Central Washington       GK          5-5          Jr.            Kent, WA

Honorable Mention           Pos.        Ht.          Cl.           Hometown
Allison Gamberg, MSU Billings         F              5-5          So.          Lakewood, CO
Stacey Beckman, Northwest Nazarene          F              5-7          So.          Olympia, WA
Lucy Miller, Western Washington    F              5-2          Jr.            Pacific Palisades
Naomi Shimabuka, Western Oregon               M            5-2          So.          Aoea, HI
Kayci Donnatelli, Saint Martin’s      M            5-9          So.          Seattle, WA
Mandy Ploskonka, Montana State Billings   M            5-5          Sr.           Federal Way, WA
Hannah Bridges, Central Washington             M            5-6          Sr.           Federal Way, WA
Maggie Kuzmer, Western Oregon    M            5-6          Sr.           Vancouver, WA
Stephanie Janigo, Western Washington          M            5-4          Jr.            Bellingham, WA
Savanna Hanson, Seattle Pacific     M            5-8          Fr.           Centennial, CO
Jessie Cahill, Northwest Nazarene    D             5-5          Fr.           Henderson, NV
Cayla Dixon, Saint Martin’s             D             5-2          So.          Federal Way, WA
Brynn Regan, Western Washington D             5-9          Jr.            Mercer Island, WA
Hillary Franks, Central Washington                D             5-9          Fr.           Yakima, WA
Mykenzie Deverell, Montana State Billings   D             5-3          Fr.           Camas, WA
Ashley Engel, Saint Martin’s             GK          5-9          Fr.           Burien, WA

GNAC  Player-of-the-Year – Meredith Teague, Seattle Pacific
GNAC Newcomer-of-the-Year – Jill Jensen, Saint Martin’s
GNAC Freshman-of-the-Year – Melinda Ingalls, Western Oregon
GNAC Coach-of-the-Year – Travis Connell, Western Washington