Jackets Look for First Conference Victory

Game Notes in PDF Format

BRIEFLY
MSUB completes its home stand this week with two key Great Northwest Athletic Conference games beginning Thursday at 3:30 p.m. versus Saint Martin’s.  MSUB then faces Western Oregon on Saturday at 1 p.m. for Futbol Frenzy. The Jackets are looking to snap a two game skid and three of five. 

SCOUTING MSUB
The Montana State Billings Yellowjacket women’s soccer team enters the week with a 5-4 record and an 0-2 record in conference play.  The Jackets have been out-scored 5-0 in their last two games and have scored just two goals in their last five games.

Leading the way for the Jackets this season is Kari Foreman, Chelsea Libby, Melissa Carlson and Mandy Ploskonka who all have four points.  Libby, Foreman and Carlson each have two goals, while Ploskonka leads the team with four assists.

In goal, the Jackets are led by Jordan Fenwick who as played and started all nine games.  She has a 5-4 record with three shutouts to go along with a 1.77 goals against average and 41 saves.  She has allowed 15 goals on the year.  Brittany Knudtzon also has seen action with one save.

RECAPPING LAST WEEK
The Yellowjackets dropped its first two conference games of the season.  Central Washington scored two first half goals en route to a 2-0 victory.  No. 17 Seattle Pacific posted a 3-0 victory last Saturday.  The Jackets played better in the second halves of each game, but were unable to get anything across.  Six of the nine games this season have been shutouts one way or another.  

SCOUTING SAINT MARTIN’S
The Saints enter the week with a 3-5-1 record overall and a 1-1-1 record in conference play.  SMU is 1-5-1 in its last seven games after starting the season with two key upsets of perennial powers Cal State San Bernardino and Chico State.  Leading the way for the Saints this season is Jill Jensen who leads the team with four goals, five assists and 13 points.  She has 37 shots and one game winner.  Seven other Saints have scored one goal thus far.  Ashley Engel leads the team with two assists.

In goal, the Saints are led by Engel who has complied 700 minutes in goal.  She has a 1.67 goals against average with 58 saves and an .817 save percentage.  Engel has allowed 13 goals this season.

INSIDE THE SERIES
The Yellowjackets and the Saints have split two games with the both meetings last season.  The Jackets won a 6-2 decision in Billings in the first meeting and dropped a 2-0 decision in Lacey later in the season. 

SCOUTING WESTERN OREGON
The Wolves enter the week with a 4-5-1 record and an 0-1-1 record in conference play.  Western Oregon snapped a 0-4-1 skid with a 1-0 victory over Southern Oregon this past week. 

Leading the way for the Wolves this season is Melinda Ingalls who leads the team with five goals and 10 points.  She also leads the team with 20 shots and two game winners.  As a team, the Wolves only have scored seven goals in 10 games.  Kristen Werhane and Jordann Gilmer are the only other two players to have scored goals thus far.

In goal, Brittney Rigtrup has played and started in nine games.  She has a 1.27 goals against average with 46 saves and 10 goals against.  Kelsie Blachly has played in four games and started one.  She has allowed eight goals and has 14 saves with a 3.13 gaa. 

INSIDE THE SERIES
Western Oregon owns a 2-1 record in the series.  The teams split two games last season with both teams winning at home.  WOU won the first meeting, Sept. 11, 2000.

FUTBOL FRENZY SCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY
Saturday, Oct. 4 is the annual Futbol Frenzy event held at the College of Technology Field.  There will be a free student BBQ beginning at 12:40 and students must have their ID.  The BBQ is $8 for the general public and $5 for faculty and staff.  Faculty and staff get into both the men’s and women’s game free with current MSUB ID.

STARTIN’ SLOW
The Yellowjackets have started games slow this season.  The opponents have out-scored the Jackets 12-3 in the opening half this season.  However, MSUB has out-scored its opponents in the second half and overtime 6-3.  In addition, the Jackets also have increased their shots and shots on goal as well as corner kicks in the second half as well.

TAKE IT TO THE CORNER
The Yellowjackets have 33 corner kicks this season compared to 32 by the opponents.  However, MSUB has a 22-9 lead in corner kicks in the second half and and the opponents have a 23-11 advantage in the first half.

FOREMAN NAMED PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Kari Foreman was named GNAC co-Player of the Week after her two goals Sept. 1.  She scored the game winner against Eastern New Mexico in a 3-0 victory and scored the equalizing goal against Fort Lewis as the Jackets went on for a 2-1 overtime victory.

PENALTY FREE JACKETS
Not one Yellowjacket player has bee carded through seven games this season.  MSUB had just four during the 2007 season, but two were in the first six games.   

LISTEN TO COACH TRENTHAM
Head coach Don Trenham’s weekly coaches show will be uploaded to the website every Wednesday.  Click on audio library from the front page and select women’s soccer to hear the weekly show.

WINNING LATE
The last two victories for MSUB have come down to the wire for the Yellowjackets.  MSUB has scored two goals in the final 10 minutes of each game to win both 1-0.  Against Mary, the Jackets scored in the 83rd minute, while MSUB defeated Carroll College last week with a goal in the 84th minute. 

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.

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.