Women's Soccer Returns Home

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BRIEFLY
MSUB returns home looking to get back on the winning track after two tough road losses last week.  The Jackets stand at 7-6 overall and 2-4 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.  The Jackets host Northwest Nazarene Thursday and play cross-town rival Rocky Mountain Saturday in the seventh annual Rimrock Cup. 

SCOUTING MSUB
The Montana State Billings Yellowjacket women’s soccer team enters the week with a 7-6 record and a 2-4 record in conference play.  The Jackets dropped their first two conference games at home by a margin of 5-0, then scored five goals en route to defeating Saint Martin’s 3-2 in overtime and defeating Western Oregon 2-1.  MSUB played No. 13 Western Washington to a 1-0 score for 89:30 and fell 2-0, then dropped a heartbreaking 2-1 decision at Central Washington last week.

Leading the way for the Jackets this season is Kari Foreman, who has four goals and eight points thus far.  She is third on the team with 21 shots and second on the team with 13 on goal and has two games winners.  Melissa Carlson is second on the team with three goals and two assists.   Mandy Ploskonka leads the team with four assists and one goal.  Seven different Yellowjackets have scored goals this season.

In goal, the Jackets are led by Jordan Fenwick who has played and started in 12 games.  She has a 6-4 record with three shutouts to go along with a 1.81 goals against average and 61 saves.  She has allowed 21 goals on the year.  Brittany Knudtzon earned her first start of the season against Western Oregon and carries a 1-0 record with a 0.62 gaa and seven saves.  She has played in a total of three games this season.

RECAPPING LAST WEEK
After two impressive conference victories to even its record at 2-2, the women’s soccer team had the difficult task of traveling to No. 13 Western Washington.  The Jackets were down 1-0 through 89 minutes of the game and WWU scored a late goal for a 2-0 victory.  MSUB then looked to avenge an early season loss at Central Washington.  The Jackets got down 1-0 right before the half, but a quick goal to begin the second half evened the score.  CWU scored the game winner on a penalty kick. 

SCOUTING NORTHWEST NAZARENE
The Crusaders enter the game with a 1-11-1 record overall and a 0-5 record in conference play.  NNU has lost six straight and been outscored 27-4 during that span.  The lone goal for the Crusaders came against the College of Idaho, a 2-0 home decision Sept. 17.

The Crusaders are led by Stacey Beckman who leads the team with three goals and six points.  She also is tied for second on the team in shots with 15.  Marie Smith has two goals and four points, while Hallah Mohs and Molly Tipton lead the team with two assists each.

In goal, Pip Herman leads the way as she has played and started every game.  She has 60 saves to go along with a 3.48 goals against average. 
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
The all-time series is tied 3-3-1.  MSUB won the last meeting, a 4-0 decision on Oct. 25, 2007, in Billings and won in Nampa as well last season.  The Jackets out-scored NNU 7-1 in two games last season. 

SCOUTING ROCKY MOUNTAIN
The Battlin’ Bears enter the week with an 8-3 record.  The Bears will play Westminster College at the COT Field Thursday, prior to MSUB’s game versus NNU.  The Jackets and the Bears battle Saturday at 3:30 p.m.

Leading the way for the Battlin’ Bears is Abby Jenkins and Anna Clark who each have seven goals on the year.  Clark  is second on the team with five assists, while Allie Beckers leads the team with eight assists. In goal, Vanessa Peters leads the way as she has 25 saves in 10 games and a 1.10 goals against average. 

THE SEVENTH ANNUAL RIMROCK CUP
The Yellowjackets lead the all-time series, 9-6-1 and have a 4-1-1 record in the past six games.  Last season, MSUB posted a 2-1 victory over the Bears as Chelsea Libby scored the first goal 34 minutes in and Mandy Ploskonka added the game winner in the 62nd minute.  It was the fourth win in the last five games for the Jackets against Rocky.  MSUB leads the Rimrock Cup with a record of 5-4-1 all-time and have out-scored the Bears 23-18 with a 1-2 record in overtime. 

SENIOR DAY
Prior to the game against Rocky Saturday, the Jackets will honor three outstanding seniors who all have had impressive careers.  Saturday will be the second to final home game for Melissa Carlson, Mandy Ploskonka and Sara Gress.  Entering the week, this class has a 40-27-4 record in their career. 

CLUTCH JACKETS
The Yellowjackets scored two goals in the last seven minutes of regulation and scored a goal in overtime for a dramatic 3-2 victory over Saint Martin’s Oct. 2.  It was the Yellowjackets’ first conference victory of the season.  Even more impressive, the Jackets scored the equalizer with just 19 seconds left in regulation and won the game with 23 seconds left in the first overtime. 

VALENTINE’S DAY
Sophomore Carly Valentine scored her first collegiate assist Oct. 2 in a 3-2 victory over Saint Martin’s.  She followed that up with the equalizing goal in the first half of a 2-1 victory over Western Oregon Oct. 4.  Her goal came just 75 seconds after WOU took a 1-0 lead. 

FOREMAN NAMED POW AGAIN
Sophomore midfielder Kari Foreman was named co-GNAC Player of the Week Oct. 6, her second time this season.  Foreman scored two goals helping the Jackets to a 2-0 record in conference play last week.  Foreman scored the equalizing goal with 19 seconds left in regulation and scored the game winner with 23 seconds left in the first overtime in a 3-2 victory over Saint Martin’s Oct. 2.  Foreman leads the team with four goals on the year.  This week Foreman shares the honor with Jill Jensen who scored five goals last week for Saint Martin’s. 

TAKE IT TO THE CORNER
The Yellowjackets have 44 corner kicks this season compared to 39 by the opponents.  However, MSUB has a 27-12 lead in corner kicks in the second half and the opponents have a 26-16 advantage in the first half.

PENALTY FREE JACKETS
Not one Yellowjacket player has been 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 Trentham’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 AGAIN
Four of the seven Yellowjacket wins this season have been in late dramatic fashion, including the last four.  MSUB posted 1-0 victories over Mary and Carroll College with late goals and then scored three goals in the final 17 minutes of regulation and overtime to beat Saint Martin’s.  MSUB also needed to come from behind to defeat Western Oregon Saturday.

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 check out the new www.msubillings.edu/athletics for all MSUB athletic information.