Yellowjackets Drop Double Overtime Heartbreaker, 2-1

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BILLINGS, Mont. – A goal by Colorado State-Pueblo’s Erik Anderson in the 105th minute propelled the visiting ThunderWolves to a hard-fought, 2-1 victory over Montana State Billings Thursday evening at Yellowjacket Field.  With the loss, the Yellowjackets fell to 3-2 on the year, while CSUP improved to 3-1.

“We played well below our usual high standards tonight,” MSUB head coach Dan McMally said.  “When that happens, sometimes you lose the game and tonight wasn’t our night.  The majority of the players didn’t perform and now we have to recover and get ready for Sunday’s game against the University of Mary.”

MSUB senior Sam Charles recorded his seventh goal of the season and senior defender Tom Milroy had his second career assist.  Junior Chris Andre led the way with four shots as MSUB tallied 18 shots for the game to 13 for CSUP.  The ThunderWolves had a 9-7 lead in shots on goal.

CSUP opened the scoring in the 14th minute as Brenden Hughes took a Robert Kinsey pass on a cross from the left 18 to the back of the net for the early 1-0 lead.

In the 30th minute, Charles took a long pass from Milroy and fired on CSUP goalkeeper, Chris Smith, who blocked the ball but couldn’t corral it and Charles had an easy shot to the right post to knot the game at one.  It was Milroy’s first assist since he hooked up with Charles in the first goal of a thrilling, 2-1 victory over Saint Martin’s last season (Oct. 2, 2008). 

Both Smith and Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Week, Matt Mitchell, each had six saves in goal.

The game remained 1-1 heading into halftime. 

In the second half, both teams had a number of good looks, but both goalkeepers were up to the challenge.  It seemed as if the momentum would switch back and forth every 5-10 minutes in the second half as each team would go on the attack and the other would then answer with a good attack.

Normally MSUB creates multiple corner kick opportunities, but tonight it was the ThunderWolves with the majority of the corners as they held a 6-1 lead in that department.  In addition, the Yellowjacket defense staved off back-to-back corner opportunities for CSUP with just over 10 minutes left to preserve the 1-1 tie. 

In the overtimes the Yellowjackets dominated much of the possession and shots to the tune of 7-2.  The Yellowjackets had a number of good looks in overtime, but were unable to convert.

CSUP threw the ball in on the right side in the 105th minute and the ball was served into the six, which looked like a scrum in rugby with all the bodies in the area.  Anderson was able to get a toe on the ball for the game winner.

The Yellowjackets look to rebound on Sunday as they host the University of Mary at 1 p.m.  This season ALL MSUB home men’s and women’s soccer games will be FREE on the internet with live video and audio as the voice of the Yellowjackets, Ken Adelblue, will have the call.