BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State Billings women's soccer team begins its inaugural run into the NCAA Division II Women's Soccer Tournament Thursday afternoon at Seattle Pacific's Interbay Stadium against Cal State L.A. at 3 p.m.
The Yellowjackets enter the playoffs with a 12-5-1 record overall and earned the fifth seed in the west region. The Jackets finished the season in second place in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference after posting a 9-5-0 conference record.
Cal State L.A. enters the tournament as the four seed with a record of 15-3-1 overall and a 13-3-0 record in the California Collegiate Athletic Association. The Golden Eagles finished second at the CCAA Tournament, losing to San Francisco State in the title game on penalty-kicks, 3-1.
The Yellowjackets have seen a steady rate of production from numerous players this season, as 10 different players have scored goals and 12 players have recorded assists. All-GNAC Honorable Mention selection Heidi Greenback (Woodinville, WA) has a team-high seven goals with three assists for 17 points.
Kari Foreman (Lakewood, CO), a first team All-GNAC selection, is second in scoring with 14 points (5 goals and 4 assists), while Jennifer Larsen (Mesa, AZ), honorable mention honoree, and Jaucelyn Richter (Billings, MT), second team selection, have each scored 11 points with a combined eight goals and six assists.
MSUB currently has a .602 shots on goal average after firing 115 shots on goal and scoring 29 goals. The Jackets have out shot opponents 191-152 this season. The Jacket offense is scoring 1.61 goals per match and taking 10.6 shots per match.
Defensively the Yellowjackets have seen solid performances by a back line led by seniors Samantha Boehm (Wilsonville, OR) (1st team All-GNAC) and Lauren Anderson (Ridgefield, WA) (HM All-GNAC). The defense has recorded eight total shutouts this season and limited opponents to a .461 shots on goal average.
Freshman Sabrina Grandke-Bawab (Kirkland, WA) has been clutch in goal this year for MSUB, recording a 9-3-1 record overall and recording seven shutouts. She has a 0.78 goals against average and a .778 save percentage after making 42 stops on the season.
The Yellowjackets have been dominant in the second half this season. MSUB is out shooting opponents 95-71 in the second half this season, and have outscored the opposition 18-5 in the half.
Cal State L.A. has been led by Liz Franco and Ann Marie Tangorra this season, scoring 38 points apiece. Both players have scored 14 goals and acquired 10 assists this season. Franco leads the team in shots, firing 82 shots, 39 on goal, for a .476 shots on goal percentage.
Three other players have reached double-digit points this season for the Golden Eagles. Stacey Rodwell has three goals and a team-high 11 assists for 17 points. Alex Conley has six goals and four assists on the year for 16 points, while Lisa Ohberg has 12 points (3 goals, 6 assists).
Gabriella Batmani has been the steady presents between the posts for CSULA this season, playing in 16 matches, starting 15. Batmani has allowed 14 goals and carries a 0.85 goals against average, while making 54 saves during the year and carrying a .795 saves percentage. Batmani is 12-3-1 on the season and has six shutouts.
CSULA has outscored opponents 46-16 this season and has out shot opponents 297-178. The Golden Eagles are shooting .155 in total shots and .525 in shots on goal. Opponents have been held to a .090 shooting percentage and a .455 shots on goal percentage.
The Jackets and Golden Eagles kickoff at 3 p.m. local time and the game can be seen via live stats through Seattle Pacific's website at: http://www.sidearmstats.com/spu/wsoc/index.htm. The winner will take on Seattle Pacific at 1 p.m. Saturday afternoon in Seattle.
