Box Score
SEATTLE – The Montana State Billings women's soccer team was unable to overcome a pair of first half goals Thursday, dropping a 3-0 decision to the #19 ranked Falcons of Seattle Pacific in both teams' Great Northwest Athletic Conference opener.
The Yellowjackets dropped to 3-1-1 on the year and 0-1 in the GNAC, while the Falcons improved to 4-0-1 this season and 1-0 in the conference.
“The effort was definitely there tonight,” said head coach Don Trentham. “The difference in the game was that they were able to take advantage of their opportunities and we weren't. They didn't make a defensive mistake all game long and unfortunately, we did.”
The game started as a defensive battle, but SPU found the back of the net in the 22nd minute with a corner kick from Kendall Thoreson that found an open Brittany Langdon who directed the ball into the net, giving SPU a 1-0 lead.
The Falcons struck again just seven minutes later as Kellie Zakrzewski took a shot from 35 yards out on a breakaway. She played the ball into the right side of the goal at 28:45 past MSUB keeper, Jordan Fenwick (Boise, ID, Boise HS).
The final goal came in the 88th minute when Kelsey Jenkins got a cross from Brandi Hamre in the center of the box and knocked it in from 12 yards away.
Fenwick took the loss for the Yellowjackets, dropping to 2-1-0 on the year. Fenwick split duties with Sabrina Grandke-Bawab (Kirkland, WA, Juanita HS) in goal, neither recorded a save as the defense allowed just six shots all game, including just one shot on goal in the second half.
The Yellowjackets and Falcons each had six shots apiece, four on goal, while the Falcons held a slight 5-4 edge in the corner kicks. MSUB was called for 10 fouls while the Falcons were called for nine.
The Yellowjackets return to the pitch this Saturday to take on host, Central Washington University, in Ellensburg, Wash. Kickoff starts at 11a.m. and live stats for the match can be found at: http://www.gnacsports.com/cwulive/soccer/xlive.htm.
