Box Score
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BILLINGS, Mont. – Two goals by Montana State Billings senior captain, Chris Andre (Billings, MT, Senior HS), proved to be the difference as the Yellowjackets bounced back with a 2-0 shutout of visiting University of Mary on Saturday afternoon at Yellowjacket Field. With the victory, the Yellowjackets improved to 4-1-1 on the year, while the Marauders fell to 0-6.
“Big win for us today, we controlled the game from start to finish,” MSUB head coach Dan McNally said. It was our fourth game in seven days, so to play with that energy and enthusiasm was excellent. We have made a positive start to the season.”
Andre led the way with two goals as he has four scores on the year to lead the team. Junior Peter Davies (London, England, Foothill College) and sophomore Conner Moe (Snohomish, WA, Bellevue Community College) led the team with four shots each, Davies led with three shots on goal. Senior Ryan Covey (Phoenix, AZ, Central Connecticut State) added the assist on the game winner. MSUB outshot the Marauders 14-6 and 7-4 in shots on goal.
MSUB senior goalkeeper, Matt Mitchell (Thornton, CO, Northglenn HS), tallied his second shutout of the season as he made four saves.
Mary was led by four shots and three on goal from Nikola Nikolic. Billings native, Derek Luptak, tallied five saves and two goals against between the posts for the Marauders.
The Marauders came out with a good scoring opportunity as Nikolic hit the crossbar 16 minutes into the contest. Just over three minutes later, Andre scored his first goal as Covey chipped a pass to Andre on the left side at the top of the box. Andre fired a bullet to the upper right corner of the net past a diving Luptak for the game winner and a 1-0 lead at the 19:18 mark.
The game was 1-0 at halftime. During the intermission, a number of the 52 International students at MSUB were honored at midfield as a season-high 233 fans looked on. The students carried and presented flags of their respective countries at midfield. Students attend MSUB from Canada, Peru, Chile, Germany, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, India, China, Korea, Vietnam and Japan.
In addition, McNally has five players on his team from different countries, including himself. He, Blair Stevenson (Edinburgh, Scotland, James Gillespies HS), Jak Purkiss (Retford, England, Queen Elizabeth's HS) and Pete Davies all are from Great Britain, while Joshua Marocchi (Perth, Western Australia, University of Notre Dame Fremantle) and Nick Knowlman (Brisbane, Australia, Brisbane Boys' College) are from Australia.
From there, fans had at opportunity to participate in the first Crossbar Challenge as they had the chance to kick a soccer ball from the top of the box and try and hit the crossbar for 1$ and win a prize. All proceeds went to the programs supported by the International Studies department at MSUB.
MSUB began to open it up in the second half and got more good looks. The Jackets outshot Mary 9-2 in the second half alone.
At the 71:22 mark, Conner Moe was fouled in the box setting up a penalty kick for the Jackets. Andre converted the kick for his second made penalty kick of the season for a 2-0 lead. It was Andre's third goal of the week as he scored against Adams State Monday.
The Yellowjackets open Great Northwest Athletic Conference play next week at GNAC newcomer Simon Fraser Thurs., Sept. 23 at 7:30 p.m. Pacific time in Burnaby, British Columbia. The Jackets then travel to Western Washington for a 7 p.m. start Sept. 25. MSUB then returns home to host rival Seattle Pacific Sept. 30 at 4:30 p.m. in the second game of a doubleheader at Yellowjacket Field.
