BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State Billings men's soccer team returns home to host Great Northwest Athletic Conference rivals, Seattle Pacific and Saint Martin's, this week at Yellowjacket Field.  The Yellowjackets and the Falcons battle at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, while MSUB takes on Saint Martin's Saturday at 1 p.m.  Saturday's game is the first of a doubleheader with the MSUB women's team as part of the Ninth Annual Futbol Frenzy. 

The Futbol Frenzy festivities begin with a BBQ prior to the 1 p.m. kick Saturday as all MSUB students with a valid school ID will be able to eat the BBQ for free.  Non-MSUB students will be charged just $5 for the BBQ.  General admission tickets for the game are $5, while senior citizen tickets are $3.  Students in grades 7-12 also are admitted into the game for $3, as well as MSUB faculty and staff.  MSUB students with a valid school ID are free, as well as students in grades K-6 and below. 

MSUB enters the week with a 5-2-1 record and a 1-1 mark in conference play and are currently tied for third in the league standings.  Seattle Pacific enters with a 1-4-2 record and is 1-0-1 in conference play.  Saint Martin's, who hosts Northwest Nazarene before heading to Billings, is 3-4 overall and 0-1 in conference play.

Last week, MSUB went 1-1 in the conference opening weekend as it suffered a heartbreaking 3-1 loss at GNAC newcomer and NAIA No. 1-ranked Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.  The Jackets then rebounded with a crucial conference road win at Western Washington for the second consecutive season. 

SFU scored an early goal just 12 minutes in for a 1-0 lead.  However, the never give up Yellowjackets continued to fight and scored the equalizer in the 77^th minute as senior James Henry scored on a header off a corner kick from senior Chris Andre (Billings, MT, Senior HS).  It was Henry's first goal of his career.  SFU then added two goals in the span of less than three minutes for the 3-1 win. 

The Jackets then played one of their best games of the season, thus far, as they downed Western Washington 3-2 in Bellingham, Wash.  The three goals by MSUB were the most against the Vikings in school history and it was the second consecutive road win for the Jackets over WWU in as many seasons.  Andre led the way with a goal and an assist in the contest.  MSUB held a 1-0 lead at halftime, but the Vikings tied it early in the second half.  Andre and junior Peter Davies (London, England, Foothill College) scored goals about 13 minutes apart for a 3-1 lead.  WWU scored a late goal for the 3-2 final.  Prior to the last two trips to Bellingham, MSUB was 0-7 all-time.

The Yellowjackets are led this season by Andre who leads the team with five goals, three assists and 13 points.  He is tied for the lead in the conference in total points (13) and ranks 27^th nationally.  Andre has two game winning goals and is a perfect 2 for 2 in penalty kicks.

Second on the team in scoring is sophomore Thomas Sheets (Everett, WA, Edmonds Community College) who has three goals and one assist for seven points.  He also has one game winner.  Davies is tied for the team lead in assists with three and has one goal on the year.  Freshman Tyler Currence (Billings, MT, Creighton University) has two scores, while junior Garion Holian (Missoula, MT, Hellgate HS), sophomore Cory Champney (Billings, MT, Skyview HS) and senior James Henry (Coeur d'Alene, ID, Lake City HS) each have scored a goal.

As a team, the Jackets have scored 14 goals this season with 11 assists for 39 points.  MSUB has fired 123 shots with 61 on goal for a .496 shots on goal average and a .113 shooting average.  Conversely, the opponents have scored 11 goals with six assists for 28 points.  They have 100 shots and a .110 shooting average to go along with 49 shots on goal and a .490 average. 

MSUB has done most of its damage in the second half, thus far.  The Jackets have outscored their opponents 10-7 in the second half and are tied in first half goals at 4-4.  In addition, the Yellowjackets have more shots in the second half (63 to 58) and more corner kicks (20 to 13) in second half.

Between the posts, senior Matt Mitchell (Thornton, CO, Northglenn HS) has played all 740 minutes with a 1.34 goals against average which leads the league.  He has surrendered 11 goals and has stopped 38 attempts for a .776 save percentage.  Mitchell has a 5-2-1 record and two shutouts.  He also stopped a penalty kick this season in a neutral site contest with Dixie State earlier in the year.  MSUB then scored a late goal against the Red Storm for a 1-0 victory.

The Seattle Pacific Falcons are led by Tyler Schultz who leads the team with two goals and one assist for five points.  He has 19 shots with 10 on goal and one game winner.  Blaine Carver, Elliot Morton and Andy Wolverton each have one goal, while Brandon Kuenzi and Corey McGuire each have one assist.

As a team the Falcons have scored five goals with three assist for 13 points.  They have 90 shots with 44 on goal.  The opponents, on the other hand, have scored 11 goals with nine assist for 31 points.  They have 117 shots with 53 on goal. 

In goal, Zach Johnson has played all 672:05 minutes, allowing 11 goals and stopping 39 shots.  He carries a 1.47 goals against average and has two shutouts on the year. 

SPU owns a 6-3-2 record in the series, but has never won in Billings where the Yellowjackets lead 1-0-1.  The teams played to a 1-1 draw last season at Yellowjacket Field.  SPU won the return game 4-1 in Seattle. 

Saint Martin's is led by Xan Nixon who leads the team with three goals and one assist for seven points.  Ruben Orozco is second on the team in scoring with two goals and one assist for five points.  Orozco leads the team with 20 shots, while Nixon has two game winners.  Dylan Gaydosh also has two scores and one assist on the year. 

As a team, the Saints have scored 10 goals with seven assists for 27 points.  They have 70 shots and a .143 shooting percentage.  The opponents also have 10 goals and seven assists and have fired 89 shots for a .112 average. 

It basically has been goalkeeper by committee for SMU this season as three different players have seen action between the posts.  Zac Lubin has played the most with four starts and 360 minutes logged.  He has a 1.75 goals against average with 15 saves and a 1-3 record.  Lubin has one shutout on the year.  TJ Young has three starts with a 2-1 record in 255 minutes.  Young has a 1.06 goals against average with 13 saves.  Chad Schmidt has seen 15 minutes of action with two saves.

MSUB leads the all-time series with SMU 4-2.  MSUB won a 1-0 decision in Lacey, Wash., last year, but dropped a heartbreaking 2-1, double overtime home loss Oct. 29.  Nixon scored off an assist from Vlad Voin at the 109:33 mark, just 27 seconds before the game would have ended in a tie.