Box Score
BILLINGS, Mont. – After 81 minutes of near misses, Montana State Billings freshman,
Heidi Greenback (Woodinville, WA, Woodinville HS), finally cashed in from inside the 18 yard box for her first career goal, and gave MSUB a 1-0 win over PacWest favorite, Dixie State College, Friday evening at Yellowjacket Field. The win came in game one of the Eighth Annual MSUB Cup Presented By Best Western Clock Tower Inn.
Greenback made a run through the middle of the Red Storm defense and was fed a great ball from senior Samantha Sandau (Billings, MT, Billings West HS) at the top of the 18. Greenback then made a turn to her right around a defender and snuck the ball past April Beck into the lower right corner to break a 0-0 tie.
“I thought we did a great job of competing for 90 minutes tonight,” said MSUB head coach, Don Trentham. “We were able to continuously keep pressure on Dixie State, while also defending really well against their attack. As a result we were able to find a way to get the ball in the back of the net and get a deserving win tonight. It was a great way to start the season, and the goal was a great ball from Samantha (Sandau) and Heidi (Greenback) had a great turn and showed a lot of composure in her first game as a freshman in a tie game.”
The Yellowjackets started the game with a lot of pressure from the attacking forwards as Jennifer Larsen (Mesa, AZ, Mountain View HS) fired the first shot on goal in the fourth minute, but had it saved by Beck. One of the best shots for the Jackets in the first half came when Lauren Anderson (Ridgefield, WA, Ridgefield HS) served a beautiful ball into the box off the right corner and had Larsen head the ball toward the goal, but again Beck came up big for the Red Storm.
Anderson also had a chance on goal as the half wound down when she drove the ball from the left side of the 18 off the chest of Beck, but the rebound went wide. It was one of three shots on goal by the Jackets in the half.
Defensively the Yellowjackets kept the Red Storm at bay for the first half, allowing just three shots, two on goal. MSUB didn't allow a corner kick in the half either, as they struck for four of their own.
The second half saw much of the same as the Jackets came out putting pressure on the Dixie State defense and not allowing the Red Storm to do much on offense. MSUB saw plenty of chances with through balls into the open space, but was unable to connect on chances.
The Jackets had six shots in the second half before Greenback was able to give the Yellowjackets the game-winner. MSUB finished the game with 14 shots, seven on goal, and created chances with 11 corner kicks, while allowing just one for Dixie State.
MSUB senior goalkeeper, Jordan Fenwick (Boise, ID, Boise HS), recorded her first shutout of the season after facing five shots on goal. Dixie State was unable to get a clear shot against Fenwick as the defense stymied the Red Storm most of the evening.
The Yellowjackets will take two days off before returning to the field to host the University of Mary in the final game of the MSUB Cup on Monday, Sept. 6, at 1 p.m. Dixie State will be back on the pitch tomorrow evening when they take on the University of Mary in game two of the MSUB Cup at 5 p.m. at Yellowjacket Field.
