BILLINGS, Mont. -- Seventh year head coach Dan McNally is testing his 2011 Montana State Billings men's soccer squad early on with a pair of stiff non-conference matches Thursday and Saturday afternoon in Durango, Colo., as the Yellowjackets play Fort Lewis College and Hawaii Pacific.

 

The Yellowjackets are slated to take on the 2009 Division II National Champion Skyhawks Thursday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. on their home field. MSUB will then play HPU Saturday afternoon in a neutral site match at 4 p.m.

 

McNally saw major improvements in his team's performance throughout the preseason as the Yellowjackets went 3-0-0 in their exhibition matches. The offense exploded late in their final two matches, scoring nine of their 10 goals in the second half of each match.

 

The Jackets return two of their top-three scorers from a season ago in Thomas Sheets and Garion Holian who combined for eight goals and three assists. Defender Conner Moe – a 2010 second team All-GNAC selection – will anchor a back line that is looking to improve on the 27 goals allowed last season.

 

The Skyhawks are coming off an 11-5-4 season in which they lost in penalty kicks to Colorado Mines in the RMAC Championship game. FLC was picked to finish second in the conference this season and trying to capture their third national title in school history.

 

In order to score, MSUB will have to contend with Fabian Kling, the preseason RMAC Defensive Player of the Year. Last season Kling was a third team All-American on both the NSCAA/Performance Subaru list and the Daktronics list.

 

Kling was also the team's leading scorer a season ago with eight goals as the Skyhawks netted 49 on the season, while opponents scored just 20. FLC boasts eight seniors that are looking to add to their legacy in Durango.

 

The Skyhawks won the only matchup between the two schools in 2008, defeating MSUB 2-1 on Sept. 23, in Durango.

 

Hawaii Pacific will also challenge the Yellowjackets when the two meet on Saturday as the Sea Warriors are coming off a 12-6-0 record from a season ago. They also return their first-ever NSCAA All-American in midfielder/forward Chance Bukoski.

 

Bukoski led the Sea Warriors last season with 13 goals and eight assists, tallying 34 points on the year. That was on a team that outscored opponents 42-18 and fired 245 shots during the season.

 

HPU leads the all-time series with the Yellowjackets, winning the only two meeting between the two schools. The last meeting was a 7-0 loss in Hawaii back in 2000.

 

The Yellowjackets will return home after the road trip to prepare for their home debut against the University of Mary on Sept. 8, at 4:30 p.m.