BILLINGS, Mont. -- A pair of first half goal were too much to overcome for the Montana State University Billings men's soccer team as the Yellowjackets dropped a 2-1 decision to visiting Western Washington University Saturday afternoon at Yellowjacket Field.

 

The Yellowjackets dropped to 2-6-0 overall and are now 0-4-0 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play. The Vikings improved leveled their record to 3-3-0 on the year and are now 2-1-0 in the conference.

 

“It was a very difficult loss for us today,” said head coach Dan McNally. “We're really having a rough year right now and today's a classic example of that. We outshot Western Washington and really lost a match we could've won. It's a difficult moment for us, but we have to show as a team is a collective spirit and come out in the final matches and pick up some wins and finish the season in a positive way. The one difficult part of our season is that we have so many injuries to our older players that we're having to use a lot of our younger players that don't have a lot of experience.”

 

The first Viking goal came off a deflection when Kellan Brown fired a shot from point blank that MSUB keeper Spencer Miele saved, but Andrew Weishaar was there to put home the rebound for his second goal of the season in the 25^th minute.

 

Western Washington again scored in the 38^th minute when Oscar Jimenez found a freshly subbed Caden Sowers in space and Sowers streaked down the middle of the pitch and beat Miele to his right for his first goal of the year.

 

The Jackets countered back in the 54^th minute when Matt Brink took the ball down the far side of the pitch and Viking keeper Keegan Rodgers bobbled the ball and junior Thomas Sheets was there to drill the ball into the back of the net for his second goal of the season.

 

With momentum on their side, MSUB had a chance in the 55^th minute when Clifton Thomas sent a ball toward goal and Rodgers turned it away to keep the Vikings ahead.

 

The Vikings continued to apply pressure down the stretch and used long clearances to keep the ball on the Yellowjackets side of the pitch.

 

MSUB held a decisive edge in total shots 13-6 and shots on goal at 6-4. The Yellowjackets also held a 8-6 advantage in corner kicks.

 

Miele made two saves in taking the loss to fall to 1-1-0 on the year, while Rogers made five saves in earning his second victory of the season to up his record to 2-0-0 on the year.