BILLINGS, Mont. -- Playing defense throughout much of the match, sophomore Whitney Siler scored the lone goal in a 1-0 victory for the Montana State Billings women's soccer team over visiting Western Washington Saturday afternoon at Yellowjacket Field in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference contest.

 

The Yellowjackets improved to 6-1-1 on the season and are now 3-0-1 in conference play. With the loss, Western Washington dropped to 3-3-2 on the season and 2-2-0 in conference play. The Yellowjackets are now on a three-game winning streak over the Vikings after sweeping last season's contests.

 

“I thought it was a very solid win for us today,” said interim head coach Wojtek Krakowiak. “I thought we were all on the same page and our starters had a great match. It was a big win for our program, beating a very talented team like Western Washington is a good feeling. Adrienne (Biglow) made a great service and Whitney did a great job of getting her head on it.”

 

In a defensive first half that was played mostly on the Yellowjackets side of the field, Jaucelyn Richter gave MSUB its best chance of the half in the 26^th minute when she sent a ball in from 24 yards out that was just punched over the crossbar by Viking's keeper Jamie Arthurs.

 

The second half got off to an explosive start as both teams went on the attack. The Jackets had a chance in the 47^th minute when Adrienne Biglow sent a free kick into the box where Jennifer Larsen got her head on it, but Arthurs was again there for a diving save.

 

The Vikings then went on the counter attack as pieced together a couple of passes down the pitch and Ashton Griffen let the ball fly from 25 yards out, hitting the left post to keep the game level.

 

Siler's goal came in the 65^th minute off of a Biglow service on a corner kick. The ball sailed from the left corner to the back post where Siler was waiting. In the crowd of players, Siler came through and put the ball into the left corner of the goal.

 

The Yellowjacket defense handled the pressure from the Vikings down the stretch, clearing balls out of the defensive end and applying pressure of their own.

 

MSUB was outshot 6-4 in shots, but owned a 4-0 edge in shots on goal as senior keeper Danielle Gordon earned her sixth victory (6-1-1) of the year and her fourth shutout of the season. Arthurs made three saves in dropping to 3-3-2 on the year.