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Billings, Mont. – The Montana State Billings men's soccer team had a difficult challenge in their first set of Great Northwest Athletic Conference games. Facing nationally ranked Simon Fraser and a very solid Western Washington team, the Yellowjackets weren't able to capture any victories. Playing in their first home game of the season, MSUB bounced back strong with a 3-0 win over Saint Martins.
 
MSUB came out full of energy and controlled time of possession very early in the game, taking four consecutive shots between the second and ninth minute of play. Freshman forward Christian Wilhelmsen took two shots with one being on goal in this flurry.
 
The Yellowjackets quick offensive charge would find early success in the 14^th minute. Senior forward Thomas Sheets received a great pass from Clifton Thomas that put him in position to dribble by his defender. Once he was past his defender, Sheets fired a shot that grazed the out stretched arm of the goal keeper then landed in the back right corner of the net, putting the Yellowjackets ahead 1-0.
 
After obtaining the lead MSUB kept the pressure on and found success shortly after their first score. In the 21^st minute co-captain Thomas Chameraud gave Landon Horst a beautiful pass and he completed the play firing a shot from 12 yards out to land in the back left of the net, giving the Jackets a commanding 2-0 lead. The goal signifies Horst's first of the season and Yellowjacket career.
 
Saint Martins countered with a small offensive attack between the 26^th and 29^th minute, where they took two shots with one being on target. Eoin Hurley played the shot on goal effectively and came up with a nice save.
 
The Yellowjackets quickly regained the possession of the ball after the Saints went on the offensive, and took two shots of their own to close the half. Legofi Crawford and Chameraud fired one shot each with Crawford's shot being on goal and Chameraud's landing wide right.
 
At the start of the second, both teams dueled back and forth slightly, before MSUB put together a strong offensive surge. Following a Sheets shot in the 54^th minute that went wide left, Horst and the MSUB offense struck again.
 
In the 59^th minute Joshua Marocchi effectively put Horst on a breakaway that he completed with a 20 yard shot that bent over top of the outstretched goal keeper arm. Horst's second goal of the day put the Yellowjackets up 3-0, and effectively put the game out of reach for the opposition.
 
Being down three goals the Saints tried to put together an offensive strategy to get back in the game. This effort would unfortunately be met by co-captain Conner Moe and the MSUB defense. The backline effectively stopped any offensive advances and swung the ball in effective areas where our midfielders could easily convert defense into offense.
 
To close out the second half, the Yellowjackets took three more shots that unfortunately went high. MSUB captured their first GNAC and home victory, defeating the Saints 3-0.
 
“We played very well today,” head coach Dan McNally said. “We kept possession and created a lot of chances. The concentration of the whole team was great and it was a team effort in obtaining the victory. It's good to win our first home game, now we have to get the team ready for a big challenge against Seattle Pacific on Saturday.”
 
The Yellowjackets out-shot the Saints 19-6 and had the 7-4 advantage in shots on goal. Hurley made his six consecutive start and had four saves on the day.
 
MSUB's next GNAC match will be against the No. 2 nationally ranked Seattle Pacific University on Saturday, Sept. 22 at 1:00 p.m.
 
McNally Interview
 
Horst Interview
 
Sheets Interview