Coach Balog Interview                            Emerick and Jess Interview

 
Billings, Mont. – Montana State Billings men's soccer team looks to open the season on a positive note as they start their Californian road trip with matches against San Francisco State University on Thursday, Sept. 5 and Sonoma State University on Saturday, Sept. 7.
 
The Yellowjackets have a new leader at the helm this year; Alex Balog was appointed as head coach during the off season. He has been with the program since 2010 and succeeds Dan McNally, the winningest coach in the program's history.
 
Balog signed 15 recruits in his inaugural season, and has nine returning letter winners. Of his returners, six were regular starters in 2012 and two earned all-conference honors. As an assistant, Balog specialized in coaching the goal keepers and instructing the defense. Last season the Yellowjackets posted five shutouts and held opponents to 10.4 shots per match.
 
MSU Billings' returning core is very talented; junior goalkeeper Eoin Hurley and sophomore defender Cameron Lee received All-GNAC honorable mention honors in 2012. In 18 starts Hurley recorded 52 saves and five shutouts. Lee registered 1,554 minutes on the pitch and one goal while helping the back line hold opponents to a .431 shot on goal percentage.
 
Upperclassman Matt Brink, Kyle Emerick, and Landon Horst, as well as underclassman Sam Butterworth will also be key returners for the Jackets this season.
 
Emerick notched nine starts, four goals and three assists, and Horst recorded 16 starts, three goals and two assists in 2012. Brink and Butterworth started 17 matches each and both registered over 1,500 minutes on the pitch.
 
San Francisco State is looking to rebound off a 4-10-4 season in 2012. While the Gators didn't have much success on the field, they averaged 1.22 goals scored per game and recorded three shutouts in 2012. They also averaged 14.6 shots a game and dished 18 assists last season. SFSU returns Chris Behroozian, Sam Merritt and Jarod Magaoay from last year's roster.
 
Behroozian started 17 contests in 2012, registering a team leading 1592 minutes on the pitch and recorded one assist and five shots. Merritt appeared in all 18 contests, making seven starts tallying three goals and two assists, ranking second on the team in points scored. Magaoay made 16 starts, recording 1483 minutes and notching one goal.
 
The Jackets and Gators will begin play at 2:30 p.m. (Pacific Time) on Sept. 5. Live stats will be available through the following link: MSUB vs. SFSU Live Stats.
 
Sonoma State posted an 8-8-2 overall record with a 6-6-2 CCAA mark. The Seawolves averaged 1.44 goals per game, and a .332 shot on goal average. Their backline attributed for six shutouts and 56 saves. From the 2012 roster, the Seawolves return Beau Diaz, Brenton Frame, Trevor Tennant and Taylor Vamadore.
 
Diaz made 16 starts between the pipes recording 49 saves and a 7-7-2 record last season. Frame was second on the team in scoring with four goals. Tennant started all 18 matches on the backline helping the defense post a .103 shot percentage. Vamadore lead the team in points with 21, tallying nine goals and three assists. He also earned first team All-CCAA honors and Daktronics All-West Region second team honors.
 
MSUB and Sonoma State will begin plat at 5:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) on Sept. 7.