Box Score BILLINGS, Mont. – Rhys Lambert gave the Montana State University Billings men's soccer team an early 1-0 lead with a wonderful header goal in the 17th minute, but visiting Western Washington responded with two goals in the span of two minutes in the first half to win a Great Northwest Athletic Conference match 2-1 Thursday afternoon at Yellowjacket Field.
 
Lambert's goal came on a set piece early on in the match, as junior Sam Butterworth played in a cross and Lambert ran onto the ball to redirect it inside the far post for his fourth goal of the season.
 
WWU responded on a set piece of its own as Jeremy Wentzel crossed a corner kick to Derek Zimmerman whose header goal evened the score at 1-1 in the 28th minute. Less than two minutes later, Luke Olney scored his fourth goal of the season, collecting a through ball from Tye Hastings and finishing a great shot into the upper corner of the goal from just outside the 18-yard box.
 
The Yellowjackets outshot the Vikings 13-8 on the match, and won six corner kicks compared with four by WWU. Senior goalkeeper Keegan Rogers came up big with four saves for WWU, and came off of his line on multiple occasions to clear the ball away.
 
WWU nudged its record above .500 on the season, moving to 7-6-1 overall and 5-4-1 in conference play. The Yellowjackets fell to 5-6-3 and are now 5-4-1 in GNAC play.
 
The Vikings won a corner kick just over one minute into the game, but MSUB cleared the ball away to prevent a shot inside the box.
 
The 'Jackets responded with a  corner of their own just a few minutes later, which was originally created by Kyle Emerick. The senior captain had space at the upper right side of the box, and his shot was deflected by the WWU defense over the crossbar.
 
A breakthrough came for the Yellowjackets 17 minutes into the match, as Emerick drew a foul in a dangerous location on the right side of the field. Butterworth played in a solid cross, Lambert ran onto it perfectly and redirected the ball inside the far post with his head.
 
The teams played fairly even through the middle of the first, and WWU won a corner kick with 16 minutes to play in the first half. Wentzel curled in a cross and Zimmerman headed the ball into the net to equalize the score at 1-1.
 
Just three minutes later, the Vikings took the lead as Hastings played a through ball to Olney who finished a right-footed shot from the top of the 18-yard box into the upper-right corner of the net.
 
After holding the lead at the half, WWU emerged from the break with a corner kick in the 58th minute. The chance was a dangerous one, as the cross sailed untouched through the six-yard box and out of play.
 
Julian Toenges played a solid through ball to Colin Ralston midway through the second, which led to a shot on goal by Wyatt Witty that was saved by Rogers.
 
The Vikings countered with a scoring opportunity, as Wentzel fired a half-volley towards goal from the top of the box but missed high.
 
Toenges again created an opportunity for the 'Jackets, intercepting a bad pass and carrying the ball into the left corner. He whipped in a cross that found the head of Witty, and only a diving reaction save by Rogers prevented the equalizing goal with 27 minutes remaining.
 
The Yellowjackets won another corner kick with just more than 20 minutes remaining, but could not finish the loose ball during a scuffle inside the penalty area.

Rogers came off of his line several minutes later to intercept a header cross by Thorge Jess before it reached David Loeung inside the box.
 
Disaster nearly struck for MSUB with 15 minutes later, as a botched clearance gave Olney the ball 40 yards out with an open net. His strike from long range narrowly bounced over the crossbar and the score remained 2-1.
 
Jorge Paez got his head on a cross by Toenges with seven minutes left, but Rogers made another diving reaction save to keep his team ahead late.
 
Controlling the ball into the box, Paez had a chance with 11 minutes remaining, but his shot from 10 yards out missed wide of the goalpost.
 
The 'Jackets kept the pressure on WWU's back line through the closing minutes, but failed to find an equalizer as time ran out.
 
AHEAD: MSUB welcomes Simon Fraser to Yellowjacket Field on Saturday for a 3 p.m. kickoff in GNAC action.