BILLINGS, Mont. – Continuing Great Northwest Athletic Conference play this weekend, the Montana State University Billings men's soccer team will host Saint Martin's on Thursday and nationally-ranked Seattle Pacific on Saturday at Yellowjacket Field.
Saint Martin's sits at 3-12-0 this season overall and is in seventh place in the GNAC with a mark of 3-8-0 in conference play. SMU defeated South Dakota Mines last Saturday to snap a 7-game losing skid.
The Falcons, which are unbeaten this season at 14-0-1 and ranked No. 2 in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America top-25, have won a program-best 13 games in-a-row and currently occupy the top spot in the conference standings with 33 points.
Thursday's game against Saint Martin's is scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m. as the first game in a doubleheader with the MSUB women's soccer team. Saturday's match against Seattle Pacific will begin at 2 p.m. Both games will feature live video and statistics, available via www.msubsports.com.
The Yellowjackets are currently tied for fourth place in the GNAC standings at 5-5-1 in conference action, and the team is 5-7-3 overall on the season. MSUB has dropped three matches in-a-row, after falling to Western Washington 2-1 and Simon Fraser 3-1 at home last week.
Colin Ralston scored the lone goal in MSUB's loss to the Clan, pushing his season total to six to tie with Thorge Jess for the team lead. The sophomore has also provided an assist on the season, netting him 13 points in his first year in the program after transferring from Olympic College.
Jess continues to lead the team in scoring, despite going without a goal in the team's last four games. His last goal counted as the game-winner in a 2-1 victory over the Saints in Lacey, Wash., on Oct. 11.
Rhys Lambert worked his way up the stat sheet, with an extraordinary header goal against WWU last week that gave MSUB a 1-0 first-half lead. Lambert ran onto a cross by Sam Butterworth, finishing a shot with his head inside the far post in the 17th minute of the match. It was Lambert's fourth goal of the season, and his one assist gives him nine total points in his first year as a Yellowjacket.
The assist for Butterworth on the play was his fourth of the season, with his fifth coming on Ralston's goal directly off of a throw-in. The total of five ties him with senior captain Kyle Emerick for the team lead. Butterworth has started 13 games and logged more than 1,100 minutes as a defender for MSUB this season, while pushing forward to take 12 shots as well.
Julian Toenges has emerged as a key player for MSUB, eating up significant minutes as an outside mid and consistently creating scoring chances for the 'Jackets. He has started each of the Yellowjackets' last six matches, and has played in 12 total games during his first season at MSUB.
David Loeung and Niklas Schregel have contributed heavily as well, with three goals and two assists combined. The two are the only field players for MSUB who have seen action in every game of the season.
Defensively, Cameron Lee, Matt Brink and Tom Saltwell have helped anchor the back line for the 'Jackets, each having started 13 contests. Emerick has also started 13 games in the midfield.
In goal, sophomore Tom Lohmann has played every minute of the season while making a GNAC-high 67 saves. Lohmann was tested heavily against Simon Fraser, coming up with nine saves while facing 20 total shots and 13 on target.
Jesper Fries has had a recent impact for MSUB also, as he has started the last two games and has played in 10 total after beginning the season on the bench with an injury.
As a team, MSUB has narrowly been outscored this season 24-21, allowing 207 shots while taking 194. The Yellowjackets are nearly even in corner kicks, having won 81 while giving up 80. Jess's 14 points are the seventh-most in the conference, and he and Ralston are tied for seventh in total goals among GNAC leaders.
Emerick and Butterworth are tied for fifth in the GNAC with five assists apiece, and their average of 0.38 per game is fifth as well. Lohmann's save percentage of .736 is the fourth-best mark across the conference, and his 4.47 saves per game is the third-highest total.
Thursday, October 30 – 1 p.m. – Yellowjacket Field
Saint Martin's University Saints
2014 Record: 3-12-0, 3-8-0 GNAC
Head Coach: Rob Walker, 8th season
2013 GNAC Finish: 5th (5-11-2, 5-7-2 GNAC)
Saint Martin's scored the first four goals of the match in a big 5-2 result over South Dakota Mines last Saturday, and Tody Tolo and Perry McNamar each had a pair of goals.
The win snapped the Saints' 7-game dry spell, during which the team was outscored 22-4 and lost every game by at least two goals including three shutout losses.
Tolo's two goals against the Hardrockers pushed his season total to six which leads the team, and Kyle Witzel and McNamar are next down the list with three apiece. Jake Zimmer and Matt Beaulaurier have been the top facilitators for the Saints this year, each having provided three assists.
Max Harvey and Luke Chouinard have each started all 15 games for head coach Rob Walker, and are two of five field players to have logged more than 1,000 minutes.
Senior goalkeeper JJ Olson has been the starter between the pipes this season, but junior transfer Nick Rosato has seen action in five matches as well, starting three. Olson has totaled 57 saves on the season, starting 12 games and logging more than 1,000 minutes.
As a team SMU has been outscored 43-19 this season, allowing 255 shots while taking just 147. The Saints have given up 83 corner kicks and won 68.
Last Game: The Yellowjackets conceded an early goal as McNamar scored just seven minutes into the match. Despite being on the road, MSUB rallied to equalize in the 63rd minute on a goal by Ralston and took home three points when Jess found the game-winner in the 80th minute on an assist by Lohmann.
The Series: MSUB has now won two games in-a-row against SMU after the 2-1 comeback result on Oct. 11. Overall the series tilts towards MSUB's favor at 9-5-1, and the 'Jackets are 4-2-1 at Yellowjacket Field against the Washington opponent. MSUB will look to sweep the season series over the Saints for the first time since the 2012 season, when the 'Jackets won 3-0 in Billings on Sept. 20 and 3-1 in Lacey, Wash., on Oct. 13.
Saturday, November 1 – 2 p.m. – Yellowjacket Field
No. 2 Seattle Pacific University Falcons
2014 Record: 14-0-1, 11-0-0 GNAC
Head Coach: Mark Collings, 6th season
2013 GNAC Finish: 2nd (12-4-3, 10-1-3 GNAC – NCAA Regional 1st Round)
Appearing in the NSCAA rankings at No. 3, SPU defeated the University of Mary and South Dakota Mines last week. The Falcons took apart the Hardrockers, as Stephen MacDonald scored twice in the opening three minutes in the eventual 6-0 result.
The margin against Mary on Saturday was much closer at 1-0, but the game was shortened after a power outage at SPU's home Interbay Stadium. After a delay of more than 90 minutes, the game was called in the 81st minute as power could not be restored.
The win pushed SPU's program-record winning streak to 13-straight, as the team's only non-win was a 1-1 double-overtime draw against Chico State on Sept. 6 in California.
MacDonald leads the team with nine goals and has scored six in his last four outings. His six assists also lead the team, and his 24 points rank second in the conference.
Jordan Thompson has totaled five goals on the season for SPU, and Sean Russell has added four and a pair of assists.
SPU has outscored its opponents 34-7 on the season, and has come up with assists on 30 of its goals. Danny Olivas (5) and Jordan Kollars (4) are close behind MacDonald in the assists category.
Defensively, SPU has been anchored by Jeffrey Collings, Evan Robicheau, Davis Karaica and Bryson Pavel, who have all logged more than 1,200 minutes. Ian Adams and Chaz Jenkins have seen significant time as well, starting 14 and 13 games, respectively.
In goal, reigning first team all-conference selection Cody Lang has started 13 matches and made 25 saves on the season for a percentage of .806. He has given up just six goals for a goals-against average of 0.48, and his eight shutouts lead the conference.
Last Game: The Yellowjackets took command with a goal from Jess in the 24th minute, and held the lead until a 58th-minute tally by Thompson. Just as the game appeared to be headed to overtime, SPU sneaked in an own goal in the 88th minute to shock the 'Jackets and collect a 2-1 comeback victory on Oct. 9 at Interbay Stadium.
The Series: MSUB is now 3-13-4 against SPU all time, and the Falcons have won the last four games between the two teams.
