BILLINGS, Mont. – One home game and one road game are all that remain on the regular-season schedule for the Montana State University Billings women's soccer team, but after clinching a berth in the 2014 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships last week, the Yellowjackets' season will extend into at least early November.
 
MSUB will host conference opponent Simon Fraser on Thursday at Yellowjacket Field with a scheduled 3 p.m. kickoff time. The 'Jackets will then close their GNAC schedule with a brief road trip to Nampa, Idaho, to challenge Northwest Nazarene on Saturday at noon at the NNU soccer field. Thursday's home game will feature live video and statistics and Saturday's match will have live stats, all available via www.msubsports.com.
 
MSUB enters play this week having won three games in-a-row and four of its last five overall. The Yellowjackets are 9-3-2 overall this season and hold a grip on second place in the GNAC standings with 23 points and a 7-3-2 mark in conference action.
 
The conference has recognized the program for its standout performance this season, most recently by highlighting sophomore Haley McFarlane and junior Katlyn Lokay. McFarlane earned GNAC defensive Player of the Week honors for Oct. 20-26, and Lokay will be featured as a live guest on the conference's weekly radio program, GNAC Insider, on Tuesday at 8 p.m. Mountain time.
 
On the field, the Yellowjackets have proven to be one of the strongest teams in the conference defensively. MSUB's last three wins have all been shutouts, and the 'Jackets have allowed just seven shots and two on target during the stretch.
 
MSUB has seven shutouts on the season, thanks in large part to a core of four defenders and a goalkeeper who have each played every minute of the season. Seniors Jennifer Johnson and Jessie Mancilla and sophomores Kari Kastelic and McFarlane have anchored MSUB's defense, standing tall for all 1,302 minutes of the 2014 campaign.
 
In goal, senior Krystal Daniels has also played every minute, notching 27 saves and giving up just nine goals on the season. Her goals-against average of 0.62 is the second-lowest mark in the conference, as are her seven shutouts.
 
Offensively, MSUB continues to be led by Alisa Sagdahl who scored her team-best seventh goal of the season in last week's 2-0 win over Saint Martin's. Sagdahl leads the team and ranks fifth in the GNAC in points with 16, and her seven goals are tied for second-most across the conference.
 
The team has featured a balanced scoring effort, as eight other players have scored goals for the 'Jackets to bring the season total to 19.
 
Last week, McFarlane found the net for the second time this year, as her diving header finish against the Saints contributed to her GNAC Player of the Week honor. The assist on the play came on a cross by Ashely Marra, as McFarlane turned in the game-winning goal in the match.
 
Against Western Oregon on Saturday, sophomore Dana Lubieniecki scored her first goal of the season which proved to be the difference in the 1-0 result. Lubieniecki combined with freshman Jessica Spang on a pair of passes, and finished a perfectly-placed left-footed shot into the upper-left corner of the goal from 18 yards out. Lubieniecki has started a dozen games and also provided two assists this season in the midfield.
 
Lokay and senior captain Chelsea Shuman continued to hold MSUB together in the midfield, each starting both games last week. Shuman upped her shots total on the season to 33, second only to Sagdahl's 38.
 
Brittney Greenback has also progressed into a starter in the midfield for the Yellowjackets, providing a strong presence for the team defensively.
 
As a team, the Yellowjackets have been efficient with their shots. MSUB has placed 80 of its 162 attempts on goal, giving it a GNAC-best shots-on-goal percentage of .494. Defensively, MSUB has allowed a conference-low 95 shots and 37 on target.
 
Thursday, October 30 – 3 p.m. – Yellowjacket Field
Simon Fraser University Clan
2014 Record: 2-14-0, 2-10-0 GNAC
Head Coach: Annie Hamel, 1st season
2013 GNAC Finish: 8th (1-13-2, 1-11-2 GNAC)
 
Having lost eight games in-a-row, Simon Fraser currently occupies the bottom spot in the GNAC standings. The Clan's last win came against Saint Martin's on Sept. 27, as SFU completed back-to-back 1-0 victories at home against the Saints and Western Oregon.
 
Since the wins, SFU has been outscored 21-3 to fall out of contention for the GNAC tournament.
 
The Clan is being led by Olivia Aguiar this season, who has scored three goals and provided an assist for seven points. Sierra Leung and Elishah Jilling have each scored twice for SFU, and Devon Kollmyer has come through with a team-best three assists.
 
Defensively, Brianna Morrison and Kelsey Atherley have played in all 16 games, starting 15 along the back line for the Clan. Teagan Rae Sorokan and Kate Pearsall have each also scored a goal this season, with the former starting a dozen games and playing in 13.
 
In goal, Priya Sandhu has been the only keeper for SFU, logging more than 1,400 minutes and making 70 saves this season. She earned both of the shutouts in SFU's victories, and holds a save percentage of .642.
 
As a team SFU ranks last in the GNAC in shots (96), points (24), goals (9) and assists (6), as the lack of offense has hindered the Clan this season.
 
Last Game: MSUB took charge early and never let up, cruising to a 4-0 road victory on Oct. 18 at Terry Fox Field in Burnaby, B.C. Sagdahl had a pair of goals in the affair, and Shuman scored her first goal of the season to contribute to the win.
 
The Series: The Yellowjackets improved to 8-3 all-time against SFU, and all of MSUB's wins against the Canadian foe have come in succession since beginning the series 0-3.
 
Saturday, November 1 – 12 p.m. – NNU soccer field
Northwest Nazarene Crusaders
2014 Record: 4-9-3, 3-8-1 GNAC
Head Coach: Mary Trigg, 2nd season
2013 GNAC Finish: 7th (2-12-3, 1-10-3 GNAC)
 
Looking to snap a 3-game losing skid, NNU will host MSUB on Saturday after taking on Western Washington Thursday. The Crusaders have lost 5 of 6 overall, with a 2-0 victory over Simon Fraser standing out as their lone win since Oct. 4.
 
NNU has counted on Lexi Fesenbek offensively, who has scored three goals and leads the GNAC with 11 assists on the season. Nicole Nsa is the team's leading scorer this season, with four goals and one assist.
 
Sarah Blum, Laura Seymour, and Ashley Cook-Cox have each found the net three times as NNU has netted 20 goals on the season from eight different scorers.
 
The Crusaders have featured a consistent starting lineup, as nine players have started all 16 games this season.
 
In goal, Daniele Ortiz has made a GNAC-high 99 saves, and her average of 6.19 per game leads the conference. Ortiz has recorded three shutouts this season, holding a goals-against average of 1.78.
 
Last Game: The Yellowjackets made history last time out against the Crusaders, becoming just the fifth team ever in the GNAC to hold their opponent without a shot. Kastelic netted the only goal of the game in the 52nd minute, pushing her team to a 1-0 victory at Yellowjacket Field on Oct. 2.
 
The Series: MSUB is now 14-4-2 against NNU all-time, and the 'Jackets extended their unbeaten streak against the Crusaders to 10 with the victory earlier in October.