LACEY, Wash. – Freshman Bailey Griglio scored her first two collegiate goals on Saturday, helping the Montana State University Billings women's soccer team to a big 4-1 road victory over Great Northwest Athletic Conference foe Saint Martin's University at the SMU Soccer Field.
 
"I am very proud of the team and the way we played today, scoring three goals in the first half," said MSUB head coach Wojtek Krakowiak. "All the players who scored had very confident performances and our defense was pretty solid in the back not allowing a shot on goal in the first half. It was a great way to come out today and get a result."
 
Griglio scored in the ninth minute on an assist from Jessica Spang, and again in the 58th minute on an assist from fellow freshman Sarah Coghlan to help seal the victory for the Yellowjackets.
 
Freshman Alycia Wright scored her third goal of the season in the 27th minute, and junior captain Dana Lubieniecki added her second just before halftime as the Yellowjackets scored on four of their five shots on target in the match.
 
With the win, MSUB improved to 5-2-2 on the season and 3-1-1 in conference play. The Saints fell to 1-7 on the year and are still in search of their first GNAC victory at 0-4.
 
MSUB got the scoring started inside of 10 minutes, as Griglio finished a cross from Spang from two yards in front of the net. The Yellowjackets kept the pressure on in the early going, as Wright missed high with a shot in the 17th minute and MSUB won its first corner kick of the game less than two minutes later.
 
A shot by Elizabeth Howard in the 27th minute missed the target wide, but Spang fed the ball to Wright on the ensuing play and watched as she slotted her third goal of the season into the lower right corner of the goal.
 
Less than a minute after checking into the match as a substitute, Hayley Warren took her first shot, missing wide. The junior had another in the 40th minute that was blocked, as the 'Jackets continued to pressure offensively with time winding down in the first half.
 

Lubieniecki sent in a cross from a corner kick in the 43rd minute that did not immediately result in a scoring chance, but the 'Jackets kept the ball alive in the offensive third. Less than a minute later, Lubieniecki pushed home her third goal of the season with an excellent shot inside the far post to give MSUB a commanding 3-0 lead at the break.
 
The Yellowjackets picked up right where they left off in the second half, with Coghlan forcing SMU keeper Ali Koehler to make a save just three minutes into the action.
 
Continuing to control the pace of play, MSUB set up its fourth scoring chance of the match in the 58th minute. Coghlan fed a through ball to Griglio, who put the game out of reach at 4-0 with her second goal of the game.
 
Yellowjacket goalkeeper Chloe Hopps made her first of two saves in the match in the 70th minute, knocking away a shot on target by Chelsie Still to keep the shutout intact for the time being.
 
The Saints managed to get on the scoreboard in the 85th minute, as Hannah Frakes slotted home her second goal of the season on an assist from Abby McFaul.
 
MSUB shut down SMU the rest of the way, preventing any more serious scoring chances. Defensively, Katlyn Lokay and Kari Kastelic played all 90 minutes as center backs to help ensure the victory. Teegan Koster also contributed to the victory for the 'Jackets playing all 90 minutes in her second start of the year and recording her first shot.
 
Wright and Warren led the team with three shots apiece in the match, while McFaul led the Saints with three shots of her own. Each team won three corner kicks, and MSUB was whistled for offside twice while SMU had none. The 'Jackets out-shot the Saints 12-8 in the match, but each team placed five attempts on target.
 
THE BUZZ: The goals for Griglio were the first two of her collegiate career…the two assists for Spang upped her GNAC-leading point total to 14 on the season (5 goals, 4 assists)…the assist for Coghlan gave her the first point of her college career…Griglio was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game.
 
"This was a great win, and it is tough to get results on the road," Krakowiak said. "We are definitely looking forward to the next road trip, and we are in a good position right now. The team played fantastic today, and I couldn't ask for anything more. We reacted very well from the game Thursday, and came out today with an attitude to win."
 
UP NEXT: MSUB remains on the road next week, with two more GNAC games on tap. The Yellowjackets will challenge Northwest Nazarene University on Oct. 8 in Nampa, Idaho, before traveling to Bellingham, Wash., to face Western Washington University on Oct. 10.