BILLINGS, Mont. – In a game the Montana State University Billings women's soccer team had to win to stay alive in the hunt for a Great Northwest Athletic Conference Women's Soccer Championships berth, Alycia Wright scored her team-high sixth goal of the season and the Yellowjackets' defense shut down visiting Central Washington University in a 1-0 victory on Halloween at Yellowjacket Field on Senior Day.
 
Entering the day in a three-way tie for fourth place in the GNAC standings, the victory pushed MSUB into sole possession of fourth place and eliminated Central Washington (7-9-1, 5-6-1 GNAC) from contention for the fourth and final berth into the conference tournament. The Yellowjackets (8-6-2, 6-5-1 GNAC) are now three points ahead of Simon Fraser University, which plays at Western Oregon at 6 p.m. Mountain time on Saturday evening. If the Clan loses or draws, the Yellowjackets will clinch a berth to the championships for the second year in-a-row and third time in the last four seasons.
 
"I told the girls to play for the seniors, leave it on the field, and get a win," head coach Wojtek Krakowiak said. "Regardless of the outcome, I just wanted the team to play for those four seniors."
 

Striking just three minutes into the second half, Wright netted her sixth goal of the year with a high-arcing shot that beat CWU goalkeeper Sydney Williams and pierced the side netting inside the far post.
 
"Alycia has a nose to score goals, and that is the hardest thing to teach in soccer," Krakowiak said. "She is extremely composed on the ball, and that is the difference. She has been playing awesome."
 
On the defensive end, the shutout was the sixth of the year for the 'Jackets, as freshman goalkeeper Chloe Hopps made three saves and MSUB's four defenders each played all 90 minutes.

"Chloe was so strong in the back for us as always," Senior captain Katlyn Lokay said. "We stuck together and defended with 11 people. You defend and attack as a team and that really worked out for us today."
 
Senior Elizabeth Howard had two of MSUB's nine shots on the game, as MSUB put four attempts total on target. "We knew that we just had to put one away, and we had Alycia to do that again thankfully," Howard said. "I couldn't have asked for more. We all made small mistakes but there was always someone there to back us up. That's what today counted for I think."
 
After missing the past month with a foot injury, senior Ashely Marra started and contributed 19 minutes in her final career appearance at Yellowjacket Field. Fellow senior Teegan Koster also played a big role Saturday in her home finale, eating up 80 minutes and taking a shot from MSUB's midfield.
 
"I'm definitely proud of the team, I think they all came out today and put in a really good effort," Marra commented. "My last game on this field was one that I will remember."
 
"My message to the team was just to leave everything on the field," Koster said. "It came down to this make-it-or-break-it moment, and I just wanted all the girls to give one hundred percent."
 
The Yellowjackets pressured early, as Williams had to slide coming off of her line to secure a through ball less than five minutes in.
 
Allie Bohnett carried the ball into the right corner in the 14th minute, and Hopps came off her line strongly and covered the hard cross.
 
The best chance of the first half for either team came when Williams had to make a diving save on a shot by Wright. Bailey Griglio collected the rebound and fired a low shot on target, but CWU's back line was able to knock it away.
 
Opening the second half with an immediate corner kick, MSUB hinted that its goal was on its way. Less than five minutes into the second, Dana Lubieniecki threaded a pass to Wright, who set herself up inside the box on the left side. The freshman took two touches and curled a perfect shot over CWU's keeper and into the back of the net to give the 'Jackets a 1-0 lead.
 
With time winding down, a dangerous throw-in by CWU led to a scoring chance as Reilly Retz gathered the ball inside the box and 10 yards from the net. Kienna Ogden made a huge sliding tackle to knock the ball away before what would have been a shot from point-blank range.
 
The 'Cats fought to keep their season alive down the stretch, but MSUB's back line held tough and secured the victory.
 
Lokay, who entered the game No. 4 in MSUB history in career minutes played with 6,238, helped anchor the back line as she and junior center back Kari Kastelic continued their season-long streak of playing every minute. Freshman Sarah Coghlan also played the entire match as an outside back on the right, as did Ogden on the left.
 
Williams had two saves on the match for the Wildcats, who won the battle in corner kicks over the 'Jackets 5-2.
 
THE BUZZ: Two of Wright's three shots were on target, as she played 81 minutes and was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…the assist was the second for Lubieniecki, who now has six points on the season…MSUB's last three matches have all been decided by the score of 1-0, with two wins and a loss during the stretch.
 
PLAYOFF PICTURE: The 'Jackets will look on as SFU battles WOU Saturday evening, with the outcome of the game determining the team's fate. With a loss for SFU or a tie, MSUB would join No. 1 seed Western Washington, No. 2 seed Concordia, and No. 3 seed Seattle Pacific at the 2015 GNAC Women's Soccer Championships hosted by Simon Fraser at Terry Fox Field in Burnaby, British Columbia next weekend (Nov. 5-7).
 
SENIOR SEND-OFF: Howard, Marra, Koster, and Lokay were each honored during a pregame ceremony, and were presented with flowers and plaques while accompanied by family members and friends.
 
"You can't ask to go out a better way," Lokay said. "That moment when Alycia scored is really hard to describe, and coming out and winning I can't ask for anything else."