BILLINGS, Mont. – Set to open its 2015 Great Northwest Athletic Conference schedule this weekend, the Montana State University Billings men's soccer team is headed to Bismarck, N.D., to face the University of Mary in a single game on Saturday at the MDU Resources Community Bowl.
 
Saturday's contest against the Marauders (1-2-1) will feature live video and statistics, available online at www.msubsports.com.
 
The Yellowjackets (2-1-1) have momentum on their side, coming off of back-to-back victories of 5-0 over Carroll College on Sept. 11 and 5-1 over South Dakota School of Mines on Sept. 13. The two big wins came in the second-annual Rimrock Classic sponsored by TNT Automotive and Marine, and marked the first time MSUB has scored five goals in consecutive games since the 2007 season.
 
"Those two big wins will get us into conference play this Saturday against Mary with a lot of confidence," commented MSUB head coach Alex Balog. "I don't think for us right now that there would be a reason to change the way that we are playing. We are going to go out and try to beat them, and we are excited about the GNAC opening on Saturday."
 
RECORD FOR RICARDO: Leading the offensive charge for MSUB was GNAC Player of the Week Ricardo Palomino, who scored six goals over the two games including four in the win over the Hardrockers on Sunday. Palomino leads the GNAC and now ranks No. 4 in all of the NCAA Division II in goals scored, with just three players in front of him who all have seven goals on the young season.
 
He became the first player in MSUB history to score six goals in consecutive games, and just the third ever with four goals in a single match for the 'Jackets. Palomino is now a finalist for the Hero Sports D2 Stud of the Week, and you can vote for him to win the award through Monday by clicking this link.
 
"Ricardo is a humble player who understands very well that without the support he is getting, he wouldn't be where he is right now," Balog said. "I am very happy with his performance individually, but also with the players around him because we are a team and we can't achieve anything if we don't play together."
 

SUPPORTING CAST: Shadowed by Palomino's historic weekend was a strong offensive output by junior Julian Toenges, who had assists on three of Palomino's goals in Sunday's match, and scored two goals and had four assists total on the weekend. Toenges and fellow junior David Loeung have been responsible for the majority of offensive chances MSUB has created, as the duo has combined for four goals and five assists so far through four matches.
 
HIP, HIP JORGE!: Sophomore Jorge Paez has also been a key factor in MSUB's attack this season, recording a pair of assists in 197 minutes over the first four games. In what looked like a clear scoring opportunity on Sunday for Paez, the sophomore elected to pass the ball to a wide-open Palomino in front of the net rather than attempt a shot past an oncoming goalkeeper. The selflessness proved valuable as Palomino scored and Paez earned an assist on the play.

"I saw a run I could make right behind the defense, and Sam saw that too so I ran right behind the defender," Paez commented on the scoring play. "I saw Ricardo all by himself, so I was able to take a good first touch right into him and he easily put it away."
 
LOHMANN GOES LONG: Yellowjacket goalkeeper Tom Lohmann showed off his leg on Sunday, playing a long ball 70 yards downfield into the opposing goal box, and watching as Toenges ran onto it and scored his second goal of the season. The move was not unprecedented by the German junior, as Lohmann had a pair of assists last year from his goal box.
 
Defensively, Lohmann has started all four matches and has made 14 saves in 342 minutes. He played the first 82 minutes and Joe Scott finished off the final eight as the duo combined for MSUB's first shutout of the year last Friday.
 
TOM, SAM, CAM, AND G: The Yellowjackets' defensive unit has gelled together as of late, with center backs Tom Saltwell and Cameron Lee playing seamlessly with outside backs Sam Butterworth and Garret Robinson. Saltwell has started all four matches so far, and was picked as the defensive most valuable player for the Rimrock Classic as he helped MSUB to a 10-1 goal differential. Butterworth remains a dangerous threat pushing forward out of the back, as many of the Yellowjackets' scoring chances were created out of the defensive third through quick connection passes through the midfield.
 
HEPBURN TO NANDO: Lining up a corner kick late in the match against the Saints, freshman Adam Hepburn earned his first collegiate point on an assist as senior Fernando Perez put away MSUB's fifth goal. Hepburn has played in three matches so far in his debut season, while Perez has started two and played in all four.
 
POWER IN NUMBERS: As a team MSUB has outscored its opponents 12-6 so far this season, placing 24 of its 55 shots on target for a shots-on-goal percentage of .436. Six different players have provided assists on the season while five have scored goals. Niklas Schregel and Rhys Lambert have each also seen significant minutes so far, with the former having started every match and the latter starting three games and playing in all four.
 
The 'Jackets are leading the GNAC in points (33) and goals (12), and are tied for first in assists (10).
 
Saturday, September 19 – at University of Mary Marauders – 2 p.m. MTN
2015 Record: 1-2-1, 0-0 GNAC
Head Coach: Dave Cook, 8th season
2014 Record: 5-9-2, 4-9-1 GNAC
 
The Marauders posted a 3-2 win over Carroll College and a 1-1 draw against South Dakota Mines during their two matches at the Rimrock Classic last week.
 
Migel Bartolo scored a pair of goals for UM in the win on Sunday, and he and James Liddiard are tied for the team lead in goals on the year with two.
 
Aaron Brennan and Christoffer Nogueira, who both earned Rimrock Classic all-tournament honors, have each also scored this year.


The Marauders have an experienced roster with nine seniors and juniors, with defender Alex Boyes and midfielder Jonathan Sellars anchoring a strong returning core. Sellars also earned all-tournament honors last week, playing a crucial role as a holding midfielder with a strong 6-foot-2 presence defensively.
 
As a team Mary has scored six goals while allowing seven, and has placed 34 of its 67 shot attempts on goal for a percentage of .507. The Marauders have matched their opponents equally in corner kicks, winning 20 and allowing 20 so far through four matches.
 
The Series: The Yellowjackets hold a strong 25-7-1 alltime record against the Marauders, and are 12-4-1 in road matches against the conference opponent. A loss for MSUB last year snapped an unbeaten streak of 21 matches against Mary dating back to the 2002 season.
 
Last Time Out: The Yellowjackets fell 2-1 the last time Mary hosted the match, as the Marauders' Nogueira scored twice including one goal directly off of a corner kick. MSUB won last year's match played at Yellowjacket Field 2-1, as Loeung and Schregel each scored and Butterworth had an assist.