BILLINGS, Mont. – Having out-scored opponents 13-0 in its last four matches, the red-hot Montana State University Billings men's soccer team begins its Great Northwest Athletic Conference schedule this week with a pair of road matches.
 
The Yellowjackets (4-2) open their conference slate at Northwest Nazarene University (3-2-1) on Thursday, before heading further west to Portland, Ore., on Saturday to face Concordia University (3-1-1). Both games will feature live video and live statistics, available through MSUB's Stretch Internet portal here.
 
After beginning the season 0-2 and being outscored 4-0 in a road trip to California, MSUB has not conceded a goal in its four consecutive home victories. Most recently, the 'Jackets rolled to a 6-0 win over the University of Mary on Monday, after a 3-0 blanking of Cal Baptist last Thursday at Yellowjacket Field.
 
"Monday's performance will take us into that first game against Northwest Nazarene with a lot of confidence," said MSUB head coach Alex Balog. "NNU always gives us a tough game, and it's a program that has been very well developed. I know they're going to be up for the GNAC opener, just like we are going to be."
 
SPREADING THE SCORING: Over the team's first six games, eight different players have found the net and three others have assists for MSUB. Three different Yellowjackets have scored multiple goals this year, as the diverse attacking unit has yielded the third-most goals in the conference with 13.
 
RICARDO RUNNING STRONG: Scoring his first goal of the season against Cal Baptist, junior Ricardo Palomino built on the performance and added two more on Monday against Mary. The multi-goal performance was the seventh of his career, and he is now one goal away from reaching 20 total in his one-plus seasons with the 'Jackets. Also adding his first assist of the year on Monday, Palomino helped create many of MSUB's chances towards goal even when he wasn't scoring.
 
THREE FOR JD: Tied with Palomino for the team lead in goals, freshman JD Hauenstein has scored in each of his last three games. After a finish inside the box in each game against Dixie State and Cal Baptist,

Hauenstein let loose a long shot against the Marauders on Monday and watched as his strike pierced the lower-right corner of the net. 

TOENGES ADDS THREE ASSISTS, GOAL: Pushing his team-leading assists total to four on the season, senior Julian Toenges had two in the game against Cal Baptist and added another on Monday against Mary. He also found the net for his first goal of the season and the fourth of his career. His career assists total of 16 ranks Toenges fifth in MSUB history, as he continues to climb the career leaders chart.
 
MSUB Career Assists Leaders

Rank	Name	Assists	Years
1.	Chris Andre	24	2007-2010
2.	Sam Charles	18	2006-2009
	Thomas Chameraud	18	2011-12
4.	Scott Dixon	17	2007-08
5.	Julian Toenges	16	2014-16
6.	Thomas Pertuit	14	2001-04
7.	Kyle Emerick	12	2011-14
8.	Jarred Weisen	11	2006-09
	Jeremy DeHerrera	11	2007-09
10.	Sam Butterworth	10	2012-15

 
KREMER CREATIVE IN MIDFIELD: Starting the last four matches as holding mid for the 'Jackets, sophomore captain Guillaume Kremer got on the scoresheet in Monday's match with a header goal for the first of his career. "Four shutouts and 13 goals for the team is a very good performance," Kremer commented on the Yellowjackets' current hot streak. "We played well and were very solid in these games, so we have to keep this (going) in the future."
 

DEFENSE TOUGH TO BEAT: While the offense has come alive to build strong leads for the 'Jackets, the defensive unit has done its part by limiting opportunities and completing shutouts. MSUB's last three opponents have averaged less than 10 shots per game, as the foursome of Rhys Lambert, Oliver Posarelli, Eli Williams, and Garret Robinson have been the driving force behind the success.

JOE'S CLEAN SHEETS: Facing 22 shots in two starts last week, junior Joe Scott made six saves and helped MSUB win both games in shutout fashion. He and freshman Caleb VanBlankenstein combined for the shutout on Monday, as the goalkeeping squad has been solid all season behind the back line. 

ITALIAN CONNECTION: Both new to the team this season, Posarelli and midfielder Flavio Colasanti have transitioned from their home country of Italy into MSUB's system effectively. Both have started all six matches, and Colasanti earned his first assist of the year in MSUB's win on Monday.
 
BREAM SCORES FIRST CAREER GOAL: Freshman forward Ian Bream was also among the goal scorers on Monday, finishing a tough shot from a tight angle on the right side of the goal box on Colasanti's assist. He is one of five new players on the roster this year to score for the 'Jackets, and has totaled 117 minutes while seeing the field in four matches.
 
THE STREAK: The last time MSUB won four straight games without allowing a goal was Aug. 23-Sept. 8, 2007, when the team also outscored opponents 13-0 during the stretch. It was part of a 7-game winning streak to start the 2007 season, and an overall 8-game winning streak that started with the final game of the 2006 season. The second-longest winning streak in program history was a five-game run during the 2008 season, in which MSUB out-scored opponents 16-1.

Thursday, September 22 – at Northwest Nazarene University Crusaders – 5 PM
Nampa, Idaho | NNU Soccer Field
2016 Record: 3-2-1, 0-0 GNAC
Head Coach: Joel DeLass, 1st season
2015 Record: 12-6-1, 8-5-1 GNAC (3rd)
 
Playing a single game last week, the Crusaders dropped a road match 3-1 at Dixie State University on Saturday in St. George, Utah. NNU had won its previous two matches, 4-1 against Westminster College on Sept. 10 and 4-2 over University of Hawaii Hilo on Sept. 12.
 
Under first-year head coach Joel DeLass, NNU leads the GNAC with 16 goals scored through its first six games of the season. Rafael Junqueira and Ebu Camara have each found the net three times, and Logan Wood is next on the team with a pair of goals.
 
Returning to the midfield as a sophomore this season, Alex Mitrovic has started all six games and is tied for the team lead with three assists. He and senior forward Michael Mollay have been part of the strong offense, as the latter also has three assists and one goal. Overall, 11 different players have scored for NNU.
 
Freshman Linus Mansson has taken on a starting role right away, starting all six games and eating up 537 minutes on the back line for the 'Saders. Senior goalkeeper Ryan Foo has played all 560 minutes in the net, making 39 saves and allowing 12 goals for a goals-against-average of 1.93.
 
The Series: NNU leads the all-time series with MSUB 12-9, and the teams have tied twice. In games played in Nampa, NNU holds a 7-5 advantage and has won four in-a-row.
 
Last Time Out: The teams split last season's series, each winning by a score of 1-0. Then-senior Fernando Perez scored the deciding goal in Billings on Oct. 15, to help MSUB to the win.

Saturday, September 24 – at Concordia University (Ore.) – 6 PM
Portland, Oregon | Porter Park
2016 Record: 3-1-1, 0-0 GNAC
Head Coach: Dan Birkey, 29th season
2015 Record: 7-5-5, 5-4-5 GNAC (5th)
 
After going unbeaten in its first four matches of the year, Concordia is coming off of a 3-2 setback at Nortre Dame de Namur on Sunday in California. The first loss of the year for the Cavs came after a decisive 6-1 win over the Academy of Art two days earlier, as the team has split its last two matches.
 
Longtime head coach Dan Birkey is starting his 29th season in charge, and is piloting the Cavaliers for their second year as a member of the GNAC at the NCAA Division II level.
 
Matching MSUB with 13 goals scored on the year, CU is being led by senior striker Matt Paine, who has four goals and an assist. Christian Thyron has also scored four times, and Essam Nicola is the team's other player with multiple goals as he has two. Kieran McMinn and Erick Urzua are tied for the team lead with three assists apiece.
 
Kevin Stordahl and Alec Lohr are two of the team's key defenders, and CU is nearly posting a 2-1 goals margin with 13 scored and seven allowed. Grant Alcorn has been the team's starter in goal, posting one shutout and holding a goals-against average of 1.17 through five games and 461 minutes.
 
The Series: The teams had not met prior to last season's conference games, which featured a win for MSUB and a double-overtime draw.
 
Last Time Out: Palomino scored five of MSUB's six goals against CU last year, including a heroic, second-half hat trick that helped erase a 2-0 halftime deficit in the Yellowjackets' 3-2 win at home. Palomino also found the net twice in Portland, and Niklas Schregel added a goal in the 3-3 stalemate last October.