BILLINGS, Mont. – Heading to the West Coast this weekend, the Montana State University Billings women's soccer team faces a pair of Great Northwest Athletic Conference opponents.
 
The Yellowjackets (2-10-2, 1-6-2 GNAC) will face Saint Martin's University on Thursday at 5 p.m. Mountain time in Lacey, Wash., before challenging Seattle Pacific University on Saturday at 3 p.m. Mountain time. Live video and live statistics will be available for both games online through MSUB's Stretch Internet portal here.
 
Last week, the 'Jackets earned their first shutout of the season with a 0-0 double-overtime draw against Western Oregon University on Thursday. The stalemate preceded a 3-0 loss to Concordia University last Saturday, in the team's final home match of the 2017 season.
 
"We are excited to get back on the road as we look towards putting together two solid performances that can build into our final match of the season," commented MSUB head coach Stephen Cavallo on the team's penultimate road trip of the season. "This road trip to Seattle is homecoming for a lot of our student-athletes, so I know they'll be excited to play in front of family and friends."
 
MSUB enters the week in a tie for sixth place in the conference standings with five points, but was eliminated from contention for a berth in the GNAC Championships with Saturday's loss to Concordia.
 
TEAM FORM: L-W-L-D-L
 
CALLING ALL ALUMNI: The MSUB Foundation will host an alumni event during Saturday's match at Interbay Stadium in Seattle. MSUB interim chancellor Dr. Ron Larsen, foundation president Bill Kennedy, and Yellowjacket athletic director Krista Montague will host the event, and registration is open through Oct. 18 online here. The event will feature a tailgate in between MSUB's women's match against SPU (2 p.m. Pacific) and the men's game (4:30 p.m. Pacific).
 
HARDER EARNS CLEAN SHEET: Freshman goalkeeper Erinn Harder earned her first career shutout in the scoreless draw against WOU, making nine saves while playing all 110 minutes between the posts. Harder had 11 more saves against Concordia on Saturday, giving her 57 total on the season. With three matches left to play, Harder is just three saves away from breaking into the MSUB single-season top-10. She enters this week tied for fourth in the conference in total saves and third with 5.70 saves per game.
 
2017 GNAC Women's Soccer Saves Leaders (as of Oct. 18, 2017)

Rank	Name	Team	Saves	Year
1.	Ali Koehler	Saint Martin's	79	Junior
2.	Emily Holt	Central Washington	76	Sophomore
3.	Caitlin Kastelic	Western Oregon	64	Sophomore
4.	Erinn Harder	MSU Billings	57	Freshman
	Molly Stinson	Seattle Pacific	57	Senior

 
SANDOW LOGS ANOTHER CG: Playing all 200 minutes last week, sophomore center back Kalin Sandow made it seven complete games in a row along the back line. She has started all 14 matches this fall, and has played the entire game in 12 of those appearances for an average of 88.4 minutes per game. Entering this week, Sandow is one of just three players in the conference to have played upwards of 1,200 minutes this fall.
 
GNAC Women's Soccer Minutes Played Leaders

Rank	Player	Team	Minutes	Position
1.	Olivia Carter	Northwest Nazarene	1255	Defender
2.	Cassandra Clarke	Northwest Nazarene	1249	Defender
3.	Kalin Sandow	MSU Billings	1238	Defender
4.	Allyson Dickson	Simon Fraser	1184	Defender
5.	Mackenzie Nolte	Central Washington	1154	Midfielder
6.	Jenna Baxter	Simon Fraser	1137	Midfielder
7.	Hollis Roeske	Simon Fraser	1133	Midfielder
8.	Kaytlin Willis	Seattle Pacific	1113	Defender
9.	Alexa Iacolucci	MSU Billings	1112	Midfielder
10.	Samantha Donald	Simon Fraser	1105	Midfielder

 *Field Players, as of Oct. 18, 2017
 
KEEP SHOOTING: Though MSUB is currently in a three-game goalless drought, it hasn't been for a lack of shots on the offensive end. Over the last four matches MSUB is averaging 10.5 shots per game, more than two full shots above the team's season average of 8.4 shots per game overall.
 
Saint Martin's University Saints
Thursday, October 19 – 5 PM (MTN) – SMU Soccer Field – Lacey, Wash.
2017 Record: 1-11-1, 1-6-1 GNAC
Form: D-L-W-L-L
Head Coach: Heather Cato, 1st season
2016 Record: 3-14-1, 2-10 GNAC (T8th Place)
1st Meeting (at Billings Oct. 7): SMU 2, MSUB 0
 
The Saints dropped a pair of matches last week, falling to No. 3 Western Washington 4-0 before a 6-0 defeat at the hands of Seattle Pacific University. SMU will play at Western Oregon on Saturday after facing the 'Jackets on Thursday.
 
Ranking last in the conference in scoring, SMU has registered just six goals in its 13 matches while allowing a league high 48.
 
Lauren Allison leads the team with three goals and six points. Shea McKnight, Kiersten Madsen, and Tiare Kahalewai have each also scored a goal for SMU.
 
Ali Koehler and Sara Christensen have split time in goal this year, with the former playing the majority of the minutes and starting 10 games. Koehler's 79 saves this fall are the most in the GNAC.
 
The Series: MSUB is 11-7-2 all-time against SMU and is 5-3-2 in away matches played in Washington. The Saints have won the last two meetings between the teams, MSUB's only defeats in the last 10 contests overall dating back to the 2012 season.
 
Last Time Out: Kahalewai scored in the 27th minute and Allison added an insurance goal in the 75th minute as SMU defeated MSUB 2-0 at Yellowjacket Field on Oct. 7 despite a 16-4 shot advantage for the 'Jackets. The win remains as the only one for the Saints this year.

Seattle Pacific University Falcons
Saturday, October 21 – 3 PM (MTN) – Interbay Stadium – Seattle, Wash.
2017 Record: 8-5, 6-3 GNAC
Form: W-L-L-W-W
Head Coach: Arby Busey, 3rd season
2016 Record: 11-5-4, 7-2-3 GNAC (3rd place)
 
Entering the week in a tie for third place with 18 points in the GNAC standings, Seattle Pacific can clinch its sixth straight berth into the conference tournament with a victory this weekend. The Falcons won both matches last week, with a dramatic 3-2 overtime result against Central Washington and a 6-0 thumping of Saint Martin's on the road.
 
SPU will entertain No. 2 Western Washington on Thursday night under the lights, before hosting MSUB on Saturday.
 
A sound offense coupled with a sturdy defense has led the Falcons towards the top of the conference this year, as SPU has out-scored the opposition 26-16.
 
Junior Kasey Reeve is one of just three players in the GNAC with double figure goals, as her 10 scores are tied for second most in the conference. Sophia Chilczuk, Julia DeVere, and Kickayla Mury have scored four goals apiece to supplement SPU's offense, and Claire Deder leads the team with four assists.
 
In goal, senior veteran Molly Stinson is tied for fourth in the league with 57 saves, while also ranking fourth in goals-against average with a stellar mark of 1.16.
 
The Series: MSUB is 4-18-2 all-time against SPU, and is 1-9-2 in road matches. The Yellowjackets' last win was a 2-1 result in Billings on Sept. 27, 2014, the only victory for MSUB in the last eight meetings overall.
 
Last Time Out: The teams battled to a 3-3 double-overtime draw in Seattle on Oct. 22, 2016 in the last meeting. Juniors Jordan Devoto and Alycia Wright each had goals for the 'Jackets in the game. A goal in the 78th minute by Haley Ayers gave SPU a 1-0 win in Billings on Oct. 13, 2016, as the Falcons went unbeaten against the 'Jackets a year ago.