BILLINGS, Mont. – With three games left on the 2017 Great Northwest Athletic Conference schedule, the Montana State University Billings men's soccer team hosts a pair of league opponents this weekend at Yellowjacket Field.
 
MSUB (6-9, 4-5 GNAC) welcomes the top two teams in the conference this week, with No. 9 and first-place Simon Fraser University (10-1-2, 6-1-1) and second-place Western Washington University (6-4-3, 5-2-1) coming to town. Thursday's meeting with the Clan, MSUB's fourth match this year against a ranked opponent, is scheduled for 3 p.m. On Saturday, kickoff against the Vikings is also scheduled for 3 p.m. Live video and live statistics will be available for both matches online through MSUB's Stretch Internet portal here.
 
"We are glad to be playing at home again, after a difficult few weeks on the road," said MSUB head coach Alex Balog as his team returns from a three-week road stretch. "Fortunately, we were able to cap things off with a victory over SPU last Saturday. I hope this has given the team a sense of newfound belief and is showing them they do have the ability to beat anyone on their day."
 
The 'Jackets put a halt to a four-game losing skid last week, and kept pace at fourth place in the GNAC standings entering play this week. MSUB has 12 points, trailing both WWU and Seattle Pacific University, who are tied for second with 16 points. The Clan are atop the table with 19 points. 

MSUB overcame a 3-2 loss at Concordia University last Thursday, with a come-from-behind 2-1 win on the road at Seattle Pacific University on Saturday. It was just the second time in school history that MSUB beat the Falcons in Seattle.
 
After this week, MSUB will play its final conference match of the year at Saint Martin's University on Nov. 2, before a Senior Day clash at home against South Dakota School of Mines in the finale of the 2017 season on Nov. 4. "With SFU and WWU coming to our field this week, we will see some top NCAA D2 soccer in Billings," Balog said. "Both games will be hard-fought, but the fact that we can still climb up the table and finish this season with a winning record means we still have a lot to play for."
 
TEAM FORM: L-L-L-L-W
 
GUILLAUME'S GOALS: Keeping pace with the conference scoring leaders, junior midfielder Guillaume Kremer has scored in three consecutive games to push his season goals total to seven. He has also contributed a

team-high four assists, and ranks fourth in the conference in total points with 18 (1.20 per game). One of the top set piece marksmen in the league, Kremer's last four scores have all come on dead ball opportunities. Kremer needs three more goals over the final four matches to become just the 11th player in school history to reach a double figure goal total in a single season. MSUB has had a double-figure goal scorer in each of the last two seasons after a four-year drought from 2011-14. Kremer is also second in the conference in total shots (53) and shots per game (3.53), while placing more than half of those (52.8 percent) on target.
 
SCHREGEL MAKES IT COUNT: Scoring the seventh goal of his career on Saturday, senior Niklas Schregel provided the difference with the game winner against the Falcons in the 68th minute. It was Schregel's second goal of the year, and the third game-winning goal of his career. The central midfielder has played in all 15 matches this season, with a dozen starts to give him 62 total games and 50 starts in his four seasons.
 
WILLIAMS CONTINUES TO IMPACT OFFENSE: After playing exclusively as a defender and not scoring in his first three seasons in the program, senior Eli Williams has come on strong this fall on both sides of the field. Recently tucking away his third goal of the season, Williams headed home the equalizer just after halftime last Thursday against Concordia. The Nine Mile Falls, Wash., native has seen action in all 15 games and also has an assist to his name, giving him seven points in his final season with the 'Jackets.
 
ONE MORE SAVE TO GO FOR LOHMANN: Senior Tom Lohmann made four saves last week, pushing his career total to 195 as he sits just one shy of the school record. With his next two stops, Lohmann will become the new saves king for the Yellowjackets. He is currently second in the conference with 50 saves, and is averaging 3.85 per game. Lohmann would have to average just over five saves per game over his last four matches to break his personal record of 73 saves in a single season (2014).
 
MSUB Career Saves Leaders (as of Oct. 24, 2017)

Rk.	Name	Saves	Seasons
1.	Matt Mitchell	196	2007-2010
2.	Tom Lohmann	195	2014-17
3.	Eoin Hurley	177	2011-13
4.	Jess Feldtman	174	2003-05

 
SHANT BACK IN ACTION: Freshman midfielder Shantik Bedrosian suffered an injury just one minute into the second week of the season, after a goal and an assist in his first two collegiate games for the 'Jackets. The Netherlands native came back to the pitch in MSUB's match at Simon Fraser, and an 88-minute performance against Concordia last week suggested he is nearing full health. The crafty forward could have a major impact on the Yellowjackets' offense over the final two weeks of the 2017 season.
 
BATTISTOTTI'S BIG PRESENCE: Along with Kremer, freshman defender Luca Battistotti is the only other Yellowjacket to have started all 15 matches. The Italian came through with his third assist of the year against Concordia, setting up Williams' header goal. He is now tied for second on the team in assists, and is fourth in points with five in his debut season with MSUB.
 
No. 9 Simon Fraser University Clan
Thursday, October 26 – 3 PM – Yellowjacket Field
2017 Record: 10-1-2, 6-1-1 GNAC
FORM: W-W-W-W-W
Head Coach: Clint Schneider, 3rd season
2016 Record: 14-1-3, 9-1-2 GNAC (1st place, GNAC Champion, NCAA Tournament 2nd Round)
1st Meeting (Oct. 7 at Burnaby, B.C.): No. 22 SFU 1, MSUB 0
 
Reeling off five straight wins and unbeaten in its last six matches overall, No. 9 Simon Fraser has secured the top spot in the conference standings by knocking WWU 1-0 and withstanding Saint Martin's 3-2 in its last two games. The Clan's only loss this year was a 3-2 setback at Concordia on Sept. 28, since which SFU has out-scored the opposition 11-3 and gone 5-0-1.
 
After Thursday's meeting with the 'Jackets, the Clan will head to Nampa, Idaho to challenge Northwest Nazarene University on Saturday.
 
The Clan's Matteo Polisi is tied for second in the GNAC with 23 points, and in total goals with 10 this season. Reigning NCAA Division II West Region Player of the Year Adam Jones is second on the team with a dozen points, but has missed four matches including the team's most recent contest against SMU on Saturday.
 
Overall, SFU has out-scored the opposition 32-10, and eight different players have recorded multiple goals.
 
Defensively, SFU is anchored by fifth-year senior Magnus Kristensen, as well as Michael North with the tandem each starting every game and leading all field players with 1,228 minutes.
 
In goal, Miguel Hof has started 12 of 13 matches, and has made just 16 saves while holding a goals-against average of 0.72 and five shutouts.
 
The Series: MSUB is 0-19-3 all-time against SFU, and is 0-6-2 in matches played in Billings. The Clan have won four in-a-row since the teams last tied 1-1 on Sept. 26, 2015 at Yellowjacket Field.
 
Last Time Out: A Jones free kick in the 40th minute proved to be the difference on Oct. 7 in Canada, as SFU completed the clean sheet with a 1-0 triumph over the 'Jackets. Hof had a pair of saves, while Lohmann had seven for MSUB.
 
Western Washington University Vikings
Saturday, October 28 – 3 PM – Yellowjacket Field
2017 Record: 6-4-3, 5-2-1 GNAC
FORM: W-D-W-L-L
Head Coach: Greg Brisbon, 5th season
2016 Record: 10-5-4, 6-3-3 GNAC (2nd place, NCAA Tournament 2nd Round)
1st Meeting (at Bellingham, Oct. 12): WWU 2, MSUB 0
 
The Vikings slipped out of the top spot in the standings with consecutive losses, but are still in the running for a league title and a return to the NCAA tournament with four matches to go. WWU lost 3-2 at Saint Martin's in its only match last week, and will play at Northwest Nazarene on Thursday before taking on the 'Jackets Saturday.
 
Senior and GNAC Player of the Year candidate Anthony Dean is the team's leading player offensively, as he ranks second in the conference with 23 points and 10 goals in his final year with the Vikings. Dean has been a big reason why WWU has out-scored its opposition 25-20 this fall, and he also has three assists while starting all 13 of his team's games.
 
Stephen Jinneman, Drew Farnsworth, and Luke Olney are each tied for second on the team with three goals apiece.
 
Junior Marcus Tinsley has been an anchor defensively, starting all 13 games on the back line. Christian Rotter and Georg Cholewa have also started every match, along with Jinneman and Olney in the midfield.
 
Senior Tyler Visten has played every minute in goal for the Vikings, and holds a 1.41 goals-against average while making 44 saves and recording three shutouts.
 
The Series: MSUB is 9-18-1 all-time and 4-5-1 in home games against the Vikings. WWU has won the last two meetings, but MSUB is 5-4-1 over the last 10 contests dating back to 2012.
 
Last Time Out: The Vikings used a pair of late goals to beat the 'Jackets, with Farnsworth scoring in the 81st minute and Dean tucking home a goal with 17 seconds left for a 2-0 result two weeks ago.