BISMARCK, N.D. – Four different Montana State University Billings men's soccer players scored in a 4-2 victory over the University of Mary on Thursday, as the Yellowjackets captured an elusive first win of the season at the UM Soccer Field.
 
It didn't take long for MSUB (1-4) to take the lead, as sophomore JD Hauenstein scored his first goal of the season in just the fourth minute. The advantage reached 3-0 by the 22nd minute, after Dana Kowachek and Guillaume Kremer each put home their first goal of the year.
 
Mary (1-3-1) got on the board just after halftime with a goal by Joel McIlroy in the 48th minute, but the 'Jackets responded seven minutes later on the first career finish by Realf Zhivanaj to boost what wound up being an insurmountable lead.
 
"I am happy that the guys came out ready to execute the game plan," said MSUB head coach Alex Balog. "We wanted to pressure high from the get-go and put Mary on its heels, and we started creating chances right away. In the back that first half, we had as good a performance as we are going to get." 

In a wild match that featured 37 combined shots between the teams, senior goalkeeper Tom Lohmann came away with nine saves in his first start of the year. Mary's Ludviq Rhodin made eight stops for the hosts while playing all 90 minutes.
 
Setting the tone from the beginning, Hauenstein collected a picture-perfect through ball from Kremer and turned towards goal before an excellent finish. Kowachek's first career goal as a Yellowjacket came in the 15th minute, and was set up on a pass from Sam Phillips. Racing towards a long ball over the top of the back line, Kowachek just got his toe to it ahead of Rhodin to poke it in and make the score 2-0.
 
The next goal was the second in Kremer's career and first of the year, coming off an assist by Alexis Chavez. Chavez's ball went over a defender, and Kremer volleyed a shot to the right of Rhodin into the net.
 
Though the 'Jackets felt comfortable with their 3-0 advantage at the break, a rare indirect free kick inside the goal box was awarded just two minutes into the second half for the Marauders. McIlroy blasted home a shot from six yards away, with nine Yellowjacket defenders – including Lohmann – spread out along the goal line.
 
Kremer wasn't finished influencing the offense however, as it was his pass to Zhivanaj in the 55th minute that helped put the game away. His second assist of the day came on a corner kick serve that Zhivanaj controlled

and powerfully drove into the net.
 
Mary kept the door open until the end, as Nathan Clifford scored the Marauders' second goal of the match in the 69th minute to cut into the deficit.
 
Kremer and Zhivanaj each had four of MSUB's 20 shots in the match, and Ignacio Crespo and Hauenstein joined that duo to give MSUB four players with multiple attempts on target. "Without Guillaume, we would not have been nearly as strong as we were today as a unit," said Balog. "It was good to see a team performance, and everybody got some decent minutes."
 
Oliver Posarelli played a full 90 minutes on the back line for the Yellowjackets, which did well to withstand the constant barrage of shots by the Marauders.
 
THE BUZZ: Kremer was picked as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…he matched a career high with two assists, which he also achieved on Oct. 13, 2016 against Western Washington…Thursday was Kremer's first career game with a goal and at least one assist…Lohmann made his first start of the season in goal, after overcoming an early injury…his nine saves tied his career high, which he last achieved on Oct. 24, 2014 against Simon Fraser…the 37 combined shots by the team were the most in a game that MSUB was involved in this season and the most overall since a total of 37 on Nov. 3, 2016…MSUB is now 28-7-2 all-time against Mary, including a mark of 14-4-1 in matches played in Bismarck.
 
NEXT UP: MSUB challenges No. 13 Upper Iowa University, in its second straight weekend facing a nationally ranked opponent. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. Mountain time on Saturday at the University of Mary soccer field.