BILLINGS, Mont. – Playing its final two road matches of the 2018 season this weekend, the Montana State University Billings women's soccer team is looking to break out of a four-game losing skid.
 
The Yellowjackets (4-8-1, 1-7 GNAC) head to Washington for the second straight week, where they'll face Central Washington University (2-7-4, 2-4-2) on Thursday and Seattle Pacific University (9-4-1, 5-3) on Saturday. Kickoff for both matches will be at 3 p.m. Pacific time/4 p.m. Mountain, and live video and live statistics will be available online via the MSUB Stretch Internet portal here.
 
The Falcons are currently in fourth place in the GNAC standings with 15 points, and are looking to distance themselves from fifth-place Western Oregon University (10) points as they move towards securing the fourth and final spot in the 2018 GNAC Championships. The Wildcats are still in the hunt for a berth with eight points and four games left on their schedule. Though the Yellowjackets are not mathematically eliminated from a top-four spot, they must win their final four matches to remain in the conversation.
 
"We are looking for another big push from the team this week," said MSUB head coach Stephen Cavallo. "Back-to-back road trips are tough, and it will take all of us coming together and playing well to get positives out of these next two matches."
 
MSUB lost 2-0 at No. 18 Western Washington University last Thursday, and fell 3-0 at Simon Fraser University last Saturday. The 'Jackets are in search of their first GNAC road win of the season, and their first victory since a 2-1 result against Northwest Nazarene University on September 27 in Billings. "The team showed a lot of fight and determination," Cavallo commented on last week's games. "We are looking forward to playing CWU again on Thursday. I know the team will be hungry to show improvement from the first match against them. We will keep plugging away and will look at each of the upcoming matches as a chance to improve. We believe that we are close to having a positive result go our way."
 
BUZZING IN SEATTLE: Saturday's game will be the first in a doubleheader at Interbay Stadium, as the MSUB men's soccer team will also be in town to face the Falcons. After the women's match at 3 p.m. local time, the men will kick off at 7 p.m. under the lights. It will be the lone doubleheader this year – home or away – with both Yellowjacket teams squaring off against the same opponent.
 
HARDER HAS BIG WEEKEND: Sophomore goalkeeper Erinn Harder is coming off a big weekend in terms of saves, as she totaled 19 in the Yellowjackets' two games last week. It was her second-highest saves total in a two-game stretch in her career thus far, as she had 20 saves in matches against Western Oregon and Concordia at home last October. Her 11 stops against Simon Fraser on Saturday were her most of the year, and tied for the second-highest total of her career as she nearly eclipsed her personal best of 12 saves.
 
Harder's 38 saves overall this year are eighth most in the GNAC, and she is averaging 3.5 saves per game.
 
Harder also reached triple digits in career saves last week, becoming the sixth player in MSUB history with 100 or more saves in her career. Midway through her second season, Harder has a total of 106. The all-time record for saves at MSUB is 336, accumulated by Hall of Famer Megan Plank in 71 career games from 2003-06. 
 
MSUB Women's Soccer Career Saves Leaders (as of October 16, 2018)

Rank	Name	Saves	Games	Seasons
1	Megan Plank	336	71	2003-06
2	Jordan Fenwick	232	57	2007-10
3	Gretchen Kaus	211	35	1999-2000
4	Jenny Bunnell	161	30	1998-99
5	Lili Delgadillo	125	28	2015-18
6	Erinn Harder	106	24	2017-18
7	Aiko Johnson	66	20	2012
8	Danielle Gordon	61	19	2010-11
9	Cori Russell	60	9	2002
10	Krystal Daniels	56	23	2013-14

LOOKING FOR ATTACKING MOMENTUM: After a tough game offensively with just two shots against Western Washington, the 'Jackets bounced back with a better performance against Simon Fraser. MSUB managed seven attempts and placed three on target, and will look to build that into a more formidable push against CWU on Thursday. Though the 'Jackets didn't score in their 4-0 defeat at the hands of the Wildcats on September 15, they reached 14 shots which was their third highest total of the season. MSUB will look to replicate that mark after reaching double figures in shots just once in the seven games since then.
 
SANDOW, HEMMEN AMONG GNAC'S MOST CONSISTENT: Entering this week, a total of 12 field players have racked up 1,100 or more minutes as the season reaches its final four games. Among the conference's leaders in minutes played are Yellowjacket junior center backs Kalin Sandow and Amanda Hemmen who rank eighth and ninth in the GNAC with 1,129 and 1,119 minutes played, respectively. Each has started all 13 games of the year, with Sandow maintaining a streak of 450 consecutive minutes over the last five matches and Hemmen with 285 consecutive minutes over the last four games.
 
Central Washington University Wildcats
Thursday, October 18 – 3 PM Pacific/4 PM Mountain – Ellensburg, Washington
2018 Record: 2-7-4, 2-4-2 GNAC
Head Coach: Michael Farrand, 19th season
2017 Record: 2-12-3, 1-9-2 GNAC (9th place)
First Meeting: CWU 4, MSUB 0 (September 15 at Billings, MT)
 
Though CWU has had just one win in its last seven games dating back to the first meeting against the Yellowjackets, the team has had some promising results against tough conference opponents. The 'Cats drew No. 18 Western Washington 1-1 on October 6, and narrowly lost to No. 6 Concordia in their most recent match falling 2-1 last Saturday. Overall CWU split its games last week, as the loss to the GNAC-leading Cavaliers came after a 3-2 road win over Saint Martin's University.
 
Madison Bradley and Makinzie Packwood are tied for the team lead with four goals apiece, and the former also has an assist for a team-leading nine points through 12 matches. Sydney Lowe leads her team with three assists coming out of the midfield.
 
Kennedy Anson and Alyssa Barden are the only Wildcats to have started all 13 games, with the latter pacing the team at 1,163 minutes played.
 
Emily Thomson has been the primary starter in goal, with 44 saves and a goals-against average of 1.36 in a dozen games played. She has also notched a pair of shutouts.
 
As a team CWU has been out-scored 21-14 on the year, but has allowed just over one goal per game since beginning conference play (nine goals in eight games).
 
The Series: CWU made it four straight wins in the series against MSUB, and improved to 15-11-1 overall against the 'Jackets. CWU holds an 8-4-1 advantage in matches played in Ellensburg.
 
Last Time Out: The Wildcats bookended the first half with goals in the sixth and 40th minutes, and added two more in the second for the decisive 4-0 shutout win. Four different CWU players scored, and Bradley had a goal and an assist in the contest.
 

Date	Location	H/A/N	Result	Score
10-3-98	Billings, MT	H	L	3-1
10-4-98	Billings, MT	H	L	6-0
11-8-98	Ellensburg, WA	A	L	6-2
9-17-00	Ellensburg, WA	A	L	2-0
9-11-03	Ellensburg, WA	A	L	3-0
9-18-04	Billings, MT	H	W	5-1
9-22-07	Ellensburg, WA	A	L	3-0
10-12-07	Billings, MT	H	W	2-1
9-24-08	Billings, MT	H	L	2-0
10-11-08	Ellensburg, WA	A	L	2-1
9-17-09	Ellensburg, WA	A	W	3-1
10-3-09	Billings, MT	H	L	3-0
9-18-10	Ellensburg, WA	A	W	2-1
10-14-10	Billings, MT	H	W	4-2
10-1-11	Ellensburg, WA	A	T (2 OT)	1-1
10-27-11	Billings, MT	H	W	3-0
9-15-12	Billings, MT	H	W	2-1
10-11-12	Ellensburg, WA	A	W	2-0
9-28-13	Ellensburg, WA	A	L	2-1
10-17-13	Billings, MT	H	L (OT)	1-0
9-25-14	Billings, MT	H	W	1-0
10-11-14	Ellensburg, WA	A	W	2-1
10-31-15	Billings, MT	H	W	1-0
10-1-16	Ellensburg, WA	A	L	3-0
10-15-16	Billings, MT	H	L	2-1
10-28-17	Ellensburg, WA	A	L	2-0
9-15-18	Billings, MT	H	L	4-0

Seattle Pacific University Falcons
Saturday, October 20 – 3 PM Pacific/4 PM Mountain – Seattle, Washington
2018 Record: 9-4-1, 5-3 GNAC
Head Coach: Arby Busey, 4th season
2017 Record: 10-7, 8-4 GNAC (4th place)
First Meeting: SPU 2, MSUB 1 (October 6 at Billings, MT)
 
SPU is 3-2 over its last five matches, with the two losses coming against nationally ranked Western Washington and Concordia. Last week, SPU fell 1-0 to the Cavaliers at home before stomping Western Oregon 6-1 at Interbay Stadium in its most recent match. The Falcons will host Simon Fraser on Thursday evening before Saturday's affair with the 'Jackets.
 
Sophia Chilczuk, the team's leading scorer, is among GNAC leaders as she is tied for second with 16 points on the year. Her total of seven goals is tied for second in the conference, and she has played in all 14 games while starting 13.
 
Megan Moore, who is second on the team with 10 points, is tied for third in the conference with six assists. Overall the Falcons have displayed great depth with their scoring, as 12 different players have found the net and 16 total have at least one goal or one assist. SPU's 27 goals are the third most in the GNAC.
 
Asia Cayetano is among the team's top defensive players, as she has started all 14 games and eaten up 1,106 minutes on the back line. Only Julia DeVere's 1,148 minutes are higher on the team, and she has scored twice with four assists.
 
In goal, Riley Travis has started 11 games with 46 saves and a goals-against average of 0.97.
 
The Series: SPU is 20-4-2 all-time against MSUB and has a stellar record of 10-1-2 in games played at Interbay Stadium. With the win earlier this month, SPU is now undefeated in the last seven games against the 'Jackets dating back to the 2014 season.
 
Last Time Out: MSUB's comeback effort fell just short, as a goal by Jordan Devoto in the 74th minute cut a 2-0 deficit in half but was the lone strike of the day. DeVere scored in the 21st minute on an assist from Moore, and the latter put home the game-winner in the 49th minute on a helper from Chilczuk.
 

Date	Location	H/A/N	Result	Score
9-15-03	Seattle, WA	A	L	5-0
9-22-04	Seattle, WA	A	L	3-0
9-27-07	Seattle, WA	A	L	1-0
10-27-07	Billings, MT	H	L	2-0
9-27-08	Billings, MT	H	L	3-0
11-8-08	Seattle, WA	A	L	3-0
10-21-09	Seattle, WA	A	L	4-0
11-5-09	Billings, MT	H	L (OT)	3-2
9-16-10	Seattle, WA	A	L	3-0 (SPU #19)
10-16-10	Billings, MT	H	L (OT)	2-1 (SPU #14)
11-13-10	Seattle, WA	A	L	2-0 (SPU #9)
9-29-11	Seattle, WA	A	W	1-0 (SPU #14)
10-29-11	Billings, MT	H	L	2-1
9-13-12	Billings, MT	H	W	2-1
10-13-12	Seattle, WA	A	L	3-0
11-1-12	Tukwila, WA	N	W	1-0 (SPU #22, GNAC Championships)
9-26-13	Seattle, WA	A	L	2-1 (SPU #25)
10-19-13	Billings, MT	H	L	3-0 (SPU #23)
9-27-14	Billings, MT	H	W	2-1
10-9-14	Seattle, WA	A	T (2 OT)	0-0
11-6-14	Tukwila, WA	N	L	1-0 (GNAC Championships)
10-15-15	Billings, MT	H	L	1-0 (SPU #19)
10-13-16	Billings, MT	H	L	1-0
10-22-16	Seattle, WA	A	T (2 OT)	3-3
10-21-17	Seattle, WA	A	L	3-0
10-6-18	Billings, MT	H	L	2-1