BILLINGS, Mont. – Playing perhaps its most inspirational half of soccer in the entire 2018 season on Saturday at Yellowjacket Field, the Montana State University Billings women's soccer team went toe-to-toe with No. 15 Western Washington University in a 2-1 Great Northwest Athletic Conference defeat.
 
Haylee Gunter scored her first career goal and the Yellowjackets created numerous chances to equalize after trailing 2-0, but the Vikings sealed their sixth straight win and pushed their unbeaten streak to a dozen matches. WWU (15-2-1, 10-1-1 GNAC) guaranteed itself at least a share of the 2018 GNAC regular season title, and will await the result of Concordia University against Seattle Pacific University at 4 p.m. Pacific as the Cavaliers would be co-champions with a victory.
 
Though the Yellowjackets (4-12-1, 1-10 GNAC) couldn't find a late goal, they ended the season with a spirited push on offense and tested WWU through the final whistle. Junior Amanda Hemmen had one of her finest career performances on both sides of the ball, playing a full 90 minutes split between center back and midfielder.
 
"It was an inspirational end to what has been a really tough year," said Cavallo. "In the final game, the team just went out there and enjoyed the sport and being around each other. We created a game plan, everybody bought in, and it was a great way to end the season despite it being a loss."
 
Playing in their final career match on Senior Day, goalkeeper Lili Delgadillo and forward Jordan Devoto each contributed a 90-minute effort. "Western Washington is one of the top teams in the country, and to be able to come out and get numbers in the attack was so motivating for the entire team," Devoto said, after completing her 42nd consecutive start dating back to the 2016 season. "Playing for this program has meant the world to me, and I didn't want those last 10 seconds to end. I have grown so much as a person and a player, and I wouldn't have wanted to change anything."
 
Delgadillo wound up with five saves in the game, giving her a total of 146 in her four seasons which ranks No. 6 in MSUB history. "I really knew our team was going to fight hard and until the end, and I am very proud of our performance today," said Delgadillo. "This team has been such a huge part of my life and family, and there are not a lot of words you can say to describe the feeling. I'm just so grateful to have had this experience."
 
"Jordan and Lili have given everything to the team," Cavallo said. "It will be impossible to replace what both of them have brought as true servers to the program. I am looking forward to watching them progress into their adult lives."
 
On the first of three corner kicks in rapid succession in the first 11 minutes of the game, MSUB came inches away from taking a 1-0 lead. Claire Tevaseu curled in a perfect cross, and Hemmen met it with her head before watching as it glanced off the bottom of the crossbar.
 
Less than two minutes later, WWU took the lead on a play that started with Hattie North in the defensive third. After a long ball forward into the midfield, Taylor Hallquist created space and ripped a shot into the back of the net from 25 yards out.
 
The Vikings continued to pressure MSUB in the opening 45 minutes, out-shooting the 'Jackets 11-6 in the first half. It wasn't long into the second before WWU doubled its lead, as Zoe Milburn netted her sixth goal of the year just 49 seconds after the break. Emily Bunnell played a long ball out of the back, before Liv Larson cut a cross to a wide-open Milburn at the back post.
 
The 'Jackets refused to give up facing the deficit however, and played WWU even for the remainder of the game. Pushing into an aggressive formation, with Gunter at attacking mid and Hemmen moving up from the back line, paid off late in the game.
 
The Vikings were out-shooting the 'Jackets 9-0 in the second half until the 74th minute, when a shot by Lexie Bloyder missed just wide of the far post. It was the first of eight consecutive shots by MSUB over the final 16 minutes, while WWU went without an attempt as it defended desperately to hold onto the win.
 
Gunter's goal came in the 80th minute, when a chance from a corner kick finally materialized into a goal for the 'Jackets. After another strong service from Tevaseu, Hemmen flicked it with her head to Gunter who struck a one-time shot with the inside of her right foot past WWU goalkeeper Alyssa Treptow. "It was awesome to see Haylee score, and she has been playing so well in her last few games," Cavallo said. "She stepped up when the team needed it most."




 
MSUB had four more shots after the goal, but none were on target as the Vikings held on down the stretch. North was crucial for WWU defensively, and she and fellow center back Annaliese Laurila put together terrific 90-minute performances with a commanding presence throughout. Western Washington will await the completion of the day's other GNAC matches to find out its opponent at next week's GNAC Championships, running November 1-3 at Tuominen Yard in Portland, Oregon on the campus of Concordia University.
 
Kalin Sandow and Courteney Shovlin joined Hemmen and Devoto with a full 90 minutes on the pitch.
 
THE BUZZ: Hemmen was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…MSUB is now 3-22-2 all-time against WWU and is 2-9 in home games…Tevaseu had her fourth assist of the year and Hemmen had her first…WWU was without co-leading goal scorer Gabriela Pelogi (7 goals) for the third straight match.
 

Date	Location	H/A/N	Result	Score
11-7-98	Ellensburg, WA	N	L	8-0
10-30-00	Bellingham, WA	A	L	7-0
9-27-04	Bellingham, WA	A	L	2-0
9-20-07	Bellingham, WA	A	T (2 OT)	2-2
10-14-07	Billings, MT	H	L	2-0
10-9-08	Bellingham, WA	A	L	2-0
10-31-08	Billings, MT	H	L	2-1
10-24-09	Bellingham, WA	A	L	3-0
11-7-09	Billings, MT	H	L	2-1
9-25-10	Bellingham, WA	A	W	1-0 (WWU #20)
10-28-10	Billings, MT	H	W	1-0
9-24-11	Billings, MT	H	W	1-0
10-20-11	Bellingham, WA	A	T (2 OT)	0-0
9-29-12	Bellingham, WA	A	L	3-0
10-18-12	Billings, MT	H	L	2-0 (WWU #25)
11-3-12	Tukwila, WA	N	L	2-0
9-21-13	Billings, MT	H	L	4-1 (WWU #4)
10-24-13	Bellingham, WA	A	L	1-0 (WWU #12)
10-4-14	Billings, MT	H	L	1-0 (WWU #22)
10-16-14	Bellingham, WA	A	L (OT)	2-1
10-10-15	Bellingham, WA	A	L	2-0 (WWU #3)
11-5-15	Burnaby, BC	N	L	4-0 (WWU #2)
10-6-16	Bellingham, WA	A	L	3-0 (WWU #5)
10-29-16	Billings, MT	H	L	2-0 (WWU #1)
9-30-17	Billings, MT	H	L	1-0 (WWU #1)
10-11-18	Bellingham, WA	A	L	2-0 (WWU #18)
10-27-18	Billings, MT	H	L	2-1 (WWU #15)

SENIOR DAY CEREMONY: Delgadillo and Devoto were joined by family prior to Saturday's match, and were honored in the Senior Day ceremony. The two entered the program together as freshmen in 2015 and played side-by-side the last four seasons.