POMONA, Calif. – With less than three minutes left in Friday's 2018 season-opening match, Jimmie Villalobos delivered a gut punch to the Montana State University Billings men's soccer team as his 108th-minute golden goal lifted No. 4 Cal Poly Pomona to a 1-0 win at Kellogg Stadium.
 
The Yellowjackets had battled deep into double overtime, holding the reigning NCAA Division II west region champion and national semifinalists scoreless until the late goal. The Broncos (1-0) beat the 'Jackets for the third straight season, after winning 4-0 last fall in Billings and 1-0 two years ago on the same field.
 
"We are disappointed we didn't manage to grind out a result, but tonight as a coaching staff we are very proud of the players," commented MSUB head coach Alex Balog. "They battled, fought for every inch of ground, and fought for each other, the program, and our university. They left everything on the field, and we asked them to do that."
 
MSUB begins the season 0-1 with the loss, as it was out-shot 23-12 in the game including 19-6 after the first half. Senior goalkeeper Ludvig Rhodin did all he could to keep MSUB in the match until the end, making eight saves in his debut with the Yellowjackets.
 
Bronco goalie Jakob Hansen matched Rhodin's effort however, making saves on all six of the Yellowjackets' attempts on target. CPP's back line, headlined by reigning D2 All-American Nadir Ghantous, recorded its first shutout of the season.
 
Rhodin swatted away a soft shot that was headed towards the back of the net, rescuing the Yellowjackets with just three minutes left in the first overtime period. He couldn't get to Villalobos' game-winner however, as a loose ball in the box wound up at his foot before he punched a low, hard shot inside the far post from the right side.
 
The Hoganas, Sweden, native saved the day on multiple occasions earlier in the match, including in the 57th minute when he went sliding backwards and to his right to snag a low, powerful shot by CPP's Alon Grod with one hand.
 
The 'Jackets put early pressure on the Broncos' back line, maintaining possession in the attacking third and winning a dangerous free kick that came to no avail within the first 10 minutes of action. Striker Ricardo Palomino uncorked a rocket of a shot from the right side and 30 yards out, forcing Hansen into a leaping save for his first denial of the match at the 12 minute mark. Palomino finished the match leading MSUB with four shots including three on frame.
 
Villalobos' goal nearly came in the 15th minute of play, but Rhodin shifted his footwork mid-step and adjusted to a deflection to make the save.
 
Marvin Putu logged his first shot of the night, placing a one-time volley on a cross by Dana Kowachek on target but into the mitts of Hansen in the 29th minute.
 
MSUB came out of the halftime break firing, with Hansen diving to catch a well-struck shot on goal by Guillaume Kremer just three minutes in. Momentum shifted moving into the middle part of the second however, as CPP gained command of possession and pushed forward on the attack.
 
The 'Jackets held their breath with 16 minutes to play, when the Broncos won a free kick on the right side from just 20 yards away. Cyro Oliveira made a right-footed strike that got over the wall, but Rhodin was able to push the ball wide of the far post.
 
Perhaps the best chance of the game for MSUB came with 11 minutes remaining, when Shantik Bedrosian beat a pair of defenders inside the box and pushed a right-footed shot just wide of the upper corner of the net. Palomino also had a near miss towards the end of the second overtime period, when a defender got a piece of his close-range strike and it missed wide of the target.
 
Sophomore captain Luca Battistotti piloted the Yellowjackets' back line through its gutsy defensive effort, as he, Samuele Folla, Liam Knox, and Pascal Pisarek each played all 107 minutes on the back four. Senior captain Guillaume Kremer also played the full match in the midfield for MSUB, and senior Adam Hepburn turned in 97 quality minutes as well.
 
THE BUZZ: Rhodin was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…MSUB is now 1-3 all-time against CPP.
 
NEXT UP: The 'Jackets square off against Cal State San Bernardino on Sunday at 2 p.m. Pacific time. Live coverage will be available online through www.msubsports.com.