BILLINGS, Mont. – Off to its best start since the 2015 season, the Montana State University Billings women's soccer team opens Great Northwest Athletic Conference play at home on Saturday against Central Washington University.
 
Kickoff is set for noon at Yellowjacket Field, in the first of 12 conference matches as MSUB begins the race to the 2018 GNAC Championships. A top-four finish in the regular-season standings would earn the Yellowjackets a spot in the conference tournament, which will run Nov. 1-3 at Concordia University in Portland, Oregon, for the first time since 2015. Live video and live statistics for Saturday's game against the Wildcats will be available online through MSUB's Stretch Internet portal here.
 
"We are looking forward to our first GNAC match against Central, as this is what we have all been preparing for since our final game last season against them in October," said MSUB head coach Stephen Cavallo. "I believe we have made good strides throughout the course of our non-conference games, and we will be prepared for what will be a very tough first GNAC test. We know Central will come out of the gates flying against us as they always do, and it is our responsibility to neutralize their attacking threats and play our game." 

After a dramatic 4-3 win over the University of Providence on Tuesday in Great Falls, MSUB finished the non-conference portion of its schedule with a mark of 3-1-1. It is the best the 'Jackets have started a season since the 2015 squad opened with a mark of 4-1-2 over its first seven matches.
 
"The first GNAC game at home will be a big test for the team, but we want to make sure that we do not overthink it and just play with the same enthusiasm and support for one another that we have had in the first eight games leading up to this match," Cavallo said. "We want to start with the front forward, taking all three points at home, and establishing a high standard of play to reach in each of the remaining conference games."
 
2 & 2 FOR TEVASEU: Playing primarily as a holding midfielder in her first two seasons with the 'Jackets, a shift into the offensive third for junior Claire Tevaseu has paid big dividends so far for the Yellowjackets. The Seattle native scored her first two collegiate goals in the last two games, and she also has a pair of assists to lead the team with six points through the first five games of the year. On Tuesday against Providence, Tevaseu stepped up to convert a penalty kick before feeding an assist on the game-winning goal. It was her first-ever game with three points, and she has taken six shots in the last two matches.
 
BLOYDER NETS THE WINNER: Helping complete MSUB's improbable comeback on Tuesday, freshman Lexie Bloyder scored her first collegiate goal in what stood up as the game-winner in the match. The Billings native played a season-high 43 minutes Tuesday, and has played upwards of 30 minutes in 4 of 5 appearances off the bench as a forward this year.
 
KELLER, O'DELL CONTINUE TO GEL: Freshman Cassidy O'Dell scored her first collegiate goal as well, finding the net in the eighth minute to give MSUB hope after it trailed 3-0 early on. The Lynnwood, Washington, native is the team's leader with three assists on the season, and her five total points are tied for second most on the squad. O'Dell has started all five games as a winger for the 'Jackets, and ranks fourth on the team with 386 minutes played so far.
 
FEATURE: MSUB WOMEN'S SOCCER FRESHMAN CASSIDY O'DELL
 
O'Dell's goal came on an assist from fellow freshman Julia Keller, before the roles reversed on MSUB's next finish with an assist from O'Dell to Keller. It was the Munich, Germany, native's second score of the season, and she has also started all five matches at the forward position for the Yellowjackets. The duo also ranks 1-2 on the team in shots with 18 by O'Dell and 16 by Keller. Those totals also rank No. 2 and No. 5 in the GNAC, respectively.
 
HEMMEN SCORES FIRST GOAL: Junior center back Amanda Hemmen scored her first goal of the year and the second of her career in last Thursday's loss to Nebraska Kearney. Providing a boost in the attacking third on a corner kick, Hemmen made her first shot of the season count as it found the back of the net. She and fellow junior Kalin Sandow lead the team in minutes played with 427 and 432, respectively, and have started all five games as the defensive core.
 
DEVOTO ON SOLID PACE: Senior forward Jordan Devoto notched her first goal of the year last Saturday in a 3-0 win over Black Hills State, and it was her fifth career goal as a Yellowjacket. Through five games, the captain is averaging upwards of 64 minutes per game, as she is on pace to play 1,100 minutes for the second consecutive season. Devoto has been an historically efficient shooter, with a career shots-on-goal percentage of 60.9 (14 of 23). That theme has held true so far this season, as she has placed three of her five attempts on frame.
 
DOUBLE THE OFFENSE, DOUBLE THE FUN: After scoring just 17 goals in 17 matches last year for an average of 1.0 goals per game, MSUB is on pace to double that mark as it has already netted 11 goals in five matches (2.2 goals per game). The entire lineup has been involved in the scoring as well, with 9 of 16 field players already having contributed either a goal or an assist and three players with multiple goals.
 
Central Washington University Wildcats
Saturday, Sept. 15 – 12 PM – Yellowjacket Field
2018 Record: 0-3-2, 0-0 GNAC
Head Coach: Michael Farrand, 19th season
2017 Record: 2-12-3, 1-9-2 GNAC (9th place)
 
Central Washington is yet to claim its first win of the season, as the team has scored one goal in each of its five matches thus far. The Wildcats are coming off a pair of losses and a draw last week, losing to Northwest University 4-1 and CSU San Bernardino 3-1, and tying Metro State University 1-1 all at home in Ellensburg, Washington.
 
After playing in just three games and 114 total minutes as a freshman in 2017, Madison Bradley has been the top offensive performer for CWU early on with three goals in five starts this fall. Bradley has placed 5 of 9 shots on frame, and poses the Wildcats' biggest threat in the attacking third.
 
Sophia Kennan and Makinzie Packwood are the other two players to have scored a goal, with the former starting 4 of 5 games and the latter playing 298 minutes off the bench on the year. All five of CWU's goals have featured a different player providing an assist.
 
Among the top returners for CWU are Lexsi Manning and Bailey Martoncik who are both senior midfielders. Martoncik has started each of the last three matches after missing the first two games of the year.
 
In goal, Emily Thomson has started 4 of 5 games and has made 16 saves while holding a goals-against average of 2.39. CWU has been out-scored 12-5 overall on the season.
 
The Series: CWU leads the all-time series 14-11-1, but the Yellowjackets have a slight 7-6 edge in games played in Billings. The Wildcats have won three straight matches and are 5-3 overall dating back to the 2013 season.
 
Last Time Out: The teams played just once last year, but CWU left a bitter taste in MSUB's mouth with a 2-0 win on the final day of the year on Oct. 28 in Ellensburg. KK Wallace, who has played in all five matches this season, scored both of CWU's goals in the win.
 

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