BILLINGS, Mont. – Three first-half goals, including two in the final six minutes of the period, propelled visiting Central Washington University to a 4-0 shutout win over Montana State University Billings in the 2018 Great Northwest Athletic Conference women's soccer opener Saturday afternoon at Yellowjacket Field.
 
CWU took the lead by virtue of a sixth-minute penalty kick conversion by Madison Bradley. After spending the majority of the first half trying to get back in the game, MSUB conceded a pair of crushing goals late in the period that ultimately shifted an insurmountable lead into CWU's hands.
 
"Credit to Central for capitalizing on individual mistakes, and taking their chances well," said MSUB head coach Stephen Cavallo. "I thought for the most part we responded decently to the early penalty kick. But to give up the two goals right before halftime, that's where we need to be really switched on. Closing out the half is something we need to learn from this game and improve on."
 
CWU's Lexsi Manning put on the moves inside the goal box in the 40th minute, with a sharp cut to beat her defender and then a powerful strike inside the far post to make the score 2-0. Just three minutes later, Makinzie

Packwood packed a shot into the back of the net after subbing into the game, and the 'Jackets headed into halftime with dampened spirits down 3-0.
 
MSUB out-shot CWU 8-1 in the second half, but the Wildcats were content to take their foot off the gas and see out their first win and shutout of the 2018 season. CWU moved to 1-3-2 with the win, and started its ​conference season out with a 1-0 record.
 
"In the second half we definitely had a stronger performance and it was something we can grow off of," said Cavallo. "We improved and started to have a little stronger grip on the game. This showed us what the 2018 GNAC season is going to be like, and we need to be sharper starting the game and closing out the halves. We need to be a little sharper in the attacking third than we were today. We can definitely learn from this, and we will move forward."
 
The 'Jackets fell to 3-2-1 with the loss, and started the conference season with an 0-1 record. Freshman Cassidy O'Dell was a play maker in her 82 minutes on the pitch, as she had one of MSUB's five shots on frame. Amanda Hemmen and Kalin Sandow played the full 90 minutes along the back line for MSUB. 

CWU came close to doubling its lead 10 minutes into the match, but a shot by Sidney Lowe on a pass from Bradley missed just high over the crossbar.
 
A shot by Packwood with eight minutes left in the first was headed towards an empty net, until Hemmen dashed to the goal line in the nick of time to clear the ball away as she collided with the post. Although it was a heroic clearance at the time, the Wildcats still managed to push two more goals in before the halftime whistle.
 
MSUB had a chance to get something started early in the second half, after a penalty kick was awarded on a hand ball inside the goal box. Wildcat goalkeeper Emily Thomson came up with the biggest of her five saves on the day, diving to her right to deny the attempt by Claire Tevaseu.
 
CWU scored on its only shot attempt of the second half, when Paige Devine got to a long ball just before MSUB keeper Erinn Harder and lofted a shot on a bounce into the back of the net from 30 yards away.
 
MSUB earned four corner kicks while conceding just one in the match, but failed to deliver on the set-piece opportunities.
 
THE BUZZ: Hemmen was tabbed the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…the 'Jackets are now 11-15-1 all-time against the Wildcats…MSUB lost its fourth straight in the series against CWU.
 
NEXT UP: Conference play continues next week for MSUB, which hits the road to take on Western Oregon University and Concordia University next week. Kickoff against the Wolves is at 3 p.m. Pacific time on Thursday in Monmouth, Oregon, and the game against the No. 15 Cavaliers is set for a 1 p.m. Pacific time kickoff on Saturday in Portland.