BILLINGS, Mont. – Opening Great Northwest Athletic Conference play with possibly its toughest test of the season this weekend, the Montana State University Billings men's soccer team faces the top two teams in the conference on the road.
 
The Yellowjackets (3-3-1, 0-0 GNAC) will cross the border on Thursday evening to take on two-time defending GNAC champion and currently No. 3-ranked Simon Fraser University (6-0, 0-0 GNAC). On Saturday, Western Washington University (4-2, 0-0 GNAC) awaits for a match at Harrington Field in Bellingham, Washington. Both games will kick off at 7 p.m. Pacific/8 p.m. Mountain time, and live video and live statistics will be available online through the MSUB Stretch Internet portal here.
 
"After our season-opening trip to California, we had given our team the goal of getting into conference with a record of at least .500," said MSUB head coach Alex Balog. "With our third win in the last four games we achieved that, while also keeping two clean sheets. There is a sense of belief and confidence in this team that we can beat anyone. That belief will be tested as we play Simon Fraser on Thursday. They are a quality team with experience, and they are well-coached. This game is another great test and should give us an idea of where we stand." 

After losing its first three matches of the year, MSUB has since gone unbeaten in its last four games with three wins and a draw to pull its record to an even .500. The Yellowjackets are coming off a pair of road victories last week, defeating Oklahoma Baptist University 2-1 last Thursday and the University of Mary 1-0 last Saturday in Bismarck, North Dakota.
 
"Our game against WWU on Saturday will be a battle as always," said Balog of a Vikings team that just dropped out of the United Soccer Coaches top-25 rankings after being No. 24 last week. "They have had a good start to the season and will look to build on that. I anticipate a game in which we will have to be one-hundred percent ready from the start and manage the details well. If we do that, we will put ourselves in a position to be successful."
 
This weekend marks the opening of the 12-match GNAC schedule, as only conference opponents remain on MSUB's calendar through the first week of November. For the first time, the regular-season champion of the GNAC will earn an automatic berth into the NCAA Division II West Region Championships, running Nov. 8-11 and featuring the top-six teams from the west region.
 
KOWACHEK KEEPS 'EM COMING: Scoring for the third time this season, senior Dana Kowachek supplied the lone goal in the 1-0 victory over the University of Mary. Kowachek has also recorded a pair of assists, and his eight total points are tied for sixth most in the GNAC. The forward has started 6 of 7 matches for the 'Jackets, and has been efficient with his shooting with 10 of 17 shots landing on frame (58.8 percent). Last week was his first game-winning goal for MSUB, and it was his team's first 1-0 win over the Marauders since October 5, 2013 in a home match.
 
CRESPO SCORES FOR SECOND STRAIGHT WEEK: Finding the net on Thursday against OBU, junior Ignacio Crespo made it two consecutive weeks with his name on the score sheet. The Guatemalan midfielder has seen time in each of the last five matches, and played a season-high 56 minutes en route to his goal against the Bison. After scoring just once in his first two seasons, Crespo will look to continue his recent spell of contribution in the attacking third this week.
 
OFF FOOT, NO PROBLEM: After sitting out last season, Christian Thode made his offensive abilities known in his fifth match of the year against OBU. Scoring what held up as the game-winner, Thode delivered an unstoppable blast with his off-left foot that curled from the top of the goal box into the upper corner of the net. The junior has come off the bench in all six games this season, and became the eighth different Yellowjacket to find the net.
 
GK CONTINUES CLIMB OF CHARTS: Supplying an assist in each game last week, senior midfielder Guillaume Kremer pushed his team-leading total to three assists on the season. In three years with the 'Jackets, Kremer has amassed 14 assists to pull to a tie for No. 6 in school history with Thomas Pertuit (2001-04). When factoring in his 11 career goals, Kremer now has 36 points and he occupies the No. 10 spot in school history in that category.
 
MSUB Career Points Leaders

Rank	Name	Points	Seasons
1	Sam Charles	156	2006-09
2	Chris Andre	64	2007-10
3	Dave Austin	61	1997-01
4	Thomas Pertuit	60	2001-04
5	Ricardo Palomino	53	2015-18
6	Jarred Weisen	45	2006-09
7	Garion Holian	44	2008-11
8	Mark Cipolla	41	2001-02
	Thomas Sheets	41	2010-12
10	Guillaume Kremer	36	2016-18

MAUZAY IMPRESSIVE IN DEBUT: Getting the call to make his first collegiate start on Saturday, freshman goalkeeper Dalton Mauzay rose to the challenge by turning in a clean sheet. The Cheney, Washington, native made three saves against the Marauders, ensuring that Kowachek's goal would be enough to secure the victory.
 
BATTISTOTTI, NEWCOMERS HOLDING BACK LINE TOGETHER: With sophomore captain Luca Battistotti being the only returner to MSUB's defensive unit, the back line has found strong chemistry with just two goals allowed over the last four games. Battistotti has started all seven matches and played a team-high 633 minutes, while fellow Italian Samuele Folla has slotted in next to him at the center back position. On the outside, junior Liam Knox and freshman Bryan Maxwell have assumed the starting roles over the last three matches, with the latter having played all 290 minutes during that span.
 
AMONG GNAC TEAMS: MSUB once again figures to go as its offense goes, as it currently leads the GNAC with 108 shots and an average of 15.43 per contest. The 'Jackets enter the first week of conference play No. 3 in the league with 4.86 points per game, and tied for second with 12 total goals scored. MSUB has also been better defensively than a season ago, as it ranks No. 3 with a goals-against average of 1.21 while leading the league in saves with 35 for an average of 5.0 per match.

No. 3 Simon Fraser University Clan
Thursday, September 20 – 7 PM Pacific – Burnaby, British Columbia
2018 Record: 6-0, 0-0 GNAC
Head Coach: Clint Schneider, 3rd season
2017 Record: 11-3-4, 7-2-3 GNAC (1st place, NCAA D2 West Region Second Round)
 
Off to their best start since the 2015 season – when they went 8-0 and unbeaten in their first 15 matches – the Clan have blown away the competition in the midst of their perfect 6-0 start this year. The team has conceded just two goals, while amassing 21 offensively and currently ranks No. 4 in the NCAA in total goals scored. Only three Division II schools have scored more than SFU, each of which have found the net 22 times.
 
Reigning first-team all-GNAC selection Matteo Polisi leads the GNAC and is among NCAA leaders in points, as he has already scored six goals and added eight assists for a total of 20 through his first six games of the year. Mamadi Camara and Connor Glennon are close behind, with 14 and 13 points, respectively. The trio of offensive stars has combined for 15 of the team's 21 goals and 17 of its 19 assists on the season, and Rahid Rahiem has made two of the three goals he has scored this year count as game-winners.
 
While the Clan bid farewell to All-American defender Magnus Kristensen last year, the back line has been better than ever and has not conceded a goal in the last 275 minutes of action. Senior Michael North, who was a second-team all-league pick a year ago, has started all six matches as a leader on the defensive unit.
 
In goal, Luciano Trasolini has played every minute of the season and has logged four shutouts in six matches. The sophomore has made 14 saves, and holds a goals-against average of 0.33.
 
The Series: SFU is 19-1-3 all-time against the 'Jackets, and holds an unblemished 10-0-1 record in games played in Burnaby.
 
Last Time Out: The Yellowjackets recorded their first-ever win over the Clan on October 26, 2017, winning 2-1 at home when SFU was ranked No. 9 in the NCAA. Kremer had a free-kick goal in the match, and 2017 senior Victor Sanchez scored the game-winner in MSUB's first win over the Clan in school history.
 

Date	Location	H/A/N	Result	Score
9-12-98	Arcata, CA	N	L	4-0
9-18-99	Spokane, WA	N	L	5-1
10-16-99	Burnaby, BC	A	L	3-0
10-1-00	Salt Lake City, UT	N	L	7-0
9-29-02	Burnaby, BC	A	L	7-2
10-6-07	Burnaby, BC	A	L	2-0
9-12-08	Billings, MT	H	L	1-0
9-23-10	Burnaby, BC	A	L	3-1
10-30-10	Billings, MT	H	L	2-1
9-22-11	Billings, MT	H	L	4-1
10-22-11	Burnaby, BC	A	L	1-0
9-13-12	Burnaby, BC	A	L	2-0 (SFU #12)
10-20-12	Billings, MT	H	T (2 OT)	0-0 (SFU #3)
9-19-13	Billings, MT	H	L	2-1 (SFU #1)
10-26-13	Burnaby, BC	A	L	7-0 (SFU #3)
9-25-14	Burnaby, BC	A	T (2 OT)	3-3
10-24-14	Billings, MT	H	L	3-1
9-26-15	Billings, MT	H	T (2 OT)	1-1
10-22-15	Burnaby, BC	A	L	1-0
10-8-16	Billings, MT	H	L	1-0 (SFU #2)
10-27-16	Burnaby, BC	A	L	4-0 (SFU #3)
10-7-17	Burnaby, BC	A	L	1-0 (SFU #22)
10-26-17	Billings, MT	H	W	2-1 (SFU #9)

Date	Location	H/A/N	Result	Score
9-11-98	Arcata, CA	N	L	4-1
10-17-99	Bellingham, WA	A	L	4-0
9-17-00	Bellingham, WA	A	L	3-1
10-17-01	Bellingham, WA	A	L	4-0
9-28-02	Bellingham, WA	A	L	2-0
9-22-03	Bellingham, WA	A	L	2-0
9-27-04	Bellingham, WA	A	L	3-1
9-10-07	Billings, MT	H	W	2-1
9-22-07	Bellingham, WA	A	L	3-0
10-19-08	Bellingham, WA	A	L	1-0
10-31-08	Billings, MT	H	L	2-1
9-24-09	Bellingham, WA	A	W (2 OT)	2-1
10-31-09	Billings, MT	H	L	3-2
9-25-10	Bellingham, WA	A	W	3-2
10-28-10	Billings, MT	H	L	2-1
9-24-11	Billings, MT	H	L	2-1
10-20-11	Bellingham, WA	A	W	3-1
9-15-12	Bellingham, WA	A	L	2-1
10-18-12	Billings, MT	H	W (OT)	2-1
9-21-13	Billings, MT	H	T (2 OT)	0-0
10-24-13	Bellingham, WA	A	L	1-0
9-27-14	Bellingham, WA	A	W	1-0
10-23-14	Billings, MT	H	L	2-1
9-24-15	Billings, MT	H	W	1-0
10-24-15	Bellingham, WA	A	W	1-0
10-13-16	Billings, MT	H	W	3-1
10-29-16	Bellingham, WA	A	L	2-0
10-12-17	Bellingham, WA	A	L	2-0
10-28-17	Billings, MT	H	W	2-0