BILLINGS, Mont. – Set to make its 2018 home debut this weekend, the Montana State University Billings women's soccer team hosts the Rimrock Classic in memory of Trevor Wildberger at Yellowjacket Field with a pair of non-conference opponents on the schedule.
After opening the season with a win and a draw on the road last week, MSUB (1-0-1) will host the University of Nebraska Kearney on Thursday at 4 p.m. and Black Hills State University on Saturday at 3 p.m. The University of Mary will also visit MSUB's campus for the tournament, taking on both UNK and BHSU as well.
"We are excited to be back in Billings for our first two official home matches of the season," said MSUB head coach
Stephen Cavallo. "The trip to Denver really shows all of us the progress we are making as a program. We showed great grit to come back late against CCU, and battle them out in overtime. We ended the trip with a great 2-0 shutout win."
2018 Rimrock Classic Women's Schedule
Thursday, September 6
1 PM – University of Mary vs. Black Hills State
4 PM – MSU Billings vs. University of Nebraska Kearney
Saturday, September 8
12 PM – University of Nebraska Kearney vs. University of Mary
3 PM – MSU Billings vs. Black Hills State
All four games of the event will feature live video and live statistics, available online through
MSUB's Stretch Internet portal here. "Playing Nebraska Kearney on Thursday will be a tough test," Cavallo said. "They got the best of us last year, so I know all of our returners will be excited for this one. We will continue to work on a few things before the match, but I know our group will be confident and ready to play them."
The event will take place in conjunction with the MSUB men's soccer team, which will host Colorado Christian University, the University of Mary, and Sonoma State University. Men's games are scheduled for Friday and Sunday at Yellowjacket Field.
A STRONG START: The 'Jackets got their 2018 campaign off on the right foot in Colorado last week, earning a
1-1 double-overtime draw against Colorado Christian before
shutting out Wayne State College 2-0. MSUB will be looking for more results this week, and for its best start since 2013 when the team opened 3-0-1 in its first four matches.
FAMILIAR FOES: The Yellowjackets' two opponents this week are each teams that they played a season ago, as MSUB lost at Nebraska Kearney 2-1 on Sept. 1, 2017 to open the season before defeating BHSU 4-1 at home in last year's Rimrock Classic. The three-goal win was MSUB's largest margin of victory in 2017.
GRIM'S OUTLOOK: Though she played just 67 minutes last week, sophomore
Amanda Grimshaw made an impact in both matches for the Yellowjackets. She supplied a key assist to
Julia Keller for the game-tying goal against Colorado Christian, then ripped home an insurance goal late in the win over Wayne State. The assist was the first of Grimshaw's career, and she now has three goals to her name early on in her second year with the 'Jackets.
KEEPERS IMPRESSIVE: Conceding just one goal in 200 minutes played last week, the shot-stopping duo of
Erinn Harder and
Lili Delgadillo were impressive in the nets for the 'Jackets. Harder was a huge factor in MSUB's 1-1 draw against CCU, as she made four crucial saves to keep her team in the match until the end. Senior
Lili Delgadillo got the nod against Wayne State and did not disappoint, as she collected her third career shutout while making four saves in the process.
Senior Lili Delgadillo recorded her third career shutout on Saturday against Wayne State College.
Lili Delgadillo Career Shutouts
*- 3 Total; Gray: 2015 (Freshman, 1); Blue: 2016 (Sophomore, 1); Red: 2018 (Senior, 1)
IACOLUCCI PICKING UP WHERE SHE LEFT OFF: Establishing herself as one of the top threats in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference on set pieces a season ago, junior
Alexa Iacolucci delivered her first goal of the year from a familiar position against Wayne State. After the 'Jackets earned a free kick from 30 yards out, Iacolucci blasted a shot over the wall and into the lower corner of the net with her left foot.
The Lake Forest Park, Washington, native earned honorable mention all-GNAC last season, after leading the Yellowjackets in points with five goals and a pair of assists. After last week's goal, all six of her career finishes have come from set-piece scoring opportunities. She also scored against both Nebraska Kearney and Black Hills State during her sophomore season.
All six of Alexa Iacolucci's career goals have come on set pieces, including one on Saturday against Wayne State.
Alexa Iacolucci Career Goals
| Date |
Opponent |
Situation |
| 9-1-17 |
Nebraska Kearney |
20-Yard Free Kick |
| 9-3-17 |
Drury |
Penalty Kick |
| 9-8-17 |
Black Hills State |
25-Yard Free Kick |
| 9-28-17 |
Northwest Nazarene |
Penalty Kick |
| 10-19-17 |
Saint Martin's |
35-Yard Free Kick |
| 9-1-18 |
Wayne State |
30-Yard Free Kick |
KELLER KEEPS IT GOING: After scoring a goal in each of MSUB's three exhibition games earlier this fall, true freshman
Julia Keller found the net in her regular-season debut against CCU. Her 84th-minute finish on a pass from Grimshaw evened the score at 1-1 on Thursday, and proved to be a critical goal in helping MSUB earn a result in the match. Though she did not score against Wayne State, the Munich, Germany, native followed with another strong performance as she led all players with five shots including four on target.
BACK LINE EXPERIENCE SHOWS: Veteran leadership among MSUB's defensive unit was on display in the season-opening road trip, as the junior trio of
Amanda Hemmen,
Kalin Sandow, and
Courteney Shovlin held steady to limit their opponents' scoring chances. Hemmen and Sandow each played 191 of 200 minutes, while Shovlin saw the pitch for 155 in the two matches. Complementing the back line was freshman
Theodora Hjaltadottir, who ate up 138 minutes during her collegiate debut.
FRESHMAN DEBUTS: All active field players saw time in MSUB's first two games of the year, including seven true freshmen who made their first collegiate appearances.
Cassidy O'Dell started both matches and placed 2 of 3 shots on goal in 150 minutes as she played up top with Keller.
Haylee Gunter,
Lexie Bloyder,
Lindsey Meyer, and
Josie Corbin each also made their first-ever appearances in the navy and gold.
University of Nebraska Kearney Lopers
Thursday, September 6, 2018 – 4 PM – Yellowjacket Field
2018 Record: 0-2
Head Coach: Chloe Roberts, 2nd season
2017 Record: 4-11-3, 1-9-1 MIAA
The Lopers got off to a tough start in 2018, losing 2-0 against Newman (Kansas) and 2-1 against Concordia-St. Paul in their opening weekend.
Maddie Love scored the lone goal for UNK last week, finding the net in the fifth minute to give her team a 1-0 lead against CSP.
Offense was difficult to come by in 2017 for the Lopers, who managed just nine goals in 18 contests. Megan Cook and Molly Willis, who co-led the squad with two goals apiece, are each back with the team this season. Kelsie Ienn led the squad in points with five (1 goal, 3 assists), and returns as a senior to help anchor the defensive unit.
In goal, Allie Prososki is looking to build on three starts last year as she has played in both games this season. While the offense was lacking a year ago, the team only surrendered 24 goals on the year and ranked No. 6 in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association with an opponents' scoring average of 1.33.
The Series: MSUB is 0-1 all-time against UNK, as last season's meeting was the first between the two teams.
Last Time Out: The Lopers scored a pair of first-half goals, and withstood MSUB's comeback effort to claim a 2-1 win on Sept. 1 last year in Kearney, Nebraska. Iacolucci's goal came in the 88th minute, but it was the only one of six shots on goal that got past UNK keeper Ali Hirschman.
Black Hills State University Yellow Jackets
Saturday, September 8, 2018 – 3 PM – Yellowjacket Field
2018 Record: 0-3
Head Coach: Mike Greco, 2nd season
2017 Record: 1-16, 1-11 RMAC
Still in search of its first win in 2018, Black Hills State lost 6-0 at Minot State, 2-0 at Northern State, and 4-0 at the University of Sioux Falls over the course of five days last week. BHSU will take on the University of Mary on Thursday at 1 p.m. at Yellowjacket Field before Saturday's meeting with MSUB.
The similarly-named Yellow Jackets are yet to find the net this season, as they look to improve upon last year's mark of eight goals in 17 matches. Leading scorer Katie Nielson is on this year's roster, after she tallied three goals and one assist for a team-best seven points in 2017. She is the lone scorer to return from last season however, as BHSU looks to replace its offensive firepower this year.
Dz-rae Jara has started all three matches in goal for BHSU, and has totaled 13 saves in 211 minutes so far this season. A fairly young team overall, BHSU has just two seniors in midfielders Rose Miller and Rachel Erickson.
The Series: Last year's game was the first-ever contest between the teams, with MSUB holding a 1-0 record in the all-time series.
Last Time Out: Jordan Devoto found the net and Iacolucci added a goal in the one-sided 4-1 triumph. The Yellowjackets won the game despite falling behind 1-0 in just the eighth minute of the match.
