BILLINGS, Mont. – Through rapidly intensifying wind and rain, Montana State University Billings forward Lexie Bloyder looped a long range shot around Western Oregon University goalkeeper Alex Qualls to the near post and the Yellowjackets held on to win 1-0 in their Great Northwest Athletic Conference opener Thursday afternoon at Yellowjacket Field. Bloyder tallied her second goal of the season in the 67^th minute after she picked off a failed clearing attempt on the Western Oregon defensive line and fooled Qualls with the assistance of a stiff breeze and cool rain.
 
"I didn't realize it went in until my team started celebrating," Bloyder said when asked to describe her game winning goal. "When I shot it, I figured it was going to be way over but then my teammates reacted and I just thought, wholly cow. It ricochet off one of the WOU players and I was able to volley a 50-50 ball out of the air and then take the shot."
 
The Yellowjackets enjoyed a nearly even split of possession time in the lead up to Bloyder's marker, though they managed just a single shot on goal in the first half. The Wolves earned chances on 10 total shots, but only two required saves from MSUB goalkeeper Erinn Harder. Harder earned her second straight shutout after a five save performance against Minot State last Tuesday.
 
The Yellowjackets (2-2-2, 1-0-0 GNAC) begin 1-0 in the conference for the first time since 2016, coincidentally also the last time MSUB defeated WOU.
 
"It's a huge win for us," commented head coach Stephen Cavallo. "The weather definitely took a turn for the worse in the second half but we took the shot during that period and somehow, some way it went in. Then it was just about heart and soul, and concentration the last 20 minutes. They [WOU] definitely had their attacks and opportunities but we stayed super focused to get another shutout, which was amazing."
 
The Yellowjackets did not earn a corner kick in the contest but had to defend six from the opposition. Bloyder and Haylee Gunter were the two starters who landed shots on goal for MSUB. Julia Keller also contributed a shot off the bench and a pair of scoring chances.
 
"Our team has been through a lot over the last few years," Cavallo said. "Sometimes we played well enough to win but didn't get the result I though we deserved. We've got players that have really bought in to our team and the culture here and they all want to be back at the top of the GNAC. That's what we continue to work toward, so today was a big step for us."
 
Bloyder has scored a goal in each of her last two outings and has made the most of her three shots on goal this fall.
 
"This win is so huge for us," Bloyder said. "We practice so hard on this field to prepare and I think this is going to really boost our morale and give us confidence for the rest of the GNAC schedule."
 
The Yellowjackets play against Saturday, September 28 at 1 p.m. against Concordia University at Yellowjacket Field. Western Oregon (3-3-1) travels to Nampa, Idaho for a game against Northwest Nazarene on Saturday to complete their road trip.
 
THE BUZZ: Bloyder was named St. Vincent Healthcare player of the game for MSUB.