BURNABY, B.C. – Raegan MacKenzie found the back of the net in the 82nd minute Thursday evening at Terry Fox Field, lifting host Simon Fraser University to a 1-0 triumph over the Montana State University Billings women's soccer team in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.
 
The Yellowjackets (5-6-3, 2-5-2 GNAC) held the edge in possession for much of the match and held a commanding 5-1 edge in corner kicks, but could not find the back of the net in the shutout defeat. Simon Fraser improved to 4-7-1 overall and nudged its record above .500 in league play at 5-4.
 
MSUB out-shot SFU 11-10 and had numerous promising opportunities throughout the match. Leila Clark hit the crossbar with 16 minutes before the halftime break, in what proved to be MSUB's nearest miss during a half filled with chances. The 'Jackets out-shot SFU 3-2 over the opening 45 minutes, and kept the majority of possession in the attacking third of the field.
 
MSUB dodged a bullet 12 minutes before the break, when MacKenzie shook her defender and opened up space inside the box on the right side of the field. Her shot attempt carried just over the crossbar however, as SFU's best look of the half narrowly missed the target.
 
The teams pulled into halftime level at 0-0, with MSUB holding a 4-1 advantage in corner kicks in the opening half. SFU's first chance to pull ahead in the second half came midway through, when the team won its lone corner kick of the evening. MSUB's back line withstood three consecutive close-range shots that were knocked away to keep the score line even at 0-0.
 
SFU goalkeeper Nicole Anderson had an important cover with 11 minutes to go in the match, smothering a shot attempt by Lexie Bloyder from the top of the box. MacKenzie's game-winner followed two minutes later, when Annika Gross intercepted the ball in the midfield and pushed towards the MSUB back line. She slotted a low through ball to MacKenzie, who finished a one-time, left-footed strike from the left corner of the goal box into the back of the net.
Important cover by SFU keeper on long shot by Roe with 11 minutes left.
 
Clark and Haylee Gunter led MSUB with three shots apiece, while MacKenzie led all players with four shots including the game's lone on-target attempt. Center backs Hailee Gertsch and Ally Findlay each played the full 90 minutes on the back line, while Sydney Wate and Bloyder each contributed an 88-minute performance.
 
THE BUZZ: Liberty Palmer was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…MSUB is now 13-8 all-time against SFU and is 6-5 in road games…the teams split the season series, after MSUB emerged with a 2-1 overtime win against SFU on Oct. 9 in Billings.
 
NEXT UP: The 'Jackets face No. 12 Western Washington University on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. Pacific/2 p.m. Mountain. Live video for the match in Bellingham, Wash., will be available online here with live statistics available online here.