BILLINGS, Mont. – Facing its toughest opponent of the 2021 spring season on Sunday, the Montana State University Billings women's soccer team is set for a match against the University of Montana.
 
Kickoff between the Yellowjackets and Grizzlies is set for noon on Sunday at Big Sky High School, with live video available online here and live statistics available online here. "We are just looking forward to having good competition," freshman forward Jordan Roe commented on the team's upcoming game this week. "We are ready to go in there and make some big tackles, and hopefully score some good goals. We just want to play hard for each other."
 
Sunday will mark the second-ever official meeting between MSUB and UM, with the other coming on Sept. 22, 2006 when the Griz pulled off a 1-0, double-overtime victory in Missoula. It will mark the fourth straight road match to open the 2021 spring season for the Yellowjackets, who will make their home debut next weekend with two games against Black Hills State University at Yellowjacket Field. "Yes it is a D1 opponent, but we view this game as a GNAC preparation match," MSUB head coach Stephen Cavallo said. "We have got some incredible teams in our conference, and we know that if we can compete with the Griz and perform well then we know we are going to be in a similar situation when we play some of the top dogs in the GNAC this fall."
 
MSUB is coming off a split in its two matches last week, beating the University of Mary 3-0 before suffering its first setback of the spring with a 3-1 loss against Minot State University. "We know they are both good Division II opponents, and we will play Mary twice in the fall so it was a good test against them," Cavallo said on last week's results.
 
2 IN-A-ROE: Roe scored the game-winning goal for the second-straight match, as she was the first to find the net in the 3-0 blanking of Mary last weekend. The 14th-minute finish gave the Billings native two goals in her first two collegiate games as her career has gotten off to a productive start. "Jordan has come in and made a big impact right away," Cavallo commented on Roe. "She is just a gamer, she is really smooth on the ball, and is someone who can just make things happen. It is great to have a player like that in the team, and I know she will continue to grow as she pushes to improve."
 
GAINES SCORES FIRST GOAL: Junior Emily Gaines scored her first collegiate goal in the victory as well, converting a late penalty kick that helped seal the triumph over the Marauders. Gaines also has an assist on the season, giving her a team-second best three points through the first three games of the spring. "Emily in the Mary game just fought and kept going, and she has been working really hard," Cavallo said. "She's a good player and a great kid, and she is very supportive and positive. She is definitely one that her teammates trust and can go to."
 
BLOYDER FINDS THE NET: Junior Lexie Bloyder scored her first goal of the spring, as she was the lone Yellowjacket to score in the defeat against Minot State. The finish was Bloyder's fourth-career goal, and she now has nine points over her first three seasons in an MSUB uniform.
 
WIEDIGER NETS FIRST GOAL: Freshman Rylee Wiediger was the other Yellowjacket to score last week, as MSUB spread the scoring with four different goal scorers. Wiediger provided the brace in MSUB's victory, and she has seen action in all three of MSUB's games this spring.
 
BOSCH COLLECTS FIRST SHUTOUT: Freshman goalkeeper Lainey Bosch earned the first full shutout of her collegiate career, playing all 90 minutes in the victory over Mary. Bosch made both saves required of her en route to her first victory between the posts. She also earned a partial shutout after playing 29 minutes in the team's 3-0 blanking of Rocky in the season debut. So far Bosch has made five saves and allowed zero goals in her 119 minutes between the posts. "It has been super great to see Lainey playing full games and getting shutouts," said Roe, whose playing connection with Bosch extends back a decade.
 
TIFFIN PROVIDES BOOST IN DEBUT: The Yellowjackets saw the debut of junior transfer Ashley Tiffin on the back line last week, as her presence was welcomed playing for the first time this spring. The 5-foot-9 center back figures to be a key piece of the defensive unit, after transferring to MSUB from Saddleback College.
 
ANDERSSON FINDING HER OWN: Newcomer Vendela Andersson has been another key part of an MSUB defensive unit that has posted a pair of shutouts this spring, as she has started all three matches on the back line. The freshman is one of three new players from Sweden on the roster this year, and has made an impact in all three games of her young collegiate career.
 
University of Montana Grizzlies
Sunday, March 7 – 12 PM
Big Sky High School – Missoula, Montana
 
Sunday will mark the season debut for the Griz, who are scheduled to play an eight-game Big Sky Conference schedule throughout the spring. In the fall of 2019, UM's last season on the pitch, the team went 7-6-6 overall and was 6-0-3 in league play to win the Big Sky title with 21 points.