BILLINGS, Mont. – In a rematch of their February 28 contest in Minot, North Dakota, the Minot State University women's soccer team will visit Montana State University Billings on Saturday afternoon at Yellowjacket Field.
 
Kickoff between the Yellowjackets and Beavers is set for noon, with live video available online here and live statistics available online here. Per Great Northwest Athletic Conference mandate, no fans are allowed at home soccer games during the 2021 spring season. "The Minot game about a month ago was a challenging test for us, so it is definitely exciting to get to play them again," said MSUB head coach Stephen Cavallo. "It helps our players prepare for games in the fall in the GNAC, and we are looking forward to a beautiful day on Saturday to improve on our first performance against them."
 
Minot State (4-2) picked up a 3-1 win over the Yellowjackets when the teams first met just over a month ago. The Beavers have gone 1-2 since then, with their most recent result being a 3-1 win over Minnesota State Moorhead on March 26 at home. "I think we are really excited for redemption," said MSUB junior midfielder Emily Gaines. "Since the last time we played Minot we have improved a lot, so I am really excited to face them. We haven't played for over a year, so it's good to build on these first couple of games we have had. I couldn't be more excited to go into these last couple of games with this team."
 
The Yellowjackets (2-4) are looking to snap a four-game losing skid which started with the team's setback against Minot State. MSUB will close its 2021 spring season with home games against Northwest Nazarene University on April 8 and Carroll College on April 11 at Yellowjacket Field. "It would be great to use these final games to put together everything we have been working on," Cavallo said regarding his team's last three matches of the spring. "We just really want to end these three matches with some positives, and it's great that we will be at home."
 
MSUB stayed sharp last week with a scrimmage against Northwest College, officially playing at home for the first time since the fall of 2019. "We had five goals scored by five different goal scorers which was good," Cavallo commented on last week's scrimmage. "We possessed the ball well against them and worked on a few different things. We were able to play everybody and have people get some good looks, and hopefully that will help us prepare for the game Saturday."
 
Gaines has played in all six of MSUB's matches this spring, returning from injuries that cost her all of the 2018 season and limited her to just nine games off the bench as a sophomore in the fall of 2019. The redshirt sophomore has scored a goal and added an assist to give her three total points this spring, ranking her second on the team. "There's no better feeling than going through adversity and finally making it on the other side," Gaines commented on returning to the field coming off a season-ending injury during the 2018 fall season. "It has been a tough run but I couldn't be more excited to be on the other side of it. It has helped me a lot and I have been able to see how the program works and see where we succeed. It has helped me be a leader for other girls who might be going through hard times or adversity themselves."
 
"Emily is a player you really root for, and she is the most positive even in the most adverse times," Cavallo said. "She has done a great job being a leader and getting to know the younger players. She always has this attitude that we can do anything, and I'm really proud of her for returning from the ACL."

Juniors Haylee Gunter and Lexie Bloyder, and freshman Jordan Roe are the three Yellowjackets to have started all six matches during the spring season. Roe and Bloyder have combined to score four of MSUB's eight goals, while Gunter has captained the team through the midfield and ranks second on the squad with 444 minutes played.
 
Minot State University Beavers
Saturday, April 3, 2021 – 12 PM – Yellowjacket Field
2021 Record: 4-2
All-Time Series: MSUB 1, Minot State 1
Series at Billings, MT: MSUB 0, Minot State 0
Last Meeting: Minot State 3, MSUB 1 (Feb. 28 at Minot, ND)
 
The Beavers will play at University of Mary next week after their match against the Yellowjackets in Billings. Sofia Lewis leads the team with five goals while Melanie van Walstijn is the leader in points with 11 on four goals and four assists. Prior to this spring, the only other meeting between the teams was a 2-0 win for the Yellowjackets on September 17, 2019 in Minot.
 
"It has helped in an extraordinary way, and with my knee I definitely needed to see the field," Gaines commented on the 2021 spring season. "As a team, just being able to play is phenomenal. We didn't get to play any games last spring or fall, so just being able to see the field and mesh together has been really good. It will help us know our baseline and where we are at to build on for the fall."