BILLINGS, Mont. – Wrapping up its 2021 season this weekend, the Montana State University Billings women's soccer team closes the spring with a pair of home matches at Yellowjacket Field.
 
The Yellowjackets (3-4) host Northwest Nazarene University on Thursday before closing the season on Sunday against Carroll College. The two visiting teams will play a neutral-site contest on Saturday as well. "Playing NNU again is going to be a great test for us," said MSUB head coach Stephen Cavallo. "We are looking forward to a rematch against them, and I didn't feel we put our best effort out when we played them in Nampa. It is another chance for our team to see a GNAC opponent and prepare them for what the fall season will look like."
 
"It has been nice to be able to adjust and to get some games to play this spring," freshman midfielder Taylor Gertsch commented on making her debut for the 'Jackets. "It has been really nice to have different levels of competition, and we get to see what the GNAC is going to be like."
 
Women's Soccer Weekend Schedule
Thursday, April 8 – 1:30 PM – Northwest Nazarene at MSU Billings
Saturday, April 10 – 12 PM – Northwest Nazarene vs. Carroll College
Sunday, April 11 – 12 PM – Carroll College at MSU Billings
Live Video – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUSfH5CDgCJHjkOa0-znevg
Live Statistics – https://msubsports.com/sidearmstats/wsoc/summary
 
MSUB is coming off a 4-1 victory over Minot State University in its 2021 home debut last Saturday. The Yellowjackets snapped a four-game losing skid and recorded their highest goal total of the season in the victory. "We played really well that game with our possession, and we really connected well together," Gertsch said regarding the team's performance against Minot State. "It was nice to beat them since we lost to them the first time, and I feel like we have improved a lot after each game."
 
"It was definitely a great feeling, and it all seemed to come together," Cavallo commented on his team's recent victory over Minot State. "The game against NNU we are just looking to improve from our last game against Minot. We were pretty good in a lot of areas, and we want to clean up a few things defensively because we know NNU is a very good team in the attack."
 
MENNING NETS A PAIR: Freshman Izzy Menning scored the first two goals of her collegiate career in last Saturday's match, including the game-winner in the 14th minute. It was the team's first multi-goal performance of the spring season, and Menning has seen action in all seven matches while earning five starts in the midfield.
 
ANDERSSON SCORES FIRST GOAL: Fellow freshman Vendela Andersson scored her first collegiate goal as well, capping off the productive day with a header finish in the 65th minute. Andersson became the eighth different Yellowjacket to find the back of the net this spring, as MSUB has spread its 12 goals well throughout the roster.
 
BLOYDER STRIKES AGAIN: Junior forward Lexie Bloyder got the scoring started last time out, wasting no time with a goal in just the third minute of action against the Beavers. It was Bloyder's second score of the spring, as she is tied with Menning for second on the squad with four total points.
 
KEENAN IMPRESSIVE IN GOAL: Freshman shot stopper Clare Keenan made seven saves to help MSUB complete the victory, including a penalty-kick stop that came directly after Bloyder's opening goal and helped keep the score line at 1-0. Keenan is averaging 5.8 saves per game, and her 29 total saves are the most among all GNAC goalkeepers this spring.
 
GERTSCH TWINS EXCEL IN DEBUT: Twin sisters Taylor Gertsch and Hailee Gertsch have had a strong impact in their first collegiate season, each seeing time in all seven matches playing in the midfield and on the back line, respectively. Taylor Gertsch had her strongest performance of the year thus far, helping anchor the midfield unit and distribute the ball throughout the pitch in Saturday's convincing victory. "We have the connection of playing with each other our entire lives, and it's nice to have someone on the team who I have known and played with for a long time," Gertsch commented on playing alongside her twin sister Hailee. "We are opposites in some ways and we play different positions, and we really rely on each other."
 
"Taylor is a really smooth and calm presence in the midfield, and she makes complicated plays look very simple," Cavallo said. "She does a great job in that role helping us with our possession and moving the ball. She had a great game against Minot and really allowed us to attack down both flanks."
 
Northwest Nazarene University Nighthawks
2021 Record: 6-0
All-Time Series: MSUB 19, NNU 8 – 2 Draws
Series at Billings, MT: MSUB 12, NNU 1
Last Meeting: NNU 4, MSUB 0 (March 18, 2021 at Nampa, Idaho)
 
The undefeated Nighthawks have won all six of their spring matches, conceding just three goals and overpowering the opposition with a combined score of 17-3 on the season. Eight different NNU players have found the net, with Sierra Sanchez leading the way at five goals for 11 points. McKenzie Buell leads the team with seven assists and also has 11 points.
 
Carroll College Saints
2021 Record: 4-3-1, 3-3-1 Frontier Conference
All-Time Series: MSUB 11, Carroll 9 – 1 Draw
Series at Billings: MSUB 7, Carroll 4 – 1 Draw
Last Meeting: MSUB 0, Carroll 0 (2 OT) (September 12, 2019 at Billings, MT)
 
The Saints will take on the Nighthawks on Saturday before squaring off against MSUB on Sunday in the team's final two matches of the 2021 spring season. Blair Stapleton is Carroll's top scorer with three goals, while seven other Saints have scored once during the spring campaign.