BILLINGS, Mont. – Returning to a full slate of games for the first time since the fall of 2019, the Montana State University Billings women's soccer team kicks off its 2021 season this week.
 
After playing a three-game preseason exhibition schedule, the Yellowjackets are set to hit the ground running in their season debut on Thursday against Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota. "We have all grown from last year, and dealing with the 2020-21 season," said MSUB head coach Stephen Cavallo, who begins his fifth year in charge of the program. "Coming back we have seen a freer feeling from our team, and our season theme is to be joy-driven. We want to get back to finding the love for this sport and being thankful every time we can get on the field."
 
This Week's Games
All listings Central Daylight Time
Thursday, September 2 – at Northern State University (Aberdeen, SD) – 7 PM
Saturday, September 4 – vs. University of Nebraska Kearney (at Aberdeen, SD) – 1 PM
Monday, September 6 – at University of Mary (Bismarck, ND) – 7 PM

The Yellowjackets' 19-game regular-season schedule features five non-conference matches before the team dives into Great Northwest Athletic Conference play against No. 5 Seattle Pacific University on Sept. 23 on the

road. After playing their first three games of the season on the road this week, MSUB makes its 2021 home debut on Sept. 9 against Minnesota State Moorhead. The Yellowjackets were selected to finish tied for sixth place in the 2021 GNAC preseason coaches poll released earlier this month. "We are excited to have a competitive season again, a table to work towards, and a conference championship to work for," said Cavallo.
 
Seasoned veterans form the Yellowjackets' leadership committee at the outset of the season, with senior captains Haylee Gunter and Lexie Bloyder being the team's top returners to the field. Gunter tied for the team lead with four goals during the 2019 season, while totaling 10 points and starting all 17 matches playing primarily in the midfield unit. "I am looking forward to Haylee putting it all together this season," Cavallo said. "She has improved so much as a player and a leader, and she is a deserved captain. She has a great motor, is physical, fearless, and can run for days."
 
Bloyder meanwhile has scored five goals in her three-year MSUB career, while seeing action in 42 matches and emerging into a regular starter as a sophomore in 2019. "Lexie has shown fantastic improvement and has done everything we have ever asked of her," Cavallo said. "I am looking forward to her having a great senior season. She never gives up and always pushes through."
 

Back in goal for the 'Jackets is Clare Keenan, who emerged as the starter last spring and averaged five saves per game during the modified schedule. "Clare has a ton of experience and has been through a lot already in her two-year college career," Cavallo said. "She is an excellent goalkeeper and an incredible athlete, and we are really looking forward to having her first normal season."
 
Keenan is joined by the 6-foot-3 Tuva Sallvin, who will see the field between the posts as well in her first year after transferring from Louisiana Tech. "The addition of Tuva has brought great energy and skill to the goalkeeping family," Cavallo said. "Tuva has great height, can make very difficult saves look easy, and brings a lot of experience as well. Both she and Clare are going to push each other all season, and there is a great energy and attitude among them."
 
The Yellowjackets feature a youthful but energetic back line, as a strong group of freshmen and sophomores are set to handle the majority of the minutes in front of the goalkeepers. Second-year freshmen Vendela Andersson and Hailee Gertsch will be featured as the team's center backs, with the sister combination of Ally Findlay and Kailey Findlay figuring into the mix as well. Andersson started all nine matches and had a goal in her collegiate debut last spring, while Gertsch also saw playing time in all nine games.
 
"All of our center backs are physical, good in the air, and are strong defenders," Cavallo said. "The three returning from the spring learned a lot and it was their first time playing together. Adding Kailey in gives us a good player with both feet who has size, and will really work well with our center backs."
 
On the flanks will be third-year veterans Kiley Sandow and Cassie Southwick, and second-year freshman Sydney Wate. Sandow played in all 17 matches as a freshman in 2019, and has 28 caps already in her career while maintaining sophomore eligibility. After transferring from Western Wyoming Community College, Southwick played in all nine matches in the 2021 spring season while Wate saw time in all nine games as a true freshman.
 
"Our outside backs grew through the spring season and they are dynamic," said Cavallo. "Kiley moving to outside back brings us the stamina and technical ability of a midfielder, and Cass has the ability to push forward in the final third and to be aggressive. Sydney is a scrappy defender and is hard to beat."
 
MSUB saw promising things from freshmen in the midfield and attacking units during the modified 2021 spring season, and the team welcomes back a strong cast of second-year freshmen this fall. Hometown forward Jordan Roe led the team with three goals and seven total points during the nine-game spring season, while Taylor Gertsch emerged into a key force in the midfield unit for the Yellowjackets also playing in all nine spring games.
 
"Taylor is very skilled on the ball, reads the game very well, and is a smart player," Cavallo said. "Jordan has the x-factor and can make something happen out of nothing. She can play attacking center mid, center forward, and is very good on the ball."
 
 
Fellow hometown forward Jillian Hust has already had a promising start to her second year in the program, scoring the game-winning goal in MSUB's 1-0 exhibition win over the University of Providence last week. Hust earned minutes in all nine spring matches last year and provided an assist.
 
MSUB's attack will be further bolstered by returning veterans Emelie Moberg and Rylee Wiediger, who each contributed on the field last spring. Newcomers Liberty Palmer, Jackie Sharpe, Maddie Smith, and Macie McElhenney each figure to compete for minutes up top as well. Palmer got her collegiate career off to a hot start in her debut, finding the net for the game-winning goal in MSUB's 1-0 exhibition triumph over Rocky Mountain College on Aug. 21.
 
"We have a great group of attacking freshmen coming in, and they all bring different skills to the team," Cavallo said. "It has been great to see them compete, and we are expecting contributions out of all of them at different times throughout the season."
 
Clara Lindberg will be back in the midfield unit after earning time in all nine games as a freshman in the spring of 2021, and a strong force of newcomers will give the Yellowjackets a boost in the middle of the pitch.

Transfers Sydney Torres and Abby Sena have each already asserted their presence through the preseason schedule, making noise on the offensive and defensive ends, respectively. Freshmen Leila Clark and Kendall McGraw will also be key figures for the 'Jackets in their debut collegiate season.
 
"Sydney is very technical and fast, is always positive with the ball, and looks to go forward. Abby is a very smart, technical player, who moves the ball well and facilitates a lot of our attack from the deeper midfield positions," Cavallo commented on the transfers. "Clara has improved a lot from her first year in America. Her passing is awesome, and she can play in a variety of positions in the midfield. Leila and Kendall have been great additions, and they don't play like freshmen. Both of them are very creative and are comfortable dribbling."
 
Though the 'Jackets will be without a handful of injured veterans for the majority of the season, three more savvy seniors will fill an important leadership role from the sidelines. No Yellowjacket has been in the program longer than senior captain Rachel Lythgoe, and fourth-year senior Josie Corbin and second-year senior Ashley Tiffin round out MSUB's group of six seniors. "Rachel, Josie, and Ashley are seniors who are the definition of what our program is about," Cavallo said. "They aren't going to be able to help us on the field this year, but they still want to be part of it, be involved, and be role models for the freshmen and sophomores. It speaks to the volume of their character and they are the type of players we want in our program."
 
Cavallo is joined by former college teammate and first-year assistant coach Abiye Jack, as well as second-year graduate assistant coach Kendyl Baird and alumnae Kaylee (Kimmet) Greeley on the bench in 2021. "I am super grateful and appreciative to have the hard work of those three," Cavallo commented on his staff. "Abiye comes in with a lot of experience on the East Coast and is someone who knows the game very well. Kendyl returning has found a good voice within the team and is a good mentor to a lot of our players. Kaylee being an alum knows MSUB through and through, and she has always stepped up for us. It is great to add her to our staff."
 
In its last full season on the pitch, MSUB went 6-9-2 overall and was 5-7 in GNAC play to take sixth place during the 2019 fall season. No. 5 Seattle Pacific University was picked to finish first in the preseason coaches poll, while No. 11 Northwest Nazarene University and No. 25 Western Washington University gave the conference three teams in the United Soccer Coaches preseason top-25 poll.
 
All of MSUB's home matches will feature a live video stream available online through the MSUB Sports YouTube channel here, and live statistics available online here. Live coverage links for MSUB's road matches can be found through the women's soccer schedule page online here.