BILLINGS, Mont. – Vendela Andersson headed home her first goal of the season Thursday afternoon at Yellowjacket Field, helping host Montana State University Billings to a 1-1 draw against Great Northwest Athletic Conference opponent Simon Fraser University.
 
Andersson's finish came just over 12 minutes into the match, but the Red Leafs were able to equalize in the 54th minute on the second goal of the season by Chelsea Crocq. MSUB moved its record to 1-9-4 overall and 1-6-2 in GNAC play with the draw, while Simon moved to 3-5-5 overall and 2-4-3 in league play. "The team battled hard today, and we were all hoping to get something more positive from the match," said MSUB head coach Stephen Cavallo. "Nonetheless, I am proud of the effort and attitude shown by our players today."
 
Coming off a career-high 12 saves last week at Northwest Nazarene, Clare Keenan put forth another exceptional performance in goal with 10 saves to help the Yellowjackets earn a point. Keenan reached double figures in saves for the third time in the last five matches, and she upped her GNAC-leading saves total to 80 which ranks eighth in MSUB single-season history. "Clare had another phenomenal performance in goal, and we can't thank her enough for allowing us to get something from this game," Cavallo said. "Her play in the last few weeks has truly been fun to watch."
 
Nicole Anderson made four saves for the Red Leafs, the best of which came on a free-kick try by Taylor Gertsch in the 62nd minute. With the score tied at 1-1, Gertsch curled a right-footed strike from 22 yards out that required a leaping save from Anderson to prevent it from reaching the upper-right corner of the net. It proved to be the Yellowjackets' best chance at a game-winner, during a second half in which the hosts otherwise stayed on the defensive.
 
Aside from a 10-1 advantage in corner kicks in the second half, SFU's best chance to win the match came with just 12 seconds left on the clock. A late tackle on the fringe of the penalty area resulted in a free kick just outside the box, but Keenan was able to smother Isabella Muzzolini's low strike under the wall as the Yellowjackets breathed a collective sigh of relief.
 
MSUB's best run of play came off the opening whistle, and it wasn't long before the team found itself ahead in the match. The first of MSUB's four corner kicks in the match yielded the team's goal, as Kendall McGraw's service into the box met Andersson's head before rattling around into the back of the net.
 
Although the Red Leafs upped their momentum after conceding – out-shooting MSUB 7-2 in the first half – the Yellowjackets defended collectively and carried the 1-0 advantage into the break. Two of Keenan's best saves of the match came late in the first, when she leapt to deny an on-target try by Kiara Buono before a razor-thin nick on a shot by Muzzolini that ended up hitting the right goal post.
 
In a bout of foreshadowing early in the second half, SFU came dangerously close to evening the score with three consecutive corner kicks that included a save from Keenan and a shot by Muzzolini that rattled off the left goal post. The fourth corner in the first 13 minutes of the half for SFU proved to be costly for the 'Jackets, as Crocq redirected the ball into the back of the net on a service by Jazz Dev among a jostle of players inside the six-yard box.
 
Keenan and the back line stayed busy the remainder of the game, with SFU threatening in the form of six more corner kicks and four more shots on frame. Andersson, Lauren Becraft, and Kailey Findlay helped weather the storm with 90-minute performances on the back line, while Kiley Sandow and Sydney Wate were also key difference makers defensively in their 80 minutes on the pitch.
 
Jackie Sharpe led MSUB with two shots on frame, while Gertsch also finished the match with two shots in a total-90 effort as well. Muzzolini led all players with five shots and three on target, and Buono placed all three of her shot attempts on frame for the visitors.
 
UNITY MATCH: Thursday's game was MSUB's annual Unity Match, as MSUB and Simon Fraser joined together to support the effort to end racism worldwide. Both teams warmed up in official Unity Match t-shirts, and Yellowjacket sophomore Liberty Palmer read the GNAC Unity Pledge prior to kickoff on Thursday.
 
THE BUZZ: Andersson was selected as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…it was her second-career goal in an MSUB uniform, and her first since April 3, 2021 in MSUB's 4-1 win over Minot State University at home…McGraw's assist was the first of her MSUB career…MSUB is now 13-9-1 all-time against SFU and is 7-2-1 in home matches against the Red Leafs.
 
NEXT UP: The Yellowjackets host No. 7 Western Washington University in the annual MSUB Kicks Cancer match on Saturday with a noon kickoff at Yellowjacket Field. Live coverage will be available online here.