NAMPA, Idaho – Despite a career-high 12 saves from goalkeeper Clare Keenan, the Montana State University Billings women's soccer team was defeated 2-0 by host Northwest Nazarene University in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play on Thursday afternoon at the NNU Soccer Field.
 
Keenan's stops were far from routine, as she made numerous leaping and diving saves to help keep the Yellowjackets in the match. NNU used a pair of goals within the opening seven minutes of the second half however to claim the result. "Clare was phenomenal, and this was another special performance from her," said This was a first half that showed a lot of promise from us, and it's really unfortunate we couldn't start the second half with the same level of intensity and energy. Credit goes to NNU, who is a very strong team."
 
Ashley Parton moved within one goal of the GNAC lead behind her teammate Madison Grande, as the former scored both of NNU's goals to give her five on the season. Her finish in the 50th minute stood as the game-winner, and she added a brace just two minutes later to give the Nighthawks all the offense they needed. NNU remained in second place in the GNAC standings, improving to 7-1-3 overall and 5-0-2 in conference play with the win.
 
The match started with noticeable offensive pace, with each team firing a shot on target in the opening minute of play. Taylor Gertsch had the Yellowjackets' first try of the day, before Kailey Findlay landed a long-range shot from a free kick on frame to force NNU goalkeeper Alexis Montoya to make a jumping save.
 
One of Keenan's best saves of the match came 20 minutes in, when she leapt to her right and reached over her head to tip away a shot by Magda Wronski that was destined for the upper corner of the net. The Nighthawks knocked on the door again 10 minutes before halftime, when a one-time effort from Grande required a diving save from Keenan to keep the ball out of the net.
 
The 'Jackets (1-8-3, 1-5-1 GNAC) earned a dangerous opportunity on a free kick just outside the box with four minutes to go before halftime. Gertsch sent a promising, curling cross towards the back post, but Montoya was able to snag it before Vendela Andersson could run onto it with her head.
 
The Yellowjackets avoided disaster with two minutes to go in the first, when Keenan made a huge diving save on a shot from point-blank range by Olivia Wicks. The back line was then there to clear a follow-up strike by Isabella Kimball that was stopped virtually on the goal line.
 
NNU broke through less than five minutes into the second half, when Kailyn LaBrosse got free with the ball inside the box on the left side. She fed a cross towards the six-yard box, where Parton got ahead of her defender and tapped the ball into the back of the net.
 
Jackie Sharpe nearly evened the score two minutes after the goal, when her strong, right-footed shot from the top of the box rattled off the upper corner of the woodwork. The Nighthawks struck again immediately on the counterattack, with Sierra Sanchez feeding a pass into the box for Parton to blast into the net from 10 yards away.
 
The Nighthawks managed to control possession of the ball into the closing minutes of the game and protected their lead well. Keenan had another acrobatic stop with 10 minutes left in the match on a shot by Allison Wolf, as she timed her leap perfectly to nudge the ball just over the crossbar. Keenan's 12th save, which established her career best, was one of her top denials of the match as she once again leapt up towards the crossbar and extended her arm to keep a powerful strike by Yacine Bitibale out of the upper-left corner of the net.
 
NNU out-shot MSUB 25-7 in the match, including 14 shots on frame while the 'Jackets landed six on target. Montoya made all six saves required of her in picking up her fifth shutout of the season. Findlay, Andersson, and Lauren Becraft each played the full 90 minutes on the back line for the Yellowjackets. "Many players on our team stepped up," said Cavallo. "It has been a hard season and it is in the challenging moments that our character is tested. Many are stepping up, which is encouraging to see."
 
THE BUZZ: Keenan was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…her previous career high in saves was 11, which she achieved on March 18, 2021 in a road match against the Nighthawks…Keenan's eight saves in the first half were the second most in her career in a single half, behind the nine she made on Sept. 29 against Western Washington…MSUB is now 19-13-2 all-time against NNU and is 7-10-2 in road matches.
 
NEXT UP: The Yellowjackets return to the pitch on Saturday, with a 2 p.m. (Pacific) kickoff against Seattle Pacific University at Interbay Stadium in the Emerald City. Live coverage for Saturday's match will be available online here.