MONMOUTH, Ore. – Senior captains Bryan Maxwell and Pascal Pisarek took command late in Saturday's Great Northwest Athletic Conference match at the WOU Soccer Field, each heading home a goal to help Montana State University Billings overcome a 2-0 deficit and draw host Western Oregon University 2-2.
 
Maxwell ended MSUB's offensive frustration in the 78th minute, and Pisarek pulled his team level in the 83rd minute as the Yellowjackets salvaged a point on the road. MSUB moved to 2-6-2 overall and is now 0-3-2 in conference play with the draw. "We kept fighting and the guys never gave up, and we knew it was only a matter of time before one fell for us," said MSUB head coach Aaron Champenoy. "The guys stayed diligent and fought. We were unfortunate not to get a couple more goals, but to show the heart not to quit and to keep fighting to get the point on the road was good to see."
 
 
 
Western Oregon (1-7-2, 0-4-1 GNAC) looked to be on the way to its first-ever GNAC victory, after Enrique Gomez scored just before halftime and Alex Grignon made it 2-0 just after the break. But the Wolves ended up having to weather a late storm and defend furiously to limit a motivated Yellowjacket team to the two late goals.
 
The Yellowjackets commanded possession of the ball early in the match, and won a pair of corner kicks in the opening five minutes as they began to threaten offensively.
 
Western Oregon created its first dangerous opportunity in the 14th minute, when Isaias Mireles got free on the left side of the goal box. He curled a right-footed shot on target, but MSUB goalkeeper Jeremi Campagnolo pushed the ball out of danger with an extended right arm.
 
WOU's Juan Suarez made a sliding save midway through the first half, knocking away a low shot by Jeremie Briquet that was on frame near the left post.
 
A giveaway by the Wolves in the midfield almost cost the hosts a goal with 18 minutes before halftime, as a shot by Callum Bryan from long range hit the post and an ensuing cross through the six-yard box narrowly missed the foot of a sliding Viggo Rogstrom in front of the net.
 
A free kick near midfield with four minutes to go before halftime led to the first goal, as Gomez punched home a loose ball that bounced around a crowded goal box. "We went into halftime down, but we knew we had dominated the play," Champenoy said. "We were unlucky to concede on a set piece that we got sloppy with, and that was really their only chance of the half. We continued to fight and create some chances, but unfortunately we conceded another one early in the second. Set pieces are an area we will have to focus on in training this week."
 
WOU doubled its lead immediately after halftime, winning a corner kick and using a pair of headers to nudge the ball just across the line. Grignon got the final touch after Gomez redirected the cross back across the front of the goal.
 
Campagnolo had a highlight double save with 13 minutes left in the match, sliding to knock away a free-kick shot from just outside the box and then bouncing up to react to a follow-up effort from point-blank range. Coming off a career-high 11 saves Thursday at Northwest Nazarene, the goalkeeper's efforts once again helped keep the Yellowjackets in the match through the final whistle.
 
Maxwell got the Yellowjackets on the board less than a minute later, freeing himself up in the six-yard box to nod a cross from Bjarne Fedkenhauer straight down into the net. The header finish came after numerous similar tries within the box, as the Yellowjackets came inches away from finding the net on a pair of preceding corner kicks.
 
Maxwell's finish sparked the 'Jackets to life, and the team pulled level less than four minutes later. Bryan sent a cross into the box from the right side, and Pisarek was there to redirect it into the upper-right corner of the net with his head from inside the goal box.
 
The Yellowjackets out-shot the Wolves 19-13 overall in the match, but the Wolves placed nine attempts on target compared to six for MSUB. Campagnolo finished with seven saves for the 'Jackets while Suarez totaled four for the Wolves, and Briquet led all players with six shots in the match including two on target.
 
Guillermo Gonzalez put in a full 90-minute shift on the back line, and Maxwell kept his season-long minutes streak alive playing the full 90 as well. "We are still fighting for our first GNAC win, and it is a quick turn around going back on the road next week," said Champenoy. "We are better than what our record shows, but we have to go out and prove that to everybody else."
 
 
THE BUZZ: Maxwell was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…the goal was the fifth of his career and his first of the season…Pisarek's goal was the fourth of his career and his first of the season…Fedkenhauer's assist was his third of the season, and Bryan's was his first in a Yellowjacket uniform…the series between the teams is now even at 0-0-1 with the 2022 season being WOU's inaugural campaign for men's soccer.
 
NEXT WEEK: The Yellowjackets go on the road again, playing at Saint Martin's University next Thursday at 2 p.m. Pacific and at Seattle Pacific University next Saturday at 4 p.m. Pacific. Live coverage for next week's road games will be available online here.