BILLINGS, Mont. – Kicking off the 2022 regular season at home this week, the Montana State University Billings women's soccer team enters the fall campaign with high hopes and its sights set on a push towards postseason play.
 
The 19-game regular-season slate begins with the 7th annual Rimrock Classic in memory of Trevor Wildberger, with the Yellowjackets taking on Northern State University on Thursday at 4 p.m. and University of Mary on Saturday at 3 p.m. Thursday's match will take place at the Amend Park turf field, and Saturday's game will be played at Herb Klindt Field on the campus of Rocky Mountain College.
 
2022 Rimrock Classic Schedule
Thursday, August 25
Amend Park Turf
1 p.m. – University of Mary vs. Black Hills State
4 p.m. – MSU Billings vs. Northern State
 
Saturday, August 27
Herb Klindt Field (Rocky Mountain College)
12 p.m. – Black Hills State vs. Northern State
3 p.m. – MSU Billings vs. University of Mary
 
"We are very excited for the upcoming season," said MSUB head coach Stephen Cavallo, who begins his sixth season in charge of the women's soccer program. "We have the biggest group returning since I have been here, and we really feel like that gives us a great opportunity to build. The addition of our new players has brought a lot to the team, and we feel more prepared than we did last year coming off the pandemic. I feel like we learned a lot last year and we are in a better spot."
 
The Yellowjackets return three all-Great Northwest Athletic Conference selections, each in a different area of the lineup.
 
After becoming the second player in program history to earn the GNAC Freshman of the Year award, Liberty Palmer is back in action coming off an injury suffered late in the 2021 season. Palmer's five goals and 11 points ranked her second on the squad as a true freshman, and she played in 17 of 19 matches as she looks to build off a second-team all-GNAC performance last year.
 
"Liberty looked great during the preseason, and has worked extremely hard to get herself back on the field," Cavallo said.


 
MSUB's goal-scoring group will be bolstered by a handful of youthful yet experienced returners. Jillian Hust, who netted four goals in MSUB's two preseason matches this fall, is back for her third season with her hometown team and will play

significant minutes up top. Hust provided one assist and earned minutes in 15 matches in her second season during the fall of 2021. "Jillian has really stepped up her game over the last year," Cavallo said on the Billings West High School product. "Her confidence on the ball and ability to score is great, and it is exciting to see the improvement she has made as a player."
 
Senior Sydney Torres put an exclamation point on her preseason on Saturday with a goal in MSUB's 4-1 exhibition win at Rocky Mountain College, and returns to the lineup after contributing three goals and an assist for seven points in 2021. Sophomores Jackie Sharpe and Maddie Smith, who played in 15 games and 17 games, respectively last year, are also key returners at the forward position.
 
"Sydney is a senior leader on the team, and she makes things happen when the ball is at her feet," Cavallo said. "Jackie has reached a different level this year competitively. She is a very skillful player and we anticipate this being a breakout season for her. Maddie is an excellent striker of the ball with both feet, and creates a lot off of her work rate up top."


 
The 'Jackets added a pair of experienced players at the forward position as well, with transfers Mackenzie Carnell and Emilyn Krans representing two new faces in the lineup this fall. Carnell is in her fourth collegiate season, after playing parts of three years at Skagit Valley College and totaling 13 goals and seven assists. Krans meanwhile spent her true freshman season at UNC Asheville in 2021. "Mackenzie is an athletic winger who can play on both sides and make a lot happen with her overall work rate on the field," Cavallo said. "Emilyn is a good addition to the forward line and gives us a physical presence up top. She is a creative player and we see her getting better as the season goes on."
 

Several key returners to the back line will be integral in the Yellowjackets' defensive success this fall, while new additions figure to see significant minutes as well. Sydney Wate was an honorable mention all-GNAC pick at outside back last fall, and is projected to be a starter for the second straight campaign. Fourth-year veteran Kiley Sandow, who was selected as a team captain, is one of the team's most experienced players with 43 matches and 17 starts under her belt since the fall of 2019. Joining Wate and Sandow at outside back will be senior Cassie Southwick and sophomore Leila Clark, who both played in all 19 games in the fall of 2021. "Leila, Kiley, Sydney, and Cass give us strong depth and skill at the outside back positions," Cavallo said.
 
Vendela Andersson and Kailey Findlay are the returners most likely to see minutes in a center back role this fall, with Andersson starting 11 matches in 2021 and Findlay earning minutes in seven games during their freshman season. True freshman Lauren Becraft is projected to play heavy minutes at center back in her collegiate debut season coming from North Eugene High School where she was a conference player of the year. Megan Mendenhall, who joined the team during the spring of 2022, will also serve as a team captain this fall. "Megan was an excellent addition to the team, and Lauren does not look like a freshman coming in," said Cavallo. "Kailey gives us versatility and can play the center back or defensive midfield positions, and Vendela is a strong, hard-nosed defender.
 
"Defensively we took huge steps in the spring developing a shutout mentality," said Cavallo. "We highlighted that as a weakness from the previous GNAC season, and the team has bought into that and is performing at a high level in that area."
 
Junior goalkeeper Clare Keenan was selected as a team captain after earning second-team all-conference in her second season during the 2021 campaign. Keenan has played in 22 matches including the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, and has totaled 111 saves which ranks her seventh in program history.


 
Tuva Sallvin brings her 6-foot-3 presence back between the posts as well, after seeing action in six matches during the 2021 season and making 22 saves on her way to a pair of shutouts. New to the last line of defense is freshman Jordyn Conrad, who is set to make her collegiate debut after a successful prep career at Union High School in Vancouver, Wash. "Having Clare and Tuva returning we feel like we have two top goalkeepers," Cavallo said. "We are confident in both of them. Jordyn adds more skill and depth to the position, and our goalkeeping corps is top notch."
 
After a breakout campaign in the center of the field last fall, Skyview High School alumna Taylor Gertsch will lead MSUB's midfield unit this season. Gertsch scored a goal and added

two assists while playing primarily as the team's defensive center mid, and her 1,371 minutes were third most on the team last year. "Taylor Gertsch is a winner and has a great presence on the field," Cavallo said. "She is very good at both sides of the game."
 
Abby Sena and Kendall McGraw are back in the Yellowjacket midfield, after each contributing in their first season in the fall of 2021. McGraw scored her first collegiate goal and played in all 19 matches, while Sena made eight starts in the midfield a season ago. "Kendall has improved a lot from her freshman year, and has stepped into being a leader within the team," Cavallo said. "You can tell Abby really pushed herself over the summer. She brings a calming presence to the midfield and is good at winning headers and 50-50 balls."
 
German international Vivien Guese, who spent the 2021 season at Blue Mountain College, brings a savvy presence to the midfield as a newcomer this year. Guese racked up 15 goals in 12 starts last season, including four game-winners as she proved to be a strong threat on the offensive side of the ball. "Vivien is incredibly skilled on the ball, is creative, and is really hard working," said Cavallo. "She has great energy on the field and great skill."
 

Hometown freshman Sophie Sievertsen of Billings West High School, Gabi Boice of Boise, Idaho, and Taylor Ingram of Petaluma, Calif., are the true freshman newcomers in MSUB's midfield. Sievertsen scored a pair of goals in MSUB's scrimmage against Northwest College on Aug. 13, and helped the Bears to the 2021 state title a season ago. "Sophie has grown up around the program, and it is great to see her come in and have a chance to be a contributor this season," said Cavallo. "Gabi is skilled on the ball, and is a hard-nosed midfielder who is not afraid to put her body on the line."
 
MSUB's roster also features the presence of returner Emelie Moberg, who will contribute from the sideline this season due to injury. "Emelie cannot play for medical reasons, but she has stayed on the team and we really appreciate her commitment to the program," Cavallo said. "We know she is a huge positive influence on the group."
 
Cavallo returns assistant coaches Abiye Jack and alumna Kaylee Greeley for their second season on staff. "I really appreciate the commitment Abiye and Kaylee have given to this team," Cavallo said. "Abiye has helped our goalkeeping corps improve immensely, and I have enjoyed watching his growth as a coach. Kaylee is MSUB through and through, and is a fantastic role model for the players. The girls really look up to her and value her presence on the team."
 
After this week's season-opening tournament, MSUB will play at the University of Montana on Sept. 2 before non-conference matches against Minot State University on Sept. 6 and at Black Hills State University on Sept. 9. The 2022 GNAC season begins on Sept. 15 with a home match against No. 5 Seattle Pacific University, signaling the start of the 14-game conference schedule. The top-four teams at the end of the regular season will earn berths into the GNAC Women's Soccer Championships, which run Nov. 3-5 at Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho.
 
The Yellowjackets were selected to finish in sixth place in the GNAC preseason coaches poll released earlier this month.