BILLINGS, Mont. – The Montana State University Billings women's soccer team opened up it's 2026 regular season on Thursday night, beginning the campaign with a 0-0 draw against University of Minnesota Crookston.
The Yellowjackets (0-0-1) would have more chances in the match than the Golden Eagles (0-0-1), allowing the visitors to attempt just four shots, while putting six of their eight chances on goal. But after 90 minutes, there would be nothing to separate the two sides as they shared a point to open the season.
Kennedy Craig and
Emmersyn Burckley would each put both of their shot attempts on goal in the match, while
Cesia Swain would shoot twice, with one shot on goal.
Kolbi Kiblen would put her lone shot on goal, while
Brooklynn Noble attempted one shot. In defense, MSUB would see
Ava Curtright and
Vivian Gaither each play a full 90 minutes, while freshman goalkeeper
Tenley Leffler made three saves, keeping her first career shutout.
It would take just four minutes for the Yellowjackets to create the game's first great chance, playing a ball through to Burckley who's shot to the bottom right corner was saved by Golden Eagles shot stopper Phoenix DeBruck, keeping the game locked at zero-all. Chances would be hard to come by as the teams battled from there, with Leffler recording her first save at the 14-minute mark. The game wouldn't see another shot attempt until the 29
th minute, when another dangerous moment would see Craig find an angle to fire on goal. That attempt would be saved by DeBrusk, who would push the rebound back out to Burckley, but the freshman's follow-up attempt would be kept out once more, keeping the Golden Eagles level with the 'Jackets. There would be just one more shot in the first half as the teams continued to battle in the midfield, neither team able to find much room as the game remained deadlocked heading into halftime.
The defenses would remain equally tough to break down in the second half, keeping chances at a minimum. MSUB would hold the majority of chances in the second half, outshooting Minnesota Crookston 4-2 and 3-2 in shots on goal, seeing it's first shot on goal in the 54
th minute from Kiblen, but would be denied once more. The Golden Eagles would follow that look up with two shots on goal within the next five minutes, but Leffler would handle both attempts, while the defense would not allow another shot from the visitors following the 59
th minute. MSUB would fire three more shots, with another close look from Craig being rebuffed before a curling effort from outside the box by Swain would see DeBrusk force it wide off her fingertips. The 'Jackets would be unable to find a way through the Golden Eagles backline from there, with the game finishing in a hard-fought draw, starting the season with a positive result for MSUB.
THE BUZZ: Kelsie Cox was selected as the Player of the Game, putting in an impressive shift in midfield… Cox was one of seven Yellowjackets who played the full match, joining Curtright, Gaither, Craig, Swain, Kiblen, and Leffler… the game marked the Yellowjacket debuts and first starts for Leffler, Noble, Kiblen, Burckley, Gaither, and
Ava Gibbs, while
Amaya Lorash and
Jordyn Daigle made their first MSUB appearances off the bench.
UP NEXT: The Yellowjackets will head across the state to Missoula for an exhibition match against University of Montana, facing off against the Grizzlies on Sunday, August 30 at 1 PM at South Campus Stadium. Live video will be available on
ESPN+, while live statistics can be found
online here.
