Winning Streak Ends for Lady Yellowjacket Soccer (Oct. 18, 2003)
Box Score

BILLINGS, MT – A pair of goals from Joelle Laffey lifted Carroll College to a 2-1 win over MSU Billings in women’s soccer action Saturday afternoon at Yellowjacket Field.  The loss ended a three-game winning streak for the Yellowjackets, who fell to 6-7-1.  The Saints improved to 12-5-0.

“Going into the game we said we had to shut down Laffey and make someone else beat us,” said Yellowjacket head coach Don Trentham.  “She scored two goals and that was the difference in the game.”

Laffey opened the scoring at 19:45 when she recovered the ball in the box and beat Yellowjacket goalkeeper Megan Plank (Fr., Phoenix, AZ) one-on-one.  MSU Billings was able to answer in the 25^th minute with a Margot Merrill-Johnson (Jr., Salt Lake City) goal.  Merrill-Johnson took a cross from Ally Taylor (Fr., Ojai, CA) and fired to the back of the net from 18 yards out.  The goal was Merrill-Johnson’s team-leading eighth goal of the season, while Taylor picked up her seventh assist and 19^th point, both team highs.

“In the first half we had some opportunities to put some goals away and we didn’t,” said Trentham.  “When you keep a game close against a team like Carroll, who has a quality forward up top, you’re going to get into trouble.”

Neither offense was able to produce another good scoring chance and the teams went to the break with the 1-1 tie.  The Saints were able to apply the pressure to the Yellowjacket defense in the second half, out-shooting the Jackets 12-5 in the final 45 minutes.  Plank made eight of her nine saves in the second-half, but Laffey was able to get off a shot from almost point-blank range at 79:40 for the game-winner.  It was Laffey’s 23^rd goal of the season.

“Megan was definitely our player of the game,” said Trentham of his freshman goalkeeper.  “She made some big saves to keep the game tied, but you can only hold off a team for so long.  If you only score one goal in a game it makes it tough on the defense and the goalkeeper.  It was a tough loss, but I’m proud of our team as far as their putting 100-percent effort out to try to tie the game in the final minutes.”

The Yellowjackets will continue a five-game home stand next weekend with a three-team tournament including Division I schools UtahValley State and Northern Colorado.  MSUB faces UVSC on Friday at 3:30 and UNC on Sunday at 1:00.

Click HERE for photos of the Yellowjackets against Carroll College