Women’s Soccer Preview:  Lady Jackets Look to Turn Corner in ‘04

BILLINGS, MT – When Don Trentham took over as the MSU Billings women’s soccer coach three seasons ago, he knew he was inheriting a program in the midst of rebuilding.  Following a 2-14 campaign in that first season and a 6-10-1 mark last year, Trentham believes that 2004 might be the year that the Lady Yellowjackets finally turn the corner.

“We feel we are done rebuilding and it is time to start showing other teams in our region that we should not be taken lightly,” commented head coach Don Trentham.  “We have a talented team coming into preseason and I am looking forward to the opportunity to coach them this fall.”

The Yellowjackets have not had a winning season in their eight year history, posting their best record in 2001 at 9-9-0.  Despite an ambitious schedule, the 2004 squad’s balance of veterans and new talent may give the Jackets their best shot at a winning season in the program’s history.

“The players are very confident and believe that this could be the best season in the history of the program.” says Trentham.  “However, they are also well aware that there still is a lot of work that needs to be done between now and our last game to ensure that they do have a winning season.”

Schedule

The Yellowjackets will encounter another tough road schedule, although they will also have the most home contests ever.  They will play at Yellowjacket Field five times in September and another five times in October for a record ten home games.  Add in one game at cross-town rival Rocky Mountain College, and eleven of the Jackets’ 21 games this season will be played in Billings.

“Some of our best performances last year were on Yellowjacket Field.  I believe mainly because of the great support we get from the families and friends of our program.  It is refreshing to know we will be in Billings for more than half of our games next season, and it will definitely help our odds at having a winning season,” says Trentham.

For the first time in three seasons, the Yellowjackets will open the season on the road.  They will play an exhibition game at the University of Montana on August 22, followed by a weekend trip to a tournament hosted by St. Cloud State on August 27-29.  The Yellowjackets will face Bemidji State on Friday and host St. Cloud State on Sunday.

MSU Billings opens the 2004 home schedule with the Third Annual MSU Billings Cup Sponsored by Thrifty Car Rental.  The Jackets won the Cup last year with a pair of shutout victories over St. Cloud State and East Stroudsburg.  This year’s tournament, which will be held September 4-6, features North Dakota and Mesa State.  North Dakota finished the 2003 regular season as the top-ranked team in the Central Region, while Mesa State finished as the ninth-ranked team in the Midwest Region.

The Yellowjackets will follow the first home stand with three single home games the following week.  They will host Savannah (GA) College of Art and Design on September 12, Rocky Mountain on September 14, and Central Washington on September 18.  The game against Rocky will be the first in the Third Annual Rimrock Cup series.  The Yellowjacket and Bears split last season, but RMC won the Rimrock Cup after a shootout following the second game in 2003.  Central Washington will be one of only two NCAA II West Region teams to visit Billings.

The heart of the Jackets’ West Region schedule will take place on a week-long road trip to Washington at the end of September.  Over six days beginning on September 22, MSU Billings will play at Seattle Pacific, at Seattle University and at Western Washington.  Seattle Pacific qualified for the NCAA Tournament last year as the No. 3 seed in the West Region.  Seattle University finished as the fifth-ranked team in the West Region.

After wrapping up the swing to Washington on Monday, September 27, MSU Billings will return home for the Second Annual Futbol Frenzy Weekend the following Saturday and Sunday, October 2 and 3.  The Lady Jackets will host Minnesota-Crookston on Saturday and Northern State on Sunday. 

Alumni/Parents Weekend Sponsored by Rimrock Inn and the Rockpile will follow the next weekend, October 9 and 10, with games against Jamestown and Grand Canyon.  Grand Canyon will be the only other West Region team to visit Yellowjacket Field in 2004.  The weekend will also feature a Yellowjacket Alumni Game on Saturday morning.

The home stretch will be played primarily on the road.  Five of the final six games will be away games and four of the six will be played outside of the state.  On a quick trip to Idaho, the Jackets will face NCAA Division I Boise State on October 14.  They will then take the short ride to Nampa, ID to face Northwest Nazarene on October 16. 

One of the two games in Billings over the final weeks of the season will be the second game of the Rimrock Cup against Rocky Mountain.  The second game of the 2004 series will be played October 21 on the Bears’ home field, just a couple miles down Poly Drive.  The game at Rocky will be the first of four-straight NAIA games to wrap up the season.  The Yellowjackets will play at Carroll College on October 24 and at University of Mary on October 29 before concluding the season at home on a Halloween senior day against Carroll.

Goalkeepers

The Yellowjackets are deep and young at the goalkeeper position, and they should be strong in that area for at least the next few years.  Megan Plank (So., Phoenix, AZ) returns after being named the team’s Most Valuable Player and Newcomer of the Year last season.  Plank was between the posts in all six of the Jackets’ wins last year.  She earned four entries into the Lady Yellowjacket record book, including a school-record 1.15 goals against average for the season.

“Megan had a good freshman year, but I expect her to have an even better sophomore campaign,” commented Trentham.  “She worked hard this pat spring and set high goals for herself for the 2004 season.”

Also vying for the starting goalkeeper position will be newcomer freshman keeper Anita Renemans (Casper, WY).  She led Natrona County High School to back-to-back Wyoming State Championships and allowed just four goals against her as a senior.  Another possibility in goal will be second-year player Alyssa Wolfer (So., Longmont, CO), who played in eight games as a true freshman and posted a 2.64 goals against average.  However, Trentham would rather see her on the field than in the goal this season.

Midfielders/Forwards

The Yellowjackets’ attack should be experienced and deep in 2004.  Three-time team captain Candy Cherry (Sr., Missoula, MT) and two-sport star Margot Merrill-Johnson (Sr., Salt Lake City) enter the season with 51 career starts apiece.  If each stays healthy, they will tie and break the school games started record on the Futbol Frenzy Weekend.  Merrill-Johnson led the team last year with eight goals and was second with 18 points.  She enters the season as the second-leading career scorer in school history with 39 points.

“Candy and Margot are two of the more experienced players on our team, and will certainly be looked at as the leaders in our attack this season,” says Trentham.  “If they have good seasons individually, our team will have a good season.”

All-region midfielder Ally Taylor (So., Ojai, CA) returns as the Yellowjackets’ leading scorer.  She totaled 21 points as a true freshman, scoring seven goals and seven assists.  Taylor became the program’s first all-region selection last year when she earned second team honors.

Stephanie Clark (Sr., Tualatin, OR) scored three goals last year and enters her senior campaign tied for the No. 9 spot in school history for career points scored with 10.  With a wealth of game experience and a powerful shot, Clark will be looked upon to be the link between the defense and attack for the Jackets this season.

The Yellowjackets also return three second year players who saw significant playing time last season.  Megan Beckstead (Sr., Salt Lake City) transferred to MSU Billings last season and played in all 17 games.  Kelsey Vinnedge (So., Great Falls, MT) and Jenny Moellendorf (So., Green River, WY) each gained valuable experience as true freshmen, playing in 17 and 16 games respectively.  Another second year player, Wolfer, will be not only competing for time as a keeper, but also as a forward.

Michelle Kinzer (Jr., Butte, MT) was a red shirt last season after transferring from Jamestown, and will compete for time in the center of the park for the Jackets this season.  She was Butte High School’s team MVP as a senior in 2001.  Kinzer will be joined by newcomers Brittney Sandau (Fr., Billings, MT), Abby Bennett (Fr., Livingston, MT) and Amy Stephens (Fr., Colorado Springs, CO) as fresh faces on the Yellowjackets’ roster.  Sandau was a two-time all-state player at Billings West High School.  Bennett was Park High School’s MVP as a junior and a senior.  Stephens was a four-year letter winner and all-state player at Rampart High School.

Defenders

The Yellowjackets’ defense was one if its strongest areas in 2003, but the graduation of starters Mandy Reed and Heidi Robertson along with Clark moving to the midfield will create a rebuilding situation for the defense.  Jenni Furman (So, Casper, WY) saw action in 16 games as a true freshman last year and started the final seven games of the season.  She will be the Jackets most experienced defender.  Also returning are Laura Trinkle (Sr., Westminster, CO) and Stacy Dix (So., Grand Junction, CO).  Trinkle played in just one game last year and Dix saw action in six games before missing the rest of the season with an injury.

One transfer and three freshmen will by vying for playing time in the Jackets’ defense.  Lacey Albrent (Jr., Ojai, CA) is transferring from Ventura County CC after lettering for two years.  The three freshmen were accomplished players in high school and should be able to compete for playing time this season.  Vanessa Edwards (Fr., Kent, WA) was a two-time all-league selection at Kentwood High School.  Lauren Mackey (Fr., Casper, WY) was a two-time all-state player and two-time state champion at Natrona County High School.  Janica Larsen (Fr., Salt Lake City) captained Skyline High School to a runner-up finish at the state tournament last year.

“When looking at the situation we have in defense this season, it definitely appears that we should be concerned.  However, I actually think we are going to be better this year than we have been in the past two.  In all honesty, our defense is going to be the strongest part of our team in 2004,” commented Trentham.