Lady Jackets Put Unbeaten Streak on the Line Saturday (Sept. 16, 2004)

BILLINGS, MT – The Montana State-Billings women’s soccer team hosts Central Washington on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. in the Yellowjackets’ first Far West Region game of the season.  The Yellowjackets (5-0-1) will be trying to extend their school-record six-game unbeaten streak as well as defeat the Wildcats for the first time.

Central Washington holds a 5-0-0 series advantage over the Yellowjackets, including a 3-0 win in Ellensburg last season.  Since beginning soccer in 1996, the Yellowjackets are 1-17 all time against schools from Washington, where the Division II women’s soccer powers reside.

The Wildcats are also off to a good start with a 4-2-0 record entering Thursday’s home game with Northwest Nazarene.  Central lost to NNU at the end of August on the road.  One of the Wildcats’ four wins came at Humboldt State, which is currently ranked seventh in the Far West Region by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

Central Washington is led by Ashley Rountree and Michelle Beattie, who have combined for seven of the team’s 10 goals.  Two Wildcat goalkeepers have split time to combine for a 0.83 goals against average and a .861 save percentage.

The Yellowjackets were voted into the NSCAA Far West Region top 10 this week for the first time in school history.  They are No. 10, right behind Western Washington and just ahead of Central Washington.  A win on Saturday would give the Jackets a big boost leading into three-straight road games against top 10 teams at the end of September.

The offense has been firing on all cylinders for MSU Billings this season.  The Yellowjackets are averaging 2.95 goals per game while giving up just 0.93.  That average was helped by Tuesday’s 7-2 thumping of Rocky Mountain College in which seven different players scored.

Alyssa Wolfer (So., F, Longmont, CO) and Margot Merrill-Johnson (Sr., MF, Salt Lake City) have each scored four goals to lead the team.  Wolfer also has three assists for a team-best 11 points.  Merrill-Johnson has scored three times in the last two games and has nine points.

Ally Taylor (So., MF, Ojai, CA) also has nine points with three goals and three assists.  She assisted on back-to-back goals in the win over Rocky.  Freshman Brittney Sandau (MF, Billings, MT) has added a spark to the Yellowjacket offense with two goals and three assists.  Abby Bennett (Fr., MF, Livingston, MT) and Kelsey Vinnedge (So., MF, Great Falls, MT) have also scored two goals apiece. 

In goal, Megan Plank (So., Phoenix, AZ) has posted a 0.93 goals against average while making 32 saves.  She has allowed just six goals and has a .842 save percentage.

Following Saturday’s game against Central Washington, the Yellowjackets play three regional games on the road against three regionally ranked teams.  They will face No. 1 Seattle Pacific, No. 2 Seattle and No. 9 Western Washington in a span of six days.