Jackets and Crusaders Play to Draw in Nampa (Oct. 16, 2004)

NAMPA, ID – Two halves and two overtimes—120 minutes—weren’t enough to decide a winner on Saturday as Montana State-Billings and Northwest Nazarene played to a 1-1 draw in Far West Region women’s soccer action.  The tie moved MSU Billings to 10-4-2 overall.  NNU is now 5-8-1.

The Crusaders had to feel fortunate to hold on for the draw after the Yellowjackets out shot them 31-13, including 6-2 in overtime.  NNU goalkeeper Amanda Merrell made 16 saves, five of them coming in the extra periods, to help her team survive. 

Eight different Yellowjackets put shots on goal in the game.  Margot Merrill-Johnson (Sr., Salt Lake City) was stopped five times by Merrell.  Ally Taylor (So., Ojai, CA) had three of her shots end in saves.

Taylor put the only dent in Merrell’s day at 55:50 when she scored the Yellowjackets’ only goal of the game.  Her eighth goal of the season, which matched Merrill-Johnson for the team lead at eight, tied the game at 1-1.  Northwest Nazarene’s Katy McNutt had given the Crusaders a 1-0 lead at 39:48.  McNutt has scored 11 of the team’s 25 goals this season.

“We didn’t play really well in the first half, and to Northwest Nazarene’s credit they took it to us,” said Yellowjacket coach Don Trentham.  “We definitely had our opportunities to win.  I thought we got the better of them for most of the game, but their keeper came up big for them.  Ally had a breakaway with about 15 seconds left in the second overtime and I thought we were going to win, but their keeper made an unbelievable save.”

The Yellowjacket offense attacked Merrell from all sides.  Along with Taylor and Merrill-Johnson, shots on goal came from Lacey Albrent (Jr., Ojai, CA), Candy Cherry (Sr., Missoula, MT), Brittney Sandau (Fr., Billings, MT), Alyssa Wolfer (So., Longmont, CO), Kelsey Vinnedge (So., Great Falls, MT) and Jenny Moellendorf (So., Green River, WY).

Megan Plank (So., Phoenix, AZ) made five saves in the game for the Yellowjackets, four of which came in regulation.  She also stopped the only shot the Crusaders sent at her in the second overtime period.

The Yellowjackets finish the trip to Idaho with a loss and a draw after falling at Boise State on Thursday.  They will return to Billings to face Rocky Mountain College in game two of the 2004 Rimrock Cup next Thursday at Rocky.  The Yellowjackets defended their home field in September with a 7-2 win against the Bears.