Cherry’s Goal Gives Lady Jackets Double OT Win at Carroll (Oct. 24, 2005) 
Box Score

HELENA, MT – Senior Candy Cherry scored her third goal of the season in the 108th minute to lift the Montana State-Billings women’s soccer team to a 2-1 win in double overtime at Carroll College on Sunday.  Cherry’s second game-winning goal of the season improved the Lady Jackets to 11-4-3 with just one game remaining.

On a wet and windy day, Carroll struck first when Lacy Knoles scored from 12 yards out at 43:14.  Cassidy Merrick assisted on the goal that gave the Saints a 1-0 lead at intermission.

With the wind at their backs in the second half, the Yellowjackets wasted little time tying the game.  Senior Margot Merrill-Johnson (Salt Lake City) scored from 20 yards off a pass from Ally Taylor (So., Ojai, CA).  Merrill-Johnson’s team-leading eleventh goal of the season tied her with Abbey Farmer for the school record for career points scored at 67. 

“What we did well in the first half was hold them against the wind,” said Merrill-Johnson.  “In the second half, we had the wind behind our backs and got our momentum going.  It was the same thing in overtime.  In the first overtime we tried to hold them because they had the wind.  In the second overtime, we went after them.”

Late in the second OT, Taylor placed a perfect corner kick for Cherry (Missoula, MT), who found the net for the win.  Taylor assisted on both of the Yellowjackets’ goals to become the career assists leader at the school in just her second season.  She has a team-high eight assists for the season and 15 for her career.

“It was a tough place to play and Carroll is a good team,” Yellowjacket head coach Don Trentham said after the game.  “We played well in the first half in tough conditions.  Then Margot scored one of the best goals I’ve seen her make.  It’s great to see two seniors step up and help us get a tough road win.”

The Jackets’ victory snapped a 13-game home winning streak for the Saints.  Carroll will have a chance to return the favor on Halloween when MSU Billings hosts Carroll at 1:00 p.m. at the MSUB College of Technology.  The Yellowjackets are unbeaten at home in nine games this season, including a school-record eight straight wins.  MSU Billings will be trying for its first ever unbeaten record at home.

Click HERE for the Lady Yellowjackets vs. Carroll.