Late Goal Gives Jackets Exhibition Draw (8/20/05)
Box Score

BILLINGS, MT – A Patrick Boltz goal with just over two minutes remaining in the game gave the Montana State-Billings men’s soccer team a 1-1 draw against North Idaho College on Saturday.  Since the game was an exhibition game, no overtime periods were played.

Boltz, a senior defender from Kaneohe, HI, pounded home a loose ball in the box at 87:53 to tie the game.  The ball was sent into the box on a corner kick from Josh Hernandez (So., Palmdale, CA) and deflected by Victor Sargent (Jr., Billings, MT) before winding up in front of Boltz. 

“Overall it was a great exhibition game for the players,” said Yellowjacket coach Dan McNally.  “North Idaho is a very strong junior college this season.  It was a good test for our players.  The big positive out of the game is that we didn’t give up, and because of our commitment and desire, we got our result in the end.  The guys kept fighting.”

The Yellowjacket found themselves trailing 1-0 after a fluke play resulted in an own goal at 40:17.  The Cardinals’ John Prugh pushed the ball deep into the corner, where he tried to cross it to a teammate in the box.  The ball deflected off Yellowjacket defender Jesse Spann (Sr., Rock Springs, WY) and into the net behind goalkeeper Jess Feldtman (Sr., Lander, WY).  Feldtman was moving away from the net to intercept the crossing pass when it deflected off Spann.

Besides the own goal, the Cardinals managed just one other shot on goal in the game.  The Yellowjackets held a 15-10 advantage on total shots and 7-1 on shots on goals.  In total, six different Yellowjackets placed shots on goal.

“Our defensive shape is very good,” McNally said.  “We are defending well and limiting the opposition to very few scoring chances.  Unfortunately today, our passing let us down and we were unable to keep possession.  We scored for them today on an own goal.  That happens sometimes.  Other than that, they only had about four scoring chances.”

The Yellowjackets will open the regular season with a pair of games in Colorado next weekend.  They play at Metropolitan State on August 26 and at Colorado School of Mines on August 28.  MSU Billings plays its first seven games on the road before the Jackets’ home opener on September 21 against nationally ranked Incarnate Word.