Lady Jackets Blank Grizzlies to Open Cup (9/3/05)
Box Score

BILLINGS, MT – The Montana State-Billings women’s soccer team opened the 2005 MSU Billings Thrifty Cup with a 4-0 win over Adams State on Saturday.  The Yellowjackets used four second half goals to pull away for their second win in a row and their tenth straight at home dating back to last year.  The Jackets improved to 2-1-1 while the Grizzlies fell to 2-2-0.

The Yellowjackets settled for a scoreless first half tie despite out-shooting the Grizzlies 14-3.  Adams State goalkeeper Heather Boyd made nine of her 11 saves in the first half.  But the Jackets wasted little time putting a goal on the board in the second half.  Brittney Sandau (So., Billings, MT) scored at 48:44 on a long shot across the box from the left side to the far right post.  It was Sandau’s fourth goal in as many games, pulling her to within one of the school record for consecutive games with a goal.

“I think it’s because my teammates are making good passes,” said Sandau of her scoring streak.  “That’s definitely helped out a lot.  When they make good passes it’s easy to score, and I’m in the right place at the right time.  After having gone through one season (playing at the college level), I’m a lot more confident in taking shots this year.  Today I was on the left side and got behind the defender that was guarding me.  I was just trying to go to the far post so if it didn’t go in, someone might run in and get a second shot.”

In all, Sandau took seven shots on Saturday, placing two of them on goal and narrowly missing wide on another.  After Sandau’s goal, it took the Yellowjackets nearly 26 minutes to get the insurance goal.  Sara Gress (Fr., Boise, ID) scored her first collegiate goal at 78:18 when she boomed a shot from the far right sideline, sneaking it into the upper left corner of the goal to give MSU Billings a 2-0 advantage.

Gress’s goal opened the floodgates for the Yellowjacket freshmen.  Mandy Ploskonka (Fr., Federal Way, WA) followed with her first collegiate goal at 78:59, beating Boyd to the right on a penalty kick.  Ploskonka’s goal was followed just three minutes later by a goal from Chelsea Libby (Fr., Puyallup, WA).  Libby’s first collegiate goal was assisted by Alyssa Wolfer (Jr., Longmont, CO).  Libby received a pass from the midfield, headed it to Wolfer, who then headed it back to Libby streaking into the box.

Four goals were more than enough for Yellowjacket keeper Megan Plank (Jr., Phoenix, AZ), who had to make just one save for the shutout.  Adams State’s Ashley Ascherl sent a high bouncing shot over the defenders and it appeared to be going in the goal before Plank jumped at the last moment and punched it way just beneath the crossbar.

“Our field has been wet all preseason, and it bounced higher than I thought it was going to,” said Plank of the close save.  “I knew I could get to it. I just didn’t know if I could get high enough.  We didn’t play as well as I thought we could have today.  It wasn’t pretty, but we got it done.  We covered for each other when we made mistakes.  Instead of panicking we were able to regroup a little.  We stick it out when things aren’t going well.   Already this year we’ve scored to tie the game in the last minute.  We play the whole game so we’re used to being patient.”

Eight different Yellowjackets had shots on goal Saturday.  Ally Stroup (Jr., Ojai, CA) continued her aggressive play, firing six shots with four of them on goal.  Sandau, Wolfer, Ploskonka, and Libby each had two shots on goal.

The Yellowjackets have Sunday off and face Heartland Conference foe St. Mary’s on Monday.  Adams State and St. Mary’s will meet Sunday in the second game of the Thrifty Cup with kickoff at 1:00 p.m. at the MSU Billings College of Technology.  Monday’s game between MSU Billings and St. Mary’s—originally schedule for a 1:00 p.m. start—has been moved up to an 11:00 a.m. kickoff to accommodate flight arrangements. 

“We’re doing really well,” said Sandau of the Jackets’ early season start.  “There are things we should probably improve on.  This conference game on Monday will help us know where we need to improve for the rest of the season.  I think we’re a strong team, especially considering all the new people and people in new positions.  I think we can gel more and become stronger as the season goes on.  Monday is our first conference game, so it’s a big game.”

When MSU Billings and St. Mary’s square off on Monday it will be the Jackets’ first-ever Heartland Conference game.  The last time MSU Billings played a women’s soccer conference game was back in 1999 in the old 16-team PacWest Conference.

“I say our strength right now is moving the ball,” concluded Plank.  “We’re really good at swinging the ball around and passing it wide.  That gives us time to get our forwards in the box and it tires the other team out.  So far we’ve had an edge fitness-wise.  We worked really hard in the preseason to have that edge.  It’s nice to know it pays off.”

Click HERE for photos of the Lady Jackets vs. Adam's State