October 25, 2007

Lady Jackets Blank Crusaders
Box Score
MSUB Season Stats

BILLINGS, Mont. – Sophomore Dani Ritter scored twice in the first half to lead Montana State Billings to a 4-0 win against Northwest Nazarene in GNAC women’s soccer on Thursday.  The win moved the Yellowjackets back over the .500 mark at 9-8-1 with two games to play.  The Crusaders dropped to 7-8-2.

“Dani has played well all year,” head coach Don Trentham said.  “She’s had a very steady year, has worked hard, and she was rewarded for her work with two goals today.  It was probably her best game of the year.”

Ritter’s (Great Falls) goals, her fourth and fifth of the season, were nearly identical.  In the 25th minute she took a great diagonal crossing pass from Sara Gress (Boise, Idaho) near the top left corner of the box and sent the ball into the upper right corner of the net.  The shot glanced off the hands of Crusaders goalkeeper Amanda Peters.

Ritter

In the 41st minute, Ali Gamberg (Lakewood, Colo.) provided the crossing pass which Ritter again launched from the left side and nailed the upper right corner of the net.  For the freshman Gamberg, it was her first collegiate point and first of two assists on the day.

“Ali did well off the bench,” said Trentham.  “She played two really good balls in.  That’s her job, to come off the bench and create things, and she did.”

The Jackets netted the first of two second half goals in the 78th minute when senior defender Janica Larsen (Salt Lake City) broke free for a shot on the right side.  Peters dived to make a great save on Larsen’s shot from the right side, but the ball bounced loose and Kari Foreman (Lakewood, Colo.) tapped it in for her fourth goal of the year.

Just four minutes later, Gamberg picked up her second assist when she set up Jelisa Guy (Kalispell) with a perfect through ball down the center of the box.  Guy reached the ball a split second before Peters, who blocked her attempt, but Guy bounced up and punched the ball into the empty net.

Peters made seven saves on the day as the Jackets out-shot the Crusaders 20-11.  Yellowjacket goalkeeper Kaily Hoffman (Fort Collins, Colo.) made two saves in the win.  A redshirt freshman, Hoffman recorded her first career decision.

With the victory, the Yellowjackets moved back into fourth place in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference at 5-6-1.  The Jackets host unbeaten league leader Seattle Pacific on Saturday at the MSUB College of Technology.  The Falcons are ranked second in the nation.

Kick off is scheduled for 1 p.m.  It will be the final home game of 2007.  Seniors Brittney Sandau, Abby Bennett, Janica Larsen, and Amy Stephens will be honored before the start of the game.

“I’m really proud of the team,” Trentham said.  “They’ve lost three straight and could have thrown in the towel, but they haven’t done that.  They worked hard and I think played their best game of the year today.  We looked good on defense and capitalized on our chances.  We’re looking forward to playing the No. 2 team in the country on Saturday.”