2007-2008 Weekly Release #2 (August 28)

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This Week's Schedule

Click HERE for this week's Yellowjacket Women's Soccer Show, featuring head coach Don Trentham and senior defender Janica Larsen.

Week in Review

On Thursday, MSUB kicked off 2007 with a 3-1 win at Adams State.  Mandy Ploskonka, Brittney Sandau, and Amy Stephens each scored a goal.  The Jackets out-shot the Grizzlies 25-10 as the defense controlled the game.  Freshmen goalkeepers Brittany Knudtzon and Jordan Fenwick each made a pair of saves in their first collegiate action.

On Saturday, the Yellowjackets shut out Eastern New Mexico 5-0.  The neutral-site game was played at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colo.  MSUB dominated every facet of the game, holding the Zias to just three total shots wtihout a shot on goal.  Ploskonka and Sandau each scored for the second-straight game.  Also finding the net was Danielle Ritter, Samantha Sandau, and Jelisa Guy.  Samantha Sandau's goal was the first of her college career.  Her older sister Brittney's goal gave her 22 for her career, moving her within eight of Margot Merrill-Johnson for third on the career goals list at MSUB.

Playing for the third time in four days, the Jackets couldn't get any offense going on Sunday in a 1-0 overtime loss at Fort Lewis.  The Skyhawks are predicted to be one of the top three teams in the tough RMAC.  Sunday's game made three years in a row that MSUB and Fort Lewis played an overtime game.  In 2005, Brittney Sandau scored late in regulation to tie the game at 1-1, and the game ended in a tie.  Last year Jelisa Guy scored her first collegiate goal with just 49 seconds left in the first overtime for a 1-0 Yellowjacket win.  The OT heroics belonged to the Skyhawks this year as they knocked in a 30-yard shot four minutes into overtime. 

Janica Larsen

Even though they scored eight goals in their first two games and lead the GNAC in goals per game after the first weekend, the Yellowjackets were driven by their defense last weekend.  In three games, the Jacket D gave up just 13 shots on goal.  That took pressure off the Jacket keepers and gave the offense plenty of time to make plays.

In a sign of how the Jackets' defense played, MSUB senior Janica Larsen was named the Great Northwest Athletic Conference player of the week on Monday.  Larsen is a defender from Salt Lake City.

The Yellowjacket defense allowed just two goals in 274:13 for a goals-against average of 0.66.  That was done with a pair of freshmen goalkeepers splitting time in net. 

“Janica has been a three-year player at outside back and is making the transition to center back,” said MSUB coach Don Trentham.  “She was the anchor of the defense last weekend, and she was the only player to play every minute of three games in four days.”

Click HERE for Abby Bennett & Janica Larsen's blog about last week.

GNAC PLAYERS-OF-THE-WEEK:  Janica Larsen, MSU Billings  (D, 5-8, Sr., Salt Lake City, UT - Skyline) led the Yellowjacket defense, which allowed just two goals in three road contests, including 3-1 and 5-0 wins over Adams State and Eastern New Mexico and a 1-0 overtime loss to Fort Lewis.  MSUB’s defense gave up just 13 shots on goal in the three contests.  “She was the anchor of the defense this weekend and was the only player to play every minute of three games in four days,” MSUB coach Don Trentham said.

HONORABLE MENTION: Sarah Martinez, Seattle Pacific (F, 5-6, Sr., Bothell, WA – Cedar Park Christian) scored two goals, the 33^rd and 34^th of her career in a 4-0 win over Hawaii Hilo. . .Ashley Porter, Seattle University (M, 5-9, Sr., Redmond, WA - Inglemoor) had five assists to increase her career total to a GNAC-record 39 in wins over Humboldt State and Sonoma State.  She had three assists against Sonoma becoming the first player in GNAC history to record two three-assist contests.

AROUND THE GNAC:  Porter was one of six Seattle players named to the all-tournament team at Sonoma. Joining Porter on the squad were forward Leah Wymer, midfielder Jasmine Wilson, defenders Madison Collins and Kate Edstrom and goalkeeper Kaitlyn Jackson. . .Wymer had three goals and an assist in the tournament.  Jackson had six saves in posting two shutouts. . .Teresa Fish recorded her 21^st career shutout – four short of the GNAC record – and Claire Morgan had two assists in Western Washington’s 2-0 win over Hawaii Hilo. . .Brittney Sandau and Danielle Ritter scored the game-winning goals in Montana State Billings’ two victories.  Sandau and Mandy Ploskonka, who also had an assist, each scored twice on the three-game road trip. . .Kaycie Hutchins had a goal and an assist in Central Washington’s 3-0 win at Hawaii Pacific as the Wildcats’ outshot the Sea Warriors 16-3. . .Meredith Teague had a goal and an assist and Jessica Gertsmann had two assists in SPU’s victory. . .Kim Bowen scored both of Northwest Nazarene’s goals in a 3-2 loss to Corban.

Click HERE for the Great Northwest Athletic Conference weekly release.

Upcoming Opponents

Regis opened the season with 3-1 win against Barry University last Thursday.  Three different players scored in the game for the Rangers. On Sunday, Regis lost 1-0 to Grand Valley State.  GVSU lost to Metro State in last year's national championship game and is ranked No. 2 in the nation by the NSCAA this preseason.

Before they make the trip to Billings on Labor Day, Regis has a tough road game at Nebraska-Omaha on Friday.  The Mavericks are ranked No. 6 in the nation in the preseason.

Senior defender Tara Kirkpatrick anchors the Rangers' back line.  A three-time All-RMAC selection, Kirkpatrick was the RMAC defensive player of the year last year as a junior and is the preseason RMAC defensive player of the year this year.  Midfielder Chelsea Reichard was also a preseason All-RMAC selection after earning second team all-conference honors last year.

All-time vs. MSUB: Regis leads series 5-0-0. 
Last Meeting: The Rangers defeated the Yellowjackets 1-0 on Oct. 8, 2006, in Denver.

The Stats

Click HERE for current MSU Billings 2007 season statistics

The Standings

2007 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Standings
(Through games of Aug. 27, 2007)

The Stats Leaders

Click HERE for GNAC Stats Leaders

The Players

The Last Time in Yellowjacket Women's Soccer

The School Records (records that include 2007-2008 in bold)

Points
Game – 1. Jelisa Guy (14); 2. Brittney Sandau (9); 5. Mandy Ploskonka (7)
Season – 1. Ally Stroup (39); 3. Brittney Sandau/Jelisa Guy (26)
Career – 1. Ally Stroup (109); 4. Brittney Sandau (61); 6. Jelisa Guy (28); 7. Mandy Ploskonka (26)

Goals
Game – 1. Jelisa Guy (5); 3. Brittney Sandua (3)
Season – 1. Ally Stroup (16)
Career – 1. Ally Stroup (40); 4. Brittney Sandau (22)

Game Winning Goals
Season – 1. Ally Stroup/Margot Merrill-Johnson (4); 4. Brittney Sandau/Melissa Carlson (3)
Career – 1. Ally Stroup (12); 3. Brittney Sandau (7)

Assists
Game – 1. Jelisa Guy (4); 3. Mandy Ploskonka/Brittney Sandau (3)
Season – 1. Brittney Sandau (10); 2. Jelisa Guy (8); 8. Mandy Ploskonka (6)
Career – 1. Ally Stroup (29); 2. Brittney Sandau (17); 6. Mandy Ploskonka (10); 7. Jelisa Guy (8)

GK Wins
Season – 1. Megan Plank (13)
Career – 1. Megan Plank (41) 

Saves
Game – 1. Jenny Bunnell (23)
Season – 1. Jenny Bunnell (151)
Career – 1. Megan Plank (336) 

Shutouts
Season – 1. Megan Plank (10)
Career – 1. Megan Plank (23) 

Goals Against Average
Season – 1. Megan Plank (0.77)
Career – 1. Megan Plank (0.95) 

Minutes in Goal
Season – 1. Megan Plank (1868:15)
Career – 1. Megan Plank (6376:53) 

Fastest Goal from Start of Game
1. Kelly Bryn – 0:27 

Games Played
1. Ally Stroup (74); 12. Brittney Sandau (60)

Games Started
1. Ally Stroup (74); 8. Brittney Sandau (59)

Schedule & Results

The Coaches

Don Trentham, Head Coach
Don Trentham enters his sixth year as head women’s soccer coach at MSU Billings in 2007.  Under Trentham’s direction the program has gone 44-39-7.  He is the winningest coach in the history of the program in terms of both total wins and winning percentage, and his teams have posted the only three winning season in team history.  

Trentham attended Columbia College (Missouri) and played for head coach Dan Hogan, who is now head coach at University of Southern Indiana.  At Columbia he was part of an NAIA program that was consistently ranked in the top-20, won two conference tournament championships and twice advanced to the regional tournament.  In his senior year, the team finished 17-5 and was ranked ninth in the nation.

It was during his playing days at Columbia when Trentham began coaching.  He was head coach of two teams for the Columbia Pride Soccer Club and was assistant camp director for Columbia College Soccer Camps during the summer.  In 1998 the Missouri Youth Soccer Association honored Trentham as the Boys’ Coach of the Year.

Trentham began his collegiate coaching career as an assistant at Embry-Riddle University in Daytona Beach, Florida where he had the chance to work two seasons with one of the finest soccer tacticians in the country – David Gregson.  At Embry-Riddle he assisted in guiding the team to a #16 NAIA National Ranking in the final poll of 1999 season, two NAIA Regional Tournament appearances and a Florida Sun Conference regular season championship.

"I've been very fortunate to have played for and coached with two great people," says Trentham.  "Much of what I learned about the game came from Coach Hogan and David Gregson.  Had it not been for those guys, I don't know if I'd be coaching today."

Aside from his head coaching duties with the team at MSU Billings, Trentham also plays an active role in developing players throughout the state and the region.  Over the past two years he has served as the u13 and u14 girls head coach for the Magic City Soccer Club, guiding each team he has coached to Montana State Championships.  In the past he has also coached in the Olympic Development Program serving as the ODP girl's head coach for Montana, as well as an ODP staff coach for Region IV.  Furthermore, he holds many camps, clinics, tournaments, and leagues during the course of the year for both adult and youth players throughout the state.

Trentham earned his bachelor of arts in education from Columbia College and a master's of education in sport management from East Stroudsburg University.  He holds an "A" license from the United States Soccer Federation, as well as an Advanced National license from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. 

Ally Stroup, Assistant Coach

The 2007 season will be Stroup’s first as the Yellowjackets’ women’s assistant soccer coach.  She is a 2007 graduate from MSU Billings, earning a Bachelor of Arts Degree in psychology with a minor in coaching and graduating cum laude.  

“Ally is a great addition to the coaching staff here at MSUB,” said Director of Soccer and Head Women’s Coach Don Trentham.  “She had a terrific career and a major impact here as a player, and I am confident she will have as big an impact, if not bigger, on our program as a coach.  She knows the game very well and has a tremendous passion for MSUB soccer, and it will be exciting to see her pass on her knowledge and passion to the players in the program.”

As a player, Stroup was a four year starter and two-time captain for the Yellowjackets.  Her freshmen season she was named to the NSCAA/adidas All-West Region Second Team.  As a junior, she received the following honors: MSU Billings Most Valuable Student-Athlete, Heartland All-Conference Team, Scholar-Athlete by her teammates, and ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VII Second Team.  For her senior season, she received the following honors:  ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VII Second Team, Dakrtonics All-Midwest Region Team, Scholar-Athlete and MVP by her teammates, NSCAA/adidas College Scholar All-West Region Team, NSCAA/adidas Women’s Soccer Scholar All-America College Division First Team. 

At one point during her senior season, the team was ranked No. 1 in the Midwest Region and ranked nationally in the top 10.  Stroup finished her MSU Billings career as the school record holder for career goals, assists, points, game winning goals, and games started. 

Stroup plans to begin her Masters of Science in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling at MSU Billings in the spring of 2008.  She is married to Garret Stroup, a 2006 graduate of MSU Billings.