MONMOUTH, Ore. – The Montana State University Billings women's soccer team split the points with Western Oregon University in the team's first taste of Great Northwest Athletic Conference play this season, drawing 1-1 on Thursday afternoon.
The Yellowjackets (0-1-4) took an early lead following a goal from Abby Thompson early in the first half, but a relentless Wolves (1-2-2) side evened things up in the second half, with the two sides sharing a point to open their conference slates. Western Oregon outshot the Yellowjackets 26-10 in the game, putting nine shots on goal, while MSUB placed five shots on net.
Thompson fired her goal on her only shot of the match, netting the first goal of her season. Meanwhile, Kennedy Craig attempted a team-high four shots, putting a pair of shots on goal. Vivian Gaither and Amaya Lorash each placed a shot on goal in their lone attempts of the game. Kolbi Kiblen attempted two shots, and Emmersyn Burckley shot once. In net, Tenley Leffler made eight saves, matching a season high.
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The Yellowjackets sustained an extended amount of offensive pressure from the Wolves to open the first half, with Western Oregon attempting the game's first five shots, including a pair of chances that forced saves from Leffler. But against the run of play, it was MSUB that opened the scoring in the 13th minute, capitalizing on its first chance of the game. A ball forward to the Wolves' back line saw Thompson putting pressure on a defender with her back to goal, winning the ball and surging forward, before the junior fired a long shot from the top left corner of the box, hitting it over a jumping goalkeeper and putting the Yellowjackets ahead in the early stages of the match.
The game proceeded in a more balanced manner for the rest of the first half, despite the Yellowjackets threatening to double their lead just minutes after the goal from Craig's first look on goal. Both teams battled in the midfield to gain momentum, with neither team dominating the looks for the rest of the first half. But each side threatened just seconds apart in the 38th minute, providing a pair of exciting sequences on both ends. Western Oregon worked the ball through to Kaia Borje-Peeples, who fired the Wolves' third shot on goal of the half, which Leffler dealt with. Just 30 seconds later, the Yellowjackets took advantage of another mistake in the defensive end from Western Oregon, collecting a misplayed touch to send Kiblen through 1-on-1 with the goalkeeper. But WOU's Ayanah Soon pulled off an impressive save with her feet, just managing to keep MSUB from a two-goal advantage and remaining within a goal of evening the match heading into halftime.
The hosts came out reinvigorated to open the second half, attempting eight shots, including four shots on goal in the first nine minutes of the period. The final one of that run came in the final ticks of the 54th minute, with Maya Courtenay finally putting a ball past Leffler and leveling the score at 1-1. Both teams threatened to break the deadlock, with MSUB putting three more shots on goal in the half, while a shot in the final minutes from Burckley deflected off the crossbar. But in the end, neither team was able to find a way to put a go-ahead goal in the back of the net, sharing the points to begin both of their conference campaigns.
The buzz: Thompson was selected as the Intermountain Health Player of the Game. Leffler, Gaither, Ava Curtright, Peyton Tarabokija and Ava Gibbs each played a full 90 minutes. The match marked the third 1-1 draw for the Yellowjackets this season.
Up next: MSUB will round out the week's action by heading to Lacey, Washington, to take on Saint Martin's University this Saturday, Sept. 19. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. MT (1 p.m. PT) at Saints Field, with live video available on the GNAC Network, and live statistics available here.
