MSUB women's soccer 2015 season review

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Tuesday, November 17, 2015 MSUB women’s soccer 2015 season review

Advancing to the GNAC Championships for the third time in four seasons highlights a successful year for the MSUB women’s soccer team.

BILLINGS, Mont. – From start to finish the theme of the season for the 2015 Montana State University Billings women’s soccer team was ‘Breaking Down Barriers.’

The Yellowjackets faced numerous challenges en route to their third Great Northwest Athletic Conference Women’s Soccer Championships appearance in the last four seasons, and it came down to the final hour of the final day of the season for the team to earn its berth.

Overall, the ‘Jackets finished the year with a record of 8-7-2, and completed the GNAC portion of their schedule with a mark of 6-5-1. MSUB entered the GNAC Championships as the No. 4 seed, and ended its season with a 4-0 loss to No. 2 Western Washington University in the opening round of the tournament at Terry Fox Field in Burnaby, British Columbia.

“I am extremely proud of the team and how we ended the season on a high note,” commented fifth-year head coach Wojtek Krakowiak. “This was a very young team, but with great captains and our wonderful seniors we were able to overcome a lot of obstacles that we faced throughout the season. I think all 22 players deserve a tremendous amount of

credit for sticking together as a family throughout challenging times and supporting each other. I am extremely pleased with what we accomplished this year and I am very excited going forward.”

Perhaps the most difficult stretch of MSUB’s season came when the ‘Jackets lost four of five games between Oct. 1-15, and sat in fifth place in the GNAC standings with four games left to earn a berth. The team responded with shutout wins in three of its final four matches, and clinched the fourth and final tournament berth with a 1-0 victory over Central Washington University on Senior Day at Yellowjacket Field on Halloween.

“Those losses were tough, but we always tell the team that we go game-by-game,” Krakowiak said. “We didn’t get the results we wanted, but I was happy with the way we were playing. I was extremely happy that we didn’t dwell on the losses, and I’m proud that the team didn’t give up. We won some crucial games after those four losses.”

Leading the way was senior captain Katlyn Lokay, who played every minute of the season at the crucial position of center back for the ‘Jackets. Putting the finishing touches on one of the top careers in MSUB history, Lokay tallied 1,611 minutes and was a key factor in MSUB’s six shutouts on the year.

Through four seasons, Lokay played in all 70 games and in 98 percent of the minutes in MSUB’s games since 2012. She ranks No. 2 in MSUB history in career minutes (6,418), and averaged 91.7 minutes per game in her four seasons. Lokay also finished No. 22 in MSUB history for career scoring, with seven goals and three assists for 17 points.

In 2015, Lokay was picked as a first-team all-GNAC defender, and earned academic all-conference honors for the second season in-a-row.

“It will be extremely hard to replace Katlyn as she goes down as one of the best players who has ever played at MSUB,” Krakowiak said. “She is the true definition of being a Yellowjacket. She went above and beyond throughout her career at MSUB, and I am tremendously thankful that I was able to coach her for four years.”

Katlyn Lokay Career Stats YR Gms GS G A 2012 20 20 2 2 2013 16 16 1 1 2014 17 17 4 0 2015 17 17 0 0 Totals 70 70 7 3

TP 6 3 8 0 17

SH 23 3 23 2 51

SOG S% 12 .522 3 1.00 11 .511 0 .000 26 .510

TM MIN = Total minutes for the team KL MIN = Total minutes Lokay played MISSED = Total minutes Lokay missed %MIN = Percentage of total team minutes Lokay played

TM MIN 1838 1504 1590 1611 6543

KL MIN 1798 1486 1527 1611 6422

MISSED 40 18 63 0 121

%MIN 98 99 96 100 98

MIN/GM 89.9 92.9 89.8 94.8 91.7

Playing alongside Lokay were fellow seniors Ashely Marra, Teegan Koster, and Elizabeth Howard who each also completed their careers with the ‘Jackets.

Assuming an elevated role down the stretch, Koster started the final nine matches of the season for MSUB as an attacking midfielder and played 888 minutes overall. She had an assist on the road against Northwest Nazarene University on Oct. 8, and finished with eight shots on the year.

Marra played in eight matches before being sidelined with an injury, but finished the season strong playing on Senior Day and in the GNAC Championships. Playing in the program for four seasons, Marra turned in 449 minutes as a midfielder/forward in her final season.

“I am definitely happy that Ashely decided to continue her career, as she went through a tough freshman year and redshirted,” Krakowiak said. “She decided to finish her career strong, and put her head down and pushed forward. Teegan is similar to Ashely, as she has had her setbacks here and there but she has kept going. She has never quit and she set a good example for the younger players, and that’s what I really admire about her.”

After recovering from a torn ACL during the offseason, Howard started every match as a holding midfielder and played 1,429 minutes on the year. She scored her first career goal against Northwest Nazarene on Sept. 19, and also had an assist in MSUB’s 3-2 win over Carroll College on Sept. 3.

Senior Teegan Koster.

“Izzi worked extremely hard to come back this season, and her work ethic off the field is amazing,” Krakowiak said. “To see her play a huge role this year and help us go to the GNAC tournament was great for the team and for herself. She has an amazing personality, and was great to have on the team.”

While the ‘Jackets bid farewell to their four graduating players, they will welcome back several key offensive and defensive components in preparation for the 2016 season.

Among the returning leaders is junior captain Kari Kastelic, who played all 1,611 minutes alongside Lokay as a center back. Since joining the program a season ago, Kastelic has never been subbed off the field, playing all 3,201 minutes and starting all 34 matches.

This season, Kastelic was an honorable mention all-GNAC selection as she was irreplaceable along the back line for the ‘Jackets.

Fellow junior captain Dana Lubieniecki will also return next season, after scoring two goals and adding two assists while starting all 17 games this season.

Lubieniecki was also an honorable mention all-GNAC pick, as she played 1,525 minutes and scored on the road at Academy of Art on Sept. 12 and at Saint Martin’s on Oct. 3.

Junior Kari Kastelic.

“Dana and Kari are very intelligent people, and they see a lot of things on and off the field that others don’t,” Krakowiak said of two academic all-conference picks.

“I am excited for them going forward, as they both understand what it takes to be successful in the GNAC.”

Leading the offensive effort were sophomore Jessica Spang and freshman Alycia Wright. Spang led the team in points with 15, as she scored five goals and added five assists in her second season in the program. Two of Spang’s goals counted as game-winners, and she also led the team in shots with 33 while starting all 17 games and playing 1,516 minutes.

Bringing her career goals total to eight, Spang was named an honorable mention all-GNAC pick for MSUB. She was picked as the GNAC Player of the Week after a goal and an assist against Carroll College in the season-opener in early September.

“Jessica had an amazing sophomore year,” Krakowiak said. “Her work ethic is fantastic, she is a very intelligent player, and she makes some plays that aren’t easy, look easy. Jessica is very coachable and she definitely got better from last year to this year.”

Sophomore Jessica Spang.

As a true freshman, Wright led the team in goals with six and finished second in the GNAC in game-winning goals with four. Time and time again Wright found the net in crucial situations, as she started 14 matches, played in all 17, and totaled 1,212 minutes.

Wright led the team with 18 shots on goal, and placed 56.2 percent of her attempts on target. “Alycia is a born goal scorer,” Krakowiak said. “The goals she scored are absolutely quality, and she is so calm and composed on the ball in the box. That might be the hardest thing to teach in soccer but for her it comes naturally. She was huge for us this year playing up front.”

Replacing a goalkeeper who played every single minute a season ago in 2014 senior Krystal Daniels, freshman Chloe Hopps took over without a hitch and was picked as an honorable mention all-GNAC keeper. Hopps started 15 matches, and held a 1.02 goals-against average with 55 saves in 1,410 minutes.

Hopps earned five shutouts in her first college season, allowing 16 goals on 179 shots faced with a save percentage of 77.5. “Losing our senior goalkeeper, we didn’t know who would end up in goal, but Chloe took that challenge well,” Krakowiak said. “She made some amazing saves, kept us in Freshman Alycia Wright. a lot of games, and she is a very smart goalkeeper who reads the game well.

Chloe is very competitive, and all of those things helped establish herself in goal for us.”

Similar to the void in between the posts was the vacancy left by 2014 senior outside backs Jennifer Johnson and Jessie Mancilla. Just as Hopps exceeded expectations, freshmen Kienna Ogden and Sarah Coghlan did so by starting the majority of matches on the defensive unit.

Coghlan racked up 1,494 minutes and started 13 of 17 games at right back for MSUB. The Billings Senior High School graduate notched her first career assist in MSUB’s 4-1 road win over Saint Martin’s on Oct. 3, and placed five of her eight shots on target.

Ogden started a dozen matches and also played in all 17 on the left side, playing 1,175 minutes in her first season. She and Coghlan worked to complement Lokay and Kastelic on a defensive unit that earned six shutouts.

“Our outside backs were two of the top positions to be filled, and we knew it would come down to two freshmen jumping in and playing a lot of minutes,” Krakowiak commented. “Sarah and Kienna did an outstanding job taking the challenge and running with it. They adjusted to the positions and the college game very well.”

Freshman Sarah Coghlan.

Providing consistency as a defensive midfielder, and also pushing forward for a crucial offensive burst was junior Brittney Greenback. She started seven matches and played in all 17 in 969 total minutes on the year. Among her team third-most 28 shots, Greenback found the net on the road against Western Oregon, scoring the only goal in a huge 1-0 shutout win.

The goal was the first of Greenback’s career, as she has been in the program for three seasons as a midfielder. “Brittney has a great presence in the middle, and she scored her first collegiate goal with an amazing shot,” Krakowiak said. “As a holding mid, she is very aggressive, gets stuck into tackles, and she sets the tone from the beginning of the game. She is going to be an important player for us going forward.”

In addition to Greenback, juniors Lindsay Lucore and Hayley Warren each saw significant time in their first season with the ‘Jackets. Lucore saw action in a dozen games, starting nine as an outside back while playing 599 minutes. After transferring from Shoreline Community College, Warren played in 14 matches as a forward and had a pair of assists while taking 17 shots for the ‘Jackets.

“Lindsay gave us some awesome minutes playing in the back,” Krakowiak said. “She started some games and came off the bench, and she was always competitive in games and in training.

“Hayley has tremendous talent and has a strong presence on the field,” Krakowiak continued. “We are happy she ended up at MSUB and she can be dangerous as a forward.”

Another big offensive piece for MSUB this season was freshman Bailey Griglio, who scored three times in her debut season. Finding the net twice against Saint Martin’s on Oct. 3 and again against the Saints at home on Oct. 17, Griglio netted six points while playing in all 17 matches in 2015.

“Bailey is a very technical player who has good skills on the ball,” Krakowiak said. “She definitely reads the game well and her soccer I.Q. is very high. She scored some nice goals this year, and she has a bright future with us.”

Freshman Bailey Griglio.

Youth is on MSUB’s side moving forward, as several other young players have bright futures within the program. In the conversation next to Hopps in goal are sophomore Jordyn England and freshmen Lili Delgadillo and Kaylee Praska.

Delgadillo earned a pair of starts this season, and secured her first career shutout in a 0-0 double-overtime draw at the University of Mary on Sept. 5.

Among field players, Dariann Oaks, Jordan Devoto, and Allie Trizna each also saw action during the season. Oaks played in eight games for the ‘Jackets and turned in her first career assist on Oct. 24 on Greenback’s game-winning goal.

“We were very excited about the younger players this year, and they all contributed to the team,” Krakowiak said. “They all got a taste of the GNAC tournament, and we hope they now understand how competitive the GNAC is. We are definitely looking forward to coaching them in the spring and getting ready for the 2016 fall season.”

Overall as a team, MSUB outscored its opposition 19-18 and ranked fourth in the conference in goals allowed. Krakowiak improved to 49-28-11 (.619) over his five seasons in charge of the program, and holds a mark of 36-23-9 (.596) in conference games. He remained No. 2 in career victories at MSUB with 49, trailing nine-year coaching veteran Don Trentham who holds the record with 85.

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