Tuesday, September 19, 2017

THIS WEEK'S GNAC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSE
Guillaume Kremer, Montana State Billings
MF • 5-7 • Junior • Metz, France
Kremer finished with a goal and three assists as the Yellowjackets went 2-0-0 on the road. He scored a goal and had two assists in Thursday’s 4-2 win over Mary on Thursday, the second multi-point match of his MSUB career. He took all eight corner kicks and assisted on the game-winning goal in Saturday’s 2-1 double-overtime win over No. 10 Upper Iowa.

Also Nominated: Reggie Reyes (Concordia), Brandon Madsen (Saint Martin’s), Ryan Higgins (Seattle Pacific), Anthony Dean (Western Washington).

DEFENSE
Tom Lohmann, Montana State Billings
GK • 6-2 • Senior • Berlin, Germany
Lohmann finished the week with 14 saves against 21 shots on goal to help the Yellowjackets’ go 2-0-0 in a pair of road matches. He finished with a career-high nine saves in Thursday’s win over Mary and played all 193 minutes in goal over the week.

Also Nominated: Benoit Bouillant (Concordia), Sebastian Navarro (Saint Martin’s).

AROUND THE GNAC
CONCORDIA
LAST WEEK:Tied vs. Hawaii Pacific 1-1.
THIS WEEK: Sept. 23 at Montana State Billings, 3 p.m.
• Concordia finished off its non-conference schedule last Friday with a 1-1 draw against Hawaii Pacific at home.
• In their match against the Sharks, Concordia was down 1-0 when Todd Gibbs connected on a cross from Reggie Reyes in the 61st minute to tie the contest.
• The Cavaliers outshot the Sharks 19-12, including 13-6 in the final 65 minutes with a 5-1 shots on goal advantage. Benoit Bouillant recorded two saves in goal for the Cavaliers.
• Reyes leads the way for the Cavaliers with three points. He is one of four Cavaliers that have scored this season.
• Concordia ranks second in the GNAC in saves, third in goals against average and third in shutouts. Bouillant is third in the GNAC in goals against average (1.10) while Grant Alcorn is second in saves (17).
• Concordia opens up its GNAC slate with a trip to Montana State Billings this Saturday at 3 p.m.

MONTANA STATE BILLINGS
LAST WEEK: Won at Mary 4-2. Won vs. No. 12 Upper Iowa 2-1 (at Bismarck, N.D.).
THIS WEEK: Sept. 21 vs. Northwest Nazarene, 3:30 p.m. Sept. 23 vs. Concordia, 3 p.m.
• Junior Guillaume Kremer finished with a goal and three assists as Montana State Billings went 2-0-0 on the road this past weekend. His dynamic performance awarded him GNAC Men’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week honors.
• The Yellowjackets swept the men’s weekly award honors, as senior goalkeeper Tom Lohmann picked up the GNAC Men’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week award after 14 saves against 21 shots during their two matches last weekend.
• MSUB picked up its first two wins of the season during their trip to Bismarck, N.D., where they defeated Mary 4-2 on Thursday and then No. 12 Upper Iowa 2-1 a couple days later.
•The Yellowjackets lead the GNAC in saves with 36.
•Montana State Billings opens its conference slate this Thursday, as they host Northwest Nazarene at 3:30 p.m. Mountain. In both matchups last season, MSUB split the season series with the Crusaders, outscoring NNU 6-4.

NORTHWEST NAZARENE
LAST WEEK: Lost vs. Cal Baptist 5-0.
THIS WEEK: Sept. 21 at Montana State Billings, 3:30 p.m.
• Northwest Nazarene fell 5-0 to No. 20 Cal Baptist in its final non-conference match of the season on Sept. 16.
• The Crusaders played a man down for a majority of the match. Just seven minutes into the contest, NNU goalkeeper Jacob Hillyer was drawn off his line and inadvertently contacted the ball outside the 18-yard box with his hand, drawing a red card.
• Northwest Nazarene currently sits in third place and has scored the second-fewest goals of all GNAC teams.
• Michael Bryant leads NNU in points (5) and goals (2) this season. He has also attempted a team-high 12 shots. Hillyer will miss his first game of the season as he serves a red card suspension next match.
• The Crusaders complete the non-conference portion of their schedule 3-2-0 and will open GNAC play next week as they travel to Montana State Billings on Thursday.

SAINT MARTIN'S
LAST WEEK: Lost vs. Hawaii Pacific 3-2.
THIS WEEK: Sept. 21 at Western Washington, 4 p.m. Sept. 23 at No. 2 Simon Fraser 7 p.m.
• After taking a 2-0 lead against Hawaii Pacific on Saturday, the Sharks stormed back with three second-half goals to emerge 3-2 victors over Saint Martin’s.
• Brandon Madsen led all Saints with three shots, all landing on goal. Kyle Witzel, Mamadou Leigh, and Sebastian Navarro each recorded two shots.
• Griffin Small got the start at keeper for the Saints, making three saves on 13 shots faced.
• Madsen leads the Saints with three goals this season. In five matches, Small has produced 22 saves against 38 shots on goal.
• Witzel has yet to record a goal this season through five matches. He led the Saints with 11 goals just a year ago.
•. The Saints wrap up non-conference action unable to record a win and will begin the GNAC season with a road match at Western Washington on Sept. 21 at 4 p.m.

SEATTLE PACIFIC
LAST WEEK: Won vs. Fort Hays 2-1.
THIS WEEK: Sept. 21 vs. No. 2 Simon Fraser, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 23 vs. Western Washington, 7 p.m.
• Seattle Pacific won its last four games to complete the non-conference portion of the schedule with a 4-1-0 record. After losing the opener 2-1 to Chico State, the Falcons pulled off victories over Sonoma State (4-1), Metro State (2-1), Colorado Christian (3-2) and Fort Hays State (2-1).
• In their latest fixture against Fort Hays State, Ryan Higgins scored a golden goal with 26 seconds left in double overtime.
• Three of this year’s five games have seen an SPU player net a pair of goals. Gabe Kellum scored twice against Sonoma State (Sept. 2), Mori Tsuchiya at Metro State (Sept. 7) and Gabriel Weber at Colorado Christian (Sept. 9). The Falcons had four multi-goal games from players during the entire 2016 campaign.
• To open up conference play, the Falcons host No. 2 Simon Fraser on Thursday and end their week against Western Washington on Saturday.
• The Washington rivals played to a draw in both games last season. Seattle Pacific has not lost to the Vikings since 2012, going 5-0-3 during that span. The Falcons look to make the most of their early home games at Interbay this week before they head on a five-game road trip that starts at Billings, Mont., on Sept. 28.

NO. 2 SIMON FRASER
LAST WEEK: Won vs. Slippery Rock 1-0.
THIS WEEK: Sept. 21 at Seattle Pacific, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 23 vs. Saint Martin's, 7 p.m.
• In their previous match, Freshman forward Connor Glennon scored in the 43rd minute to secure Simon Fraser’s victory over Slippery Rock 1-0.
• Simon Fraser has started its season unbeaten through the opening four games for the second year in a row.
• Matteo Polisi remains the top scorer for the Clan this season with three goals. He also leads his side with seven points. Shot stopper Miguel Hof has started all four games this campaign, allowing just two goals for a 0.50 goals against average.
• Simon Fraser leads all GNAC teams with 13 goals scored, two goals allowed and two shutouts and is the remaining unbeaten GNAC squad.
• In week three of the United Soccer Coaches Division II rankings, Simon Fraser maintains its No. 2 national ranking and remains atop the West Region Division II polls.
• The Clan head into conference action with a pair of games against Washington foes. Simon Fraser is hosted by Seattle Pacific this Thursday at 7 p.m. and will travel to Lacey, Wash., to take on Saint Martin’s just two days later.

WESTERN WASHINGTON
LAST WEEK: Tied vs. Fort Hays State 2-2.
THIS WEEK: Sept. 21 vs. Saint Martin's, 4 p.m. Sept. 23 at Seattle Pacific, 7 p.m.
• On the back of two Anthony Dean goals last Saturday, Western Washington played Fort Hays State to a 2-2 draw in its final non-conference match of the season.
• Just one minute after Dean’s second goal, Fort Hays State split its deficit in half and eventually found the game-tying goal with 14 minutes to play in regulation.
• The Vikings went to overtime for the fourth time in five games during the non-conference schedule and have been to overtime in all three home games.
• WWU posted season-high totals in shots (31) and shots on goal (10) against the Tigers. The contest also marked the first time this season in which WWU did not tally a goal in the first half.
• Western Washington leads all GNAC teams with 91 shots, averaging 18.20 per game. They have also recorded a league-best 38 corner kicks.
• Dean leads the conference with five goals and two assists and ranks number one with 12 points.
• Western Washington hosts Saint Martin’s in its opening GNAC contest this Thursday at 4 p.m. The Vikings then travel to Seattle just two days later to take on Seattle Pacific at 7 p.m.