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.
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.
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.
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.
