Griz score six times, roll over Yellowjackets

Friday, September 2

Missoula, Mont.

4 PM

Montana

1-2-2

MSU Billings

0-3-0

MSU Billings

Montana

9/2/2022 8:57:00 PM | Soccer

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana soccer team picked up its first win of the season on Friday afternoon, dominating MSU Billings 6-0 at South Campus Stadium in Missoula.

The Grizzlies (1-2-2) led 5-0 at the half and ended the match with a 30-2 advantage in shots. It was the 12th time in program history Montana has scored six goals or more in a match.

Kayla Rendon Bushmaker, Ally Henrikson and Riley O'Brien all scored their first career goals, Delaney Lou Schorr headed in a pair of goals, and Allie Larsen notched career goal No. 2.

Maysa Walters assisted on Montana's last three goals. It was just the eighth time in program history a Grizzly has had three or more assists in a match.

Montana coach Chris Citowicki went 22 players deep, with everyone playing at least 16 minutes. Freshmen Reeve Borseth and Georgia Boone both made their collegiate debuts.

"The quality of depth was really impressive today. For them to all come out and play at such a high level and continue creating chances was just beautiful," said Citowicki.

"Very, very proud of everybody who played today."

It was the first time Montana has scored six goals in a match since last September's 6-0 home win over Texas Southern. The Grizzlies also led that match 5-0 at the half.

Montana followed that win with big victories over Boise State and Long Beach State, then rolled through the Big Sky Conference on its way to the NCAA tournament.

"We really focused this week on attacking and scoring and creating chances. They stepped out and created chances and scored goals, and that's what you need," said Citowicki.

"That's the confidence we need going forward. I'm extremely happy that we had that happen to us."

And to think MSU Billings had the match's first dangerous chance, less than 90 seconds in, when Liberty Palmer got behind Montana's back line and had space before Larsen raced in to slide-tackle it shut.

"To be fair, I think it was a little bit offsides, but it was obviously a little bit of a breakdown, coming out and thinking we're not going to have to show up," said Larsen.

"We ended up showing up. It just took a little bit of a snap. Let's get into this and two minutes later let's go score a goal and get the momentum going in the game."

That's exactly what happened, when Rendon Bushmaker stole a ball on the left side and beat MSU Billings goalkeeper Clare Keenan just 3:15 into the match.

It was Rendon Bushmaker's first career goal in her second start of the season.

"I didn't really think it felt like me scoring. I thought it was a whole team thing. We're really close as a team, so it was really fun to share that with everybody," she said.

Montana's next four goals all came in the back half of the opening 45 minutes.

Schorr headed in a sweet feed from McKenzie Kilpatrick to make it 2-0 in the 28th minute. She made it 5-0 in the 43rd minute when she did the same thing on a Walters ball into the box.

It was career goals No. 2 and 3 for Schorr. "I literally was just in the right place at the right time," she said. "They gave me amazing balls.

"I think it shows we can score in multiple ways. Lars almost broke the keeper's hands, a bullet of a shot. Kayla, bottom right corner, then in the air, so we can score in different ways, which makes us a threat."

Henrikson made it 3-0 in the 37th minute on a feed from Kathleen Aitchison for career goal No. 1 when she scored from just outside the 18-yard box. Larsen made it 4-0 two minutes later.

Taking a shot from the center of the field, 20 yards out, she put a charge into a ball that didn't just get past the keeper, it went through her.

"I've been working on those shots for quite a while at practice, just staying after and hitting them," she said.

"I'm pretty aware that even if it hits the keeper's hands, it's a pretty hard shot and hard to stop. I saw it going at her, but it ended up going through. That was pretty cool to watch. I don't score very often."

Montana outshot MSU Billings 17-0 in the first half, putting eight of those on goal. It was just the second time since 1999 that Montana has scored five first-half goals.

"We talked about it at halftime. We're not going to go out there and take it easy and think this is just a cakewalk since you're doing so well," said Citowicki.

"We're going to continue respecting them and respecting the sport. We're going to sub a lot and I expect the people who come on, whoever is on the field, to do a good job."

Borseth entered the match in the 67th minute and looked like she belonged. Same with Boone, who entered a few minutes later and nearly collected an assist on a sweet cross into the box.

After some near misses early in the second half, including a header by Schorr that would have given her a hat trick, Montana went up 6-0 in the 76th minute.

Walters played the ball up the right side to Eliza Bentler, who sent it into the box, where O'Brien was waiting for punch in career goal No. 1.

"It was really fun to finally have every person score that has gotten opportunities," said Rendon Bushmaker.

Camellia Xu faced just two shots, neither of which came near the goal, to pick up shutout No. 2 of the season, No. 13 of her career.

Montana will host CSU Bakersfield (1-3-0) at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday at South Campus Stadium.

The Roadrunners opened the season with a 2-1 victory over UNLV but have since lost to New Mexico, San Diego and Gonzaga, which defeated CSUB 3-0 on Thursday night in Spokane.