BURNABY, B.C. – Freshman forward Raegan Mackenzie's 82nd-minute goal lifted the Simon Fraser women's soccer team to a 1-0 Great Northwest Athletic Conference win over the Montana State Billings Yellowjackets Thursday night in Burnaby, B.C.
 
With the win, SFU improves to 4-7-1, and 5-4 in GNAC play, good for fourth in the league standings. The team's conference record includes a forfeit victory against Northwest Nazarene that does not count in the program's overall mark. SFU also earned the GNAC season split against the Yellowjackets, who needed overtime to win their Oct. 9 matchup in Billings.
 
"I'm happy we got the win. We definitely made it difficult for ourselves," said SFU head coach Annie Hamel. "MSUB had a great game plan, sitting in their block, and we had a hard time breaking them down. We fought the whole way and we were able to convert the break we got, which is fantastic. I thought Nicole (Anderson) was solid for us in goal, and kept us in the game. The girls fought really hard, and I'm really proud of them. It was not an easy win. This is a good team we played today, and I'm very happy to be on this side of things, that's for sure."

The build-up to the game-winning goal began with freshman midfielder Annika Gross. She took possession of the ball from a Billings player at midfield, then dribbled about 15 yards before directing a pass to the left wing. Mackenzie got to the ball at the top left corner of the penalty area, and fired a low shot past MSUB goalkeeper Clare Keenan and into the net. The assist for Gross is her first collegiate point.

With just over four minutes left, sophomore midfielder Valerie Silva nearly doubled SFU's lead, as she kicked the ball just over the crossbar from the left side of area.
 

The teams were scoreless going into halftime, with the shots 3-2, and corner kicks 4-0 in favour of the Yellowjackets.

The best chance of the opening half came in the 29th minute. MSUB had control inside the SFU penalty area, and Maddie Smith chipped a short pass to her left for teammate Leila Clark. From about 10 yards out on the left side of the box, Clark volleyed the ball off the top of the crossbar and out of play.

About five minutes later, SFU had its finest scoring opportunity of the first 45 minutes. Mackenzie dribbled down the right sideline, and placed a shot over the net from the edge of the 18-yard box.

MSUB outshot the hosts 11-10 and had a 5-1 edge in corner kicks.

Junior goalkeeper Nicole Anderson got the shutout, her second of 2021, for SFU, which will host Seattle Pacific Saturday at 2 p.m. It is the penultimate regular season home game of the year for the team.

Follow women's soccer on Twitter and Instagram at @sfuwsoc. Fans can also keep up with all of SFU Athletics on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter at @SFU_Athletics.

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