BILLINGS, Mont. – The first career goal by Eli Williams and the first career multi-goal performance by Guillaume Kremer lifted the Montana State University Billings men's soccer team to a hard-fought, 3-2 win over Great Northwest Athletic Conference opponent Northwest Nazarene University on a chilly, damp Thursday afternoon at Yellowjacket Field.
 
Kremer nudged the 'Jackets ahead with a penalty-kick conversion in the 25th minute, and Williams brought the score to 2-1 with his first goal in the 53rd minute. The relentless Crusaders found a way to equalize on two different occasions in the second half, before Kremer sealed MSUB's third straight victory in the 65th minute in the final of four goals over the course of 13 minutes between the two sides.
 
"We expected a close game, and we know that NNU is a really good team," said Kremer, the reigning GNAC Offensive Player of the Week. "We managed the game well in the second half even though we got scored on

twice. We did a good job to score two more times, and that is really good for our confidence."
 
MSUB relied on the current GNAC Defensive Player of the Week as well, Tom Lohmann, to help make the 3-2 advantage stand up. Perhaps the best of Lohmann's four saves on the day came with 14 minutes to go, when he leapt to make a reaction stop on a close shot by NNU's Logan Wood.

The stellar save helped ensure the 'Jackets would improve to 3-4 on the year, and begin conference play with a mark of 1-0. NNU dropped to 3-3 on the season and is now 0-1 in GNAC play.
 
"As a coaching staff we are very pleased with how we started the game," said MSUB head coach Alex Balog. "We pressured high and executed the game plan to near perfection. We moved the ball around really well, and I'm really proud of how maturely our team saw out the game."
 
The 'Jackets broke through midway through the opening half, when Alexis Chavez was fouled inside the goal box to earn his team a penalty kick. Kremer drove a powerful shot towards the right post, scoring his second goal of the year and giving MSUB a 1-0 advantage.
 
Coming off the bench and making an impact, NNU's Rafael Junqueira came close to finding an equalizer with 15 minutes to go before the break. Edwin Quiroz played a strong cross into the box on a set piece from the right side of the field, and Junqueira's header redirect missed just over the crossbar near the far post.
 
With less than 10 minutes to go before halftime, MSUB came inches away from doubling its lead. It was again Kremer at the root of the scoring chance, as his curling cross towards the back post was on a pin to the corner of the six-yard box. Realf Zhivanaj had an open look at a header, but caught the ball just thin as it missed wide.
 
The 'Jackets carried the lead into the halftime break, despite being out-shot 6-2 over the opening 45 minutes of play.
 
NNU equalized within six minutes of halftime, when Jake Levine shook his defender inside the box and pushed a cross into the goal box. Junqueira kept his composure and drove a solid shot into the back of the net from 12 yards away to make it 1-1.
 
Williams responded less than two minutes later, pushing MSUB back in front by rolling home a pass from Zhivanaj from close range inside the box. "Playing as a winger is super exciting, and it is a really fun position," said Williams.


 
NNU's second goal, scored by Jake Levine on a long breakaway run starting at midfield, was again met almost immediately with a goal by the 'Jackets on the counter. Kremer's second finish of the match came on a low, curling shot from the top of the box, that he corralled off a deflected ball from the right side of the field.


 
MSUB withstood seven more shots by NNU in the second half, and upped its own attack as the game opened up with the Crusaders pushing forward. The match ended with each team taking 13 shots and the 'Saders with a slight edge in corner kicks, 5-4. Kremer led all players with five shots in the match, including a pair on target.
 
Chavez had a noteworthy performance defensively, helping anchor the back line in a full 90-minute effort. He combined with center backs Oliver Posarelli and Zhivanaj to help MSUB hold tough through NNU's late push towards an equalizer.
 
The Crusaders' Quiroz led the team with four shots including two on target, and NNU goalkeeper Cade Leatherman came away with a pair of saves in the match.
 
THE BUZZ: Williams was picked as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Game…Kremer has had a goal or an assist in each of his last three matches…Lohmann improved to 3-0 on the season in goal…MSUB is 11-13-2 all-time against NNU and is now 3-5-2 at home against the Crusader…the victory was just the third in the last 11 meetings between the teams since 2012.
 
NEXT UP: The 'Jackets host Concordia University on Saturday in more GNAC play at Yellowjacket Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m., and live video and live statistics will be available online through MSUB's Stretch Internet portal here.