Pertuit’s Record Gives Yellowjackets Victory (Sept. 2, 2004)
Box Score

SALT LAKE CITY, UT – Thomas Pertuit scored a school-record four goals Thursday afternoon to lead the Montana State-Billings men’s soccer team to a 4-3 victory over Vanguard University.  The game was at the Westminster College tournament that runs through Saturday.  The Yellowjackets improved to 2-1 for the season, dropping Vanguard to 1-1.

Pertuit (Sr., MF, Billings, MT) tied Brian Palmer’s school record of four goals and eight points, scoring one in the first half and three in the second.  Palmer (Laramie, WY), now a senior forward on the team, posted his four-goal game in 2001 against Morningside University. 

With the Yellowjackets down 3-2, Pertuit found the net twice within ten minutes late in the game to deliver the win.  He scored the tying goal at 73:50 on a free kick, and headed in the game winner at 82:59 off a crossing pass from Robbie Thimm (Sr., MF, Park City, UT). 

Pertuit opened the scoring just 8:15 into the game when he connected on a penalty kick.  His second goal tied the game at 2-2 in the sixty-fifth minute when he headed in Thimm’s free kick.

“The first goal was on a penalty kick, and to be honest I wasn’t sure I was going to let him take it,” said Yellowjacket head coach Doug Seigle.  “He hadn’t been hitting them in practice this week, but he said was feeling good so I let him take it.  The other three goals were just him working hard.”

The four goals give Pertuit 16 for his career, ranking him third in school history.  The eight points vault him into second place in school history with 43 career points.  Pertuit’s record is the second single game record set by the Yellowjackets in the young 2004 season.  Jesse Spann (Jr., MF, Rock Springs, WY) scored the fastest goal to start a game in school history last week when he found the net 1:30 into a win over Humboldt State.

Jess Feldtman (Jr., GK, Lander, WY) earned his second victory of the season in goal, making five saves.  One of the goals he allowed came off a rebound in the final minute of the first half.

“Thomas and Robbie played well, and Jess made some great saves that kept us in it,” said Seigle.  “To be honest, they got the best of us in the first half.  I thought they were going to put us away early in the second half, but with about 17 minutes left we started to get some opportunities.  Nobody gave up and the difference was we started winning the 50/50 balls.  We had some important players struggle today.  When everyone starts playing well, I think we’ll be tough.”

The Yellowjackets continue tournament play on Friday when they face host Westminster College at 4:00 p.m.  Vanguard defeated Westminster, 4-0, on Wednesday.  MSU Billings will wrap up the tournament against Newman University on Saturday at 12:30.  The Yellowjackets will drive back to Billings after Saturday’s game and host University of Colorado-Colorado Springs on Monday morning at 11:00 a.m.