Tietgens Breaks Two Records in Win Over Bay Path

MCLA Sports Info
08:41AM / Friday, October 10, 2008

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — One record was 21 years old and the other 9, but with three goals and two assists, Jess Tietgens broke both in one day.

Heading into this afternoon's nonconference match with Bay Path College the sophomore from Stamford, Vt.,  needed three goals to break the single-season goal scoring record held for more than two decades by Roberta Smith. She was also embarking on Christine Bonatti's 1999 record of 39 points in a season.

MCLA dominated play for the majority of the game holding a 35-to-1 shot margin. The Trailblazers opened this afternoon's scoring just under 10 minutes into the game when Samantha Miller (Reading) dropped her corner kick in front of the Wildcats' goal and Taylor Kenyon (North Bennington, Vt.) headed it home for the eventual game winner.

Three minutes later, Tietgens slotted a pass across the face of the goal connecting with Danielle Patenteau (Southampton) for the second goal of the game. The Trailblazers struck again in the 14th minute when Kaitlyn Dano (Schoharie, N.Y.) scored her first college goal. Tietgens was credited with assist and inched closer and closer to the points record. The Trailblazers went into the break with a three-goal lead, none by their leading scorer.

Sticking to their game plan, the Trailblazers moved the ball around their attacking half trying to find an opening for a scoring opportunity. Their patience finally paid off in the 47th minute when Erin Bourque (Amesbury) found Tietgens, streaking through the penalty area, who slotted the ball into the back of the net for her first goal of the game and her 16th of the season.

MCLA had many solid opportunities in the following 21 minutes, but the stellar play of Wildcat goalkeeper Samantha Gunseth (Swanzey, N.H.) kept the Trailblazers quiet. Then in the 68th minute, Tietgens collected her record tying 17th goal and 39th point of the season.

Gunseth continued to turn away shot after shot by the sophomore forward so the Trailblazers turned elsewhere for a goal. It came in the 80th minute when Harmony McGorman (Orleans) played a ball across the penalty area and Lauren Ford (Voorheesville, N.Y.) one-timed it over Gunseth for her first college goal and the Trailblazers' sixth.

As time was winding down and the Wildcats committing more players to defense, doubling Tietgens at times, it looked as if any record breaking may have to wait until another day. Then with just under eight minutes left, Tietgens collected an errant pass, battled past three defenders and drove the ball into the back of the net for a goal that broke not just one record but two. Right after the goal, Tietgens left the game to a roaring crowd showing their appreciation for the historic moment.

MCLA (9-3-0) will be back in action on Saturday for conference play when they travel to Mass Maritime for a 4:30 kick-off.

Bay Path will make a return trip north this Saturday when they visit Southern Vermont College.