After cruising to 4-0 victory in their opening NCS playoff match, the Dons took a 2 1/2 hour bus ride up to Ukiah on Friday for a rematch of last year’s controversial exit from the playoffs. The Acalanes squad took the field with great confidence as the coaching staff surprised them with the same jerseys that 12 years ago helped Acalanes find NCS success.

The 2024 version of this matchup was another rough and tumble contest with both squads receiving several yellow cards. The young, speedy Wildcats presented a big challenge but the talented Acalanes club battled to a scoreless tie at the intermission. Junior forwards Ben Pecci and Niko White put the offensive pressure on early. Both teams had numerous scoring opportunities in the first half but couldn’t capitalize.

Dons goalkeeper Jake Boselli and our outstanding defense led by Jonny Roth and Simon Appel held firm all night but the home team managed to punch in the lone goal of the match midway through the second half. The Dons battled valiantly and were awarded four free kicks down the stretch but just couldn’t manage to find the back of the net.  Coach Curtis recognized all five seniors as “Men of the Match”- Jake Boselli, Lucas Dissman, Lucian Krage-Zillas, Colin Sohn and Evan Sverak.

The Dons ended the season with 10-5-5 record and look forward to next year with a lot of talent returning. Although the season ended on a disappointing note, the squad has a lot to be proud of, including a victory over league champion Las Lomas and an impressive 8-game unbeaten streak late in the season. More importantly, the squad consistently displayed a strong spirit, great skill and teamwork and a lot of grit.  All in all, another memorable season for Acalanes Men’s Soccer! 

GO DONS!