The Dons secured a 4-2 victory in the first round NCS games. Acalanes capitalized on an early opportunity when Jonny Roth drew a foul approximately 35 yards from goal. Simon Appel delivered a perfectly weighted lob into the box with Ben Pecci’s deft header sailing over the Redwood keeper, giving the Dons a 1-0 lead, just three minutes into the match. Acalanes doubled their advantage seven minutes later where Colby Ebner calmly slotted a low shot into the right corner for a 2-0 scoreline. Despite the Dons early dominance, Redwood maintained defensive pressure and managed to pull a goal back with ten minutes remaining in the first half, reducing the deficit to 2-1 at the interval. Acalanes responded two minutes into the second half as Simon Appel unleashed a powerful, low-driven shot from distance into the left corner, restoring the Dons’ two-goal cushion at 3-1. Redwood remained resilient, scoring their second goal following a quick throw-in and a well-executed run through the middle, making it 3-2. Acalanes answered immediately. From the ensuing kickoff, a long ball forward deflected to Pecci, who unleashed a spectacular strike into the top corner, sealing the victory for the Dons with a final score of 4-2. Acalanes now advances to the quarterfinals, where they will face Dougherty Valley on Saturday at 7pm.