The Acalanes JV soccer team traveled to Concord on Tuesday for a gritty match against Mt. Diablo Red Devils. It was a physical affair from the opening whistle, defined by aggressive slide tackles and contested headers as both sides fought for a tactical edge. The Dons struck first: Coen sent a perfectly placed cross to Nikolai, who buried the shot to give Acalanes the early lead. However, the momentum was short-lived. Mt. Diablo responded quickly, slicing through the defense to find an equalizer. Despite a resilient performance by the Dons in the final minutes, including an impressive save by Bennett in goal,  the Red Devils managed to find the back of the net once more, clinching a narrow 2-1 victory.