Undefeated in league, the Dons stepped onto the turf expecting a clear path to the league title, but the Ugly Eagles of Clayton Valley had other plans. What was supposed to be a smooth finish quickly turned into a gritty, back-and-forth dogfight.

The Eagles struck first, stifling the Dons’ offense and leaving them scoreless through a frustrating first quarter. The tension mounted in the second as Clayton Valley found the back of the net again. Caleb Mason finally broke the ice for the Dons, but the Eagles answered back just before the buzzer, sending the Dons into the locker room trailing 3-1.

The second half saw a different Dons team. They emerged with a renewed focus, grinding out longer possessions and wearing down the Eagles’ defense. The Dons sparked the comeback when Grant Condy got a pass to Jan Korzeniowski right in front of the goal to score, followed shortly by a strike from Luke Dafferner to tie the game. However, a sneaky Clayton Valley goal with just 4 seconds left in the third quarter threatened to steal the momentum back.

Trailing by one entering the final quarter, the Dons flipped the switch. It was a clinical takeover with Luke Dafferner igniting the rally to score first and tie the game. Then Jackson Tseng and Grant Condy hammered home goals to take the lead. Dafferner sealed the deal with his third of the night, completing the hat trick.

The comeback was fueled by Mason Lanphere, who dominated face-offs at a 2 to 1 clip to keep the ball in Dons’ hands. While the defensive squad of Banwart, Deignan, Gallacher, and Quinn put constant pressure on the Eagles it was the relentless heart and hustle of Cade Korpita who proved to be a menace on both ends of the turf dodging players, scooping up loose balls and keeping the momentum alive. 

With the victory secured, the Dons remain undefeated in league play, proving that even when they’re down, they’re never out.

See you Friday night for the last league came against Campo. Fear the Blue!