The Acalanes Dons had a very busy Friday at the Vintage Tournament in Napa, playing three games in one day—and apparently deciding that three wins would be the appropriate way to spend it.

By the end of the day, the Dons had defeated Tamalpais 13–5, Justin Siena 16–1, and Christian Brothers 11–4, finishing the first day of tournament play with a perfect 3–0.

Game 1: Dons Defeat Tamalpais, 13–5

The Dons opened the tournament against Tamalpais and quickly established a fast-paced, physical style of play. Ryan Graff and Luke Wellen helped move the ball up the pool, while Spencer Salfen, Finn Butler, Colin Heintz, and others created opportunities at the other end.

Finn got the Dons on the board, and Ryan added a buzzer-beater to close out the opening quarter. The second quarter featured excellent passing, strong defensive pressure, and goals from Mason Ross, Luke, and Colin.

Acalanes continued to control the game in the second half. Colin scored in the corner, Spencer added another, and Finn continued to make life difficult for the Tamalpais offense. Ryan also came up with several important saves, including a big stop late in the game.

Ben Paulsen converted a penalty shot in the fourth quarter, and Olivier Lavoie contributed with strong defense and an interception.

The Dons finished their first game with a 13–5 victory.

Game 2: Dons Dominate Justin Siena, 16–1

If Game 1 got the tournament started, Game 2 showed just how much firepower the Dons brought to Napa.

Acalanes jumped out to a 6–0 lead in the first quarter, with Spencer, Ben Paulsen, Brady Pigeon, and Theo Penn all finding the net. The Dons’ passing was crisp, and their defense consistently forced Justin-Siena into difficult possessions.

And then came the goalie rotation.

Ben Paulsen took over in goal for the second quarter and immediately made saves and blocks, while the Dons continued adding to their lead. Theo scored on a bounce pass, Ben Lin found the net, and Luke converted a penalty opportunity.

By halftime, Acalanes led 9–0.

Colin Heintz took over in goal for the third quarter, while the Dons continued their balanced attack. Theo and Alexander Mura scored, and another well-executed passing sequence ended with another in the net.

Luke also came up with a key defensive block, helping the Dons control the pace.

The fourth quarter brought another round of saves, blocks, and patient possessions, and Acalanes finished with a 16–1 victory.

At this point, the Dons had apparently decided that one goalkeeper wasn’t enough for a tournament day. Why settle for one position when you can play several?

Game 3: Dons Take Down Christian Brothers, 11–4

The final game of the day came against Christian Brothers, and the Dons faced another physical, competitive opponent.

Christian Brothers scored first, but Acalanes quickly answered. Ben Paulsen opened the Dons’ scoring with a clever finish over the goalkeeper, followed by goals from Luke, Colin, and others.

On one possession, Spencer drew multiple defenders before finding Luke, who scored from the side. 

Finn once again stood out defensively, disrupting attacks and helping the Dons regain possession. Ryan anchored the defense with several strong saves, including a couple of impressive stops on shots headed toward the upper corners.

Acalanes led 7–2 heading into the second half.

The Dons continued to move the ball well, even when playing a player down. Colin came up with an important block, while Alexander helped create space for teammates on offense.

In the fourth quarter, Ryan found Alexander, who created an opening for a teammate to finish after working through several fakes. Colin and Luke continued to connect on offense, and the Dons closed the game with a well-placed skip shot into the corner.

Final score: Acalanes 11, Christian Brothers 4.

Three Games. Three Wins.

By the end of Friday, the Dons had scored 40 goals while allowing just 10, going a perfect 3–0 against three different opponents.

The day showcased the team’s biggest strengths: balanced scoring, aggressive defense, excellent passing, strong goalkeeping, constant communication and impressive versatility. Multiple players contributed offensively, while several Dons successfully rotated into goal throughout the day.

Not a bad way to spend a Friday in Napa.