The Dons hit the road Monday for a showdown in Benicia, where two early interceptions put them in a 0–12 hole. Quarterback Grace Natal showed resiliency and guided Acalanes all the way back to a 13–12 lead.

Late in the second quarter, Ivana Adolphson helped shift the momentum with an interception near midfield. A sharp 25‑yard strike down the middle to Kaylee Clayton set up the first‑and‑goal, and Natal punched in the score with a quick run. The Dons headed into halftime down just 7–12.

On the seventh drive, the offense surged again. A 24‑yard reception by Julia Polson Flanagin put the Dons in scoring position, and Natal found Leah Andres in the corner of the end zone to take a 13–12 lead.

The defense held strong to preserve the lead behind Dheliya Guiro’s five flag pulls, Margaret Stirling’s three, and a pair of pulls from both Emi Tippett and Amber Qin.

But in the final minutes, a wobbly punt pinned Acalanes at their own 8.  A penalty backed them up further, and a miscommunication resulted in a dead ball in the end zone — a safety that swung the score to Dons 13, Benicia 14. The Dons forced one last offensive chance thanks to a key sack by Maria Sakaguti, but Dons were unable to strike again before time ran out.  Final score: 13–14.

Acalanes JV Squad continues to show grit, growth, and determination in their teamwork and play.  Catch them at home this week on Monday and Wednesday as they take on Concord and Alhambra.