Dons let the lead slip away

The Santa Ana Dons hosted their second home game on Aug. 30 against Cuyamaca Coyotes, which ended in a 2-2 draw. The Dons were unable to put the game out of reach for the Coyotes after a great attacking first half.

The Dons put two goals past the Coyote’s defenders in the first half. In the second minute, freshman defender Elijah Lozano started the lead for the Dons. A corner kick that was served by freshman midfielder Vincent Lopez found freshman defender Daniel Tolmasoff at the second post. Tolmasoff headed the ball back into the 6-yard box and found Lozano for an easy tap-in.

The first half saw the Dons have ten shots, while the Coyotes managed to only get 4 shots. This wasn’t enough to keep the Coyotes from scoring.

In the 30th minute, the Coyotes put a low driven cross from the left wing into the box. The Coyotes forward managed to get a foot on the cross which changed the direction of the ball. The contact changed the trajectory of the ball and was enough to get past the Dons sophomore goalkeeper Jorge Cortes.

The Dons love a good fight and responded within three minutes of receiving a goal. Coming from another set piece, but this time it was a free kick. Making his mark was freshman midfielder Isaac Pineda, with a free kick just outside the 18 yard box.

Pineda struck the ball with the inside of his right foot, and hit it just over the Coyotes’ wall. The ball went in the top right half of the goal and out of reach from the Coyotes goalkeeper.

“Honestly it was a surreal moment, as soon as I hit the ball I knew it was going in,” said Pineda. “I never would have thought my first goal would be in that way.”

The Dons went into halftime with a 2-1 lead against the Coyotes.

In the 50th minute the Coyotes responded with a counter attacking goal. After a few poor tackles from the Dons, the Coyotes attackers found an easy goal to tie the game up at 2-2.

The match ended in a 2-2 draw, and put the Dons with a record of 1-0-1. Their next home game will be against San Bernardino Valley College Wolverines.