LCC midfield sophomore Lesego Modise (#22) set the tone for the game even before it began with his confident declaration: “Big plays create big games. Create big moments.”
True to his words, the match reached a turning point with only seven minutes left in regulation. Jonathan Colunga (#9), assisted by Omar Matraka Hamdoune (#27), seized the moment and scored his first goal of the season with a pull-back corner kick that landed in the top of the goal just out of reach for Tacoma, tying the game at 2-2 and electrifying the crowd.
First Half Highlights
The game began with action right from the start as LCC freshman midfielder Ethan Juarez (#15) collided with TCC’s Koren Anderson (#9), causing a brief stoppage as Anderson clutched his shoulder. Despite the scare, he managed to continue playing.
At the 20-minute mark, LCC narrowly missed a scoring opportunity. Just a minute later, TCC’s Anderson found the back of the net with an assist from his teammates, scoring his first goal of the season and putting Tacoma on the board.
In the 30th minute, TCC substituted Anderson with Patrick Masikini (#11). The pressure stayed high as Taylor Pierce (#3) scored another goal for Tacoma, assisted by the team, marking his first goal of the season.
LCC responded just before halftime when Mamadouba “Papa” Yansane (#7) scored his first goal of the season, cutting Tacoma’s lead to 2-1.
Second Half & Overtime
The second half saw the game become more intense, with increased physical play leading to several yellow cards. LCC’s Zac Walker (#6) was booked at the 52-minute mark, followed by yellow cards for Tacoma’s Pierce and Alvaro Rubio. Pierce received a second yellow card in the 69th minute, heightening the tension.
With just seven minutes left in regulation, LCC’s Jonathan Colunga (#9), assisted by Omar Matraka Hamdoune (#27), scored his first goal of the season, tying the game at 2-2 and reigniting LCC’s hopes.
The match moved into overtime, where LCC’s Walker suffered an injury and was replaced by Yuto Sakairi (#14). The pressure continued as Griffin Rea’s (#20) shot narrowly missed, keeping the game level.
Overtime Developments
The first overtime period ended without any goals, despite strong efforts from both teams. LCC’s Walker remained on the sidelines, and a substitution saw Anderson leave the field due to an injury, replaced by Masikini. The game remained deadlocked, leading to double overtime.
In the second overtime period, teams switched sides with 10 minutes on the clock. Tacoma’s Lance Nelson (#5) was shown a red card, ruling him out of the match, and a yellow card was issued to the entire Tacoma team following two fouls by Lane in the closing moments. This set the stage for a penalty shootout at the 110th minute.
Penalty Shootout
A dense fog over the field heightened the intensity as a sudden-death shootout determined who advanced to the finals and who faced elimination.
The penalty shootout became the deciding factor. LCC’s first shot was blocked while Tacoma converted theirs. The back-and-forth continued, with both teams making and missing shots. After five rounds ended in a tie, the game entered sudden death. Tacoma clinched victory with a decisive shot by Yanni Montes (#14), resulting in a heartbreaking loss for LCCas sophomore goalkeeper (#1) Hugh Williams just missed blocking the game-winning shot by the edge of his fingertips.
Final Score: LCC 2, TCC Tacoma 2 (Tacoma wins in penalty shootout).
This fiercely contested match means Lane narrowly missed out on advancing in the playoffs.
