SANTA ANA - For the third game in a row, the Dons found themselves down by one score in the final minute but, like the previous two games, were unable to find the endzone to complete their rally attempt. The latest instance came today in the Dons (3-6, 0-5) 30-23 loss to visiting Grossmont College (4-5, 2-3).

Grossmont opened scoring just three minutes into the game on a Michael Carrillo one-yard touchdown run before the Dons answered with a five-yard touchdown pass from Shane Truelove to Nathanael Nicholson to tie the game at 7-7.

But Grossmont would reclaim the lead before the end of the first quarter on a six-yard touchdown run by Thomas McDonald with just under two minutes left. The Dons would get a 33-yard field goal from Marshel Gleason to cut the lead to just three, but the Griffins answered with a one-yard touchdown run by Tony Johnson to take a 20-10 lead into the half.

McDonald scored again for Grossmont to open the second half and give the Griffins their largest lead of the day at 27-10. Another Gleason field goal, this time from 32 yards out, cut the lead to 14. Grossmont reclaimed its 17-point lead with a 35-yard field goal by Brandon Duarte in the opening seconds of the fourth quarter.

That is when the Dons started to rally as they answered with a 30-yard touchdown pass from Truelove to Malik Richards. The Dons would tack on a 41-yard field goal by Gleason to cut the lead to just seven at 30-23 with 9:22 remaining.

The Dons defense held the Griffins three times for the remainder of the game, giving the offense an opportunity to find the equalizing score. The final Dons drive came with 2:22 remaining but the Dons would eventually turn the ball over on downs at the Grossmont 26 yard line.

Truelove finished with 210 yards on 22-for-41 passing with a pair of touchdowns and an interception. Nicholson was on the receiving end six times for 54 yards while Hayden Dunn led the receivers with 84 yards on five catches.