Stoppage Time Goal Gives Dons 2-2 Tie with Golden West College

Brianna Cruz sends this shot on goal, setting up Jessica Reyes' header in stoppage time that gave the Dons a 2-2 tie with Golden West.
Brianna Cruz sends this shot on goal, setting up Jessica Reyes' header in stoppage time that gave the Dons a 2-2 tie with Golden West.

SANTA ANA - The Dons used a combination of one final push with one huge defensive stand to force a 2-2 tie with visiting Golden West College. The Dons are now 2-6-3 overall and 1-3-3 in conference while Golden West moves to 4-4-3 and 2-3-2.

The first goal of the match didn't come until the 54th minute with Golden West's Nicole Griffith getting a long pass from Angelina Martinez to score it.

But the Dons answered four minutes later when Lizzy Perez sent a pass to the top of the box that found Brianna Cruz who lifted a shot over the keeper's head for the equalizing goal.

That tie wouldn't last long, however, as the Rustlers came back in the 64th minute with Griffith's second goal of the match. This goal came unassisted as she was able to get a shot after the ball was mishandled by Teresa Pintor.

But the Dons wouldn't concede the match as they were the benefactor of a foul outside of the box, setting up a free kick by Cruz. Her shot hit off the bottom of the crossbar but bounced right to Jessica Reyes who headed in the tying goal less than one minute into stoppage.

From there, it took the Dons defense and Eileen Zavala in goal to preserve the tie. Golden West took five corner kicks in stoppage time, resulting in two shots. The first was blocked out of bounds and the second, taken by Martinez, resulted in a great save by Zavala to seal the game.