The Vikings fell to a record of 11-2-0 after a 4-3 home loss Oct. 21 against Santa Rosa Junior College.

The last time the two teams met, DVC won by 10 goals, and head coach John Roemer said he absolutely expected the Vikings to win again this time.

“We’re both undefeated in conference,” Roemer said before the game. “But we’re a better team, so we should win.”

Santa Rosa started off strong, scoring two goals within the first three minutes of play. The Vikings answered with a goal scored by Liam Kelly with two minutes left in the quarter, after Taylor Herman forced a Santa Rosa turnover.

Halfway through the third quarter, after another Santa Rosa turnover, Danny Boessenecker scored DVC’s second goal, tying the game at 2-2. After a number of missed shots, Santa Rosa was finally able to break the tie with one minute left in the quarter.

Santa Rosa would score its fourth and final goal within the first minute of the fourth quarter, bringing the score to 4-2. 

With two minutes left in the game, Vikings’ captain Zach Roberts, who had gotten an MRI for a hip injury the day before and was not expected to play, gave the team some hope, scoring DVC’s  third goal and bringing his team to within one.

Matt De Trane would take the final shot of the game, in hopes of tying the score at 4-4. But the shot was blocked by Santa Rosa’s goalkeeper, and the Vikings were unable to score.

“We didn’t play with any intensity or passion,” Roemer said after the game. “Santa Rosa played with passion and played a lot harder.”

Freshman, Tyler Elliott attributed the loss to the Vikings’ attitude.
“We didn’t come to the game ready to play,” Elliot said. “We just thought we were gonna beat ‘em.”

The team played in the Golden West Tournament this past weekend, and will play Oct. 31 at Pleasant Hill in an all day mini tournament before the Big 8 Conference championships Nov. 6-7.