The Paly varsity boys soccer team defeated Los Altos 2-0 Wednesday after a very physical and lengthy match.

Both goals were scored by Valter Levander (‘18) in the final minutes of the game. He was able to blow past a few Los Altos defenders and get an open shot to put the Vikings up for good.

The entire first half was a stalemate for both squads, as neither team was able to score in the first 45 minutes. There were plenty of attacks, including a possible goal for the Vikings that was eventually called offside.

Midway into the second half, starting goalie Jackson Druker (‘20) was injured on the pitch and backup Kiran Misner (‘18) was able to fill his place and continue the shutout for the Vikings.

The entire game consisted of many back and forth attacks but stellar defense and goalie play prevented any scoring until Lavender’s two final goals.

Attacker Kenzo Morabia (‘19) commented on his teams performance in the game. “We showed real character and determination towards the end of the game, when we were able to break the deadlock and score.” He continued by stating that his team definitely learned a lot from this long and physical match, and that although they have “a number of things to work on, we can also take a lot of highs” from the win. Morabia had an excellent game including helping on the final two attacks that put the Vikings on top.

The team goes on to play Santa Clara High School in an important league match this upcoming Friday.