For most of the game, the matchup was evenly contested, but the Vikings struggled to respond after falling behind.

“The game tonight was really close till the last 10 minutes,” junior Cole Baker said. “Our team has never been behind all season, so going down 1-0, we essentially gave up because we had never had to battle back.”

A key turning point in the match was the loss of goalkeeper Jacob Kinsky, who suffered a head injury. Without their usual presence in goal, Palo Alto struggled defensively as Mountain View took full advantage.

By the time the final whistle blew, the scoreboard read 4-0 in favor of the Spartans—a shocking result for a Palo Alto team that had been dominant all season.

“We didn’t maintain our intensity for the full game,” junior James Park said. 

After the game, the Vikings were met with a firm message from their coach.

“He told us this will never happen again and that we need to win out from here,” Baker said.

With a crucial stretch of games ahead, Palo Alto will need to regroup quickly as they push toward a CCS playoff spot.