Palomar Rallies to Defeat Santiago Canyon College 2-1 in Final Nonconference Match

ORANGE, CA (9/24/2024) — Palomar College men's soccer closed out their nonconference schedule with a gritty 2-1 comeback victory over Santiago Canyon College on the road Tuesday night.

Santiago Canyon opened the scoring in the 17th minute, capitalizing on an early opportunity that put the Comets on the back foot. However, Palomar responded swiftly, with Arturo Atilano-Gutierrez leveling the match before halftime. Atilano-Gutierrez found the back of the net with a well-placed shot after receiving an assist from Dylan Craver, sending both teams into the break tied 1-1.

The second half saw the Comets take control, and it was again Atilano-Gutierrez who came through for Palomar. In the 56th minute, he pounced on a loose ball and slotted it home unassisted to give the Comets a 2-1 lead, which they held onto for the rest of the match.

Palomar dominated much of the offensive play, outshooting their opponent 13-10 and earning six corner kicks. Goalkeeper Amanueal Kidanemariam made several crucial saves, tallying four in total during his 90 minutes in goal, helping to preserve the Comets' lead.

The Comets return home on Friday at 4:30 pm to open Pacific Coast Athletic Conference play against San Diego City College.