Falcons Men’s Soccer Splits Week: Dominant Win Over Lake Tahoe, Hard-Fought Draw at West Valley
The Folsom Lake College men's soccer team showcased both its attacking firepower and its resilience this past week, earning a convincing 3–1 victory over Lake Tahoe at home before grinding out a 1–1 draw on the road at West Valley. The results move the Falcons to 4-1-1 overall, keeping them in strong form as they continue their early season campaign.
Folsom Lake 3, Lake Tahoe 1 — September 16, 2025
The Falcons came out flying in front of their home crowd, netting three goals in the first half to put the Timberwolves on their heels.
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Blake Garcia opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a composed unassisted finish.
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Just 22 minutes later, Nathaniel Ionescu doubled the lead off a setup from Angel Ayala Rodriguez.
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Before the halftime whistle, Thualfikar Alaskati capped the dominant half with his own unassisted strike, pushing the score to 3–0.
Lake Tahoe managed a late goal in the 89th minute through Rylee Collart, but it was too little, too late against a disciplined Falcons side.
Folsom Lake controlled the tempo, outshooting Lake Tahoe 7–3 and forcing goalkeeper Dylan Mueller into six saves. For the Falcons, keeper Danny Tejeda recorded two stops and stayed composed as his defense held firm.
Folsom Lake 1, West Valley 1 — September 20, 2025
Four days later, the Falcons faced a tougher test on the road against West Valley. The Vikings struck first in the 24th minute.
But the Falcons responded quickly after halftime, leveling the score in the 48th minute on a team goal following sustained offensive pressure. Despite creating chances, neither side could find the winner, and the match ended 1–1.
The draw marked a gritty performance for Folsom Lake, who showed resilience in battling back away from home.
Moving Forward
Through six matches, the Falcons have proven they can win in multiple ways — by overwhelming opponents with goals, as seen against Lake Tahoe, or by digging deep for points in tight contests like at West Valley. Key players such as Garcia, Ionescu, Alaskati, and Ayala Rodriguez have powered the attack, while Tejeda and the back line continue to anchor the defense.
With momentum building, Folsom Lake looks poised to make noise as they move into the heart of their schedule.