GLENDALE, Ariz. - The Glendale Community College men's soccer team nearly delivered a shocking upset on Tuesday night in a 4-3 defeat to Phoenix College, the undefeated and #1-ranked team in NJCAA Division II.

The Bears entered the night not having allowed a goal in six previous ACCAC matches and an unassisted goal from Sergio Jaramillo in the third minute after a Glendale giveaway did the Gauchos no favors. After some nervy opening minutes, Glendale settled into the match and produced multiple chances, resulting in a goal from Dario Melo Frias off a long throw and a back-header flick from Santiago Castruita to tie the match up at 1-1 in the 18th minute.

The Phoenix College frustration was evident in a mass substitution midway through the half that saw 10 new field players check into the contest. The change failed to stem the tide as Glendale kept coming in waves, with the pay-off coming in the form of a Daniel Hernandez Vega goal in the 40th minute, headed home from a Jordan Yesenski free kick. The Gauchos would take that 2-1 lead to the break.

Phoenix showed its quality with a goal-scoring outburst in the opening minutes of the second half. Easton Elzinga tied the score at 2-2 in the 54th minute, matching Hernandez Vega by heading home a free kick. Two minutes later, Glendale gave away a penalty and Bryan Aceves picked out a corner to give the Bears a 3-2 lead. Tiernan Nicewander finished off the Phoenix scoring in the 62nd minute with a shot from distance that found its way past Eli Anderson to make it 4-2.

Glendale was down, but not out. Only 95 seconds after falling behind by two goals, Beani Wammunga cut the deficit in half with a perfectly-placed free kick from 20 yards that made it 4-3. The physicality and intensity of the match picked up from there, but neither team found another goal and Phoenix was able to keep its unblemished record with the one-goal victory.

Anderson finished the night with two saves in goal for the Gauchos. On a night when nine of the 10 Glendale shot attempts were on frame, Nathan Johansen led the Gauchos with three shots (all on goal), with Jacob Engwall providing three of his own (two on goal).

Now midway through the regular season, Glendale will begin its reverse fixtures on Friday afternoon by paying a visit to the South Mountain Community College campus to take on GateWay Community College at 4 p.m.