SAN MARCOS — On Oct. 3, Palomar secured its first home win of the season with a 5-2 victory against MiraCosta, securing first place in the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference (PCAC).
Palomar had not beaten MiraCosta since 2021, and after an aggressive start, the Mustangs battered the Comets’ defense and scored a ninth-minute goal, looking to keep the undefeated streak alive.
After a sliding deflection from Edwin Martinez (#15) in the 18th minute prevented a second goal, Palomar went on the offensive. Palomar drew a penalty after Dylan Bissember (#24) was fouled during a corner kick. Jakub Kozlowski (#9) converted the penalty shot to tie the game at 1-1.
MiraCosta responded in the 29th minute after an overshot free kick was saved and placed right in front of the goal, giving Mustang forward Jack Vasquez (#13) an open lane to retake the lead.
Momentum flipped in the 44th minute when Ismael Zavala (#7) managed to score amidst a sea of players in the MiraCosta goal box. Then in first-half stoppage time, Felix Hamm (#10) netted another to put the Comets ahead 3-2.
“That was really important that we scored two goals so close after each other,” Hamm said. “The moments we scored were perfect for the game, and scoring right before the half was perfect for our momentum.”
Hamm’s go-ahead goal proved to be enough to secure the Comets’ ultimate victory, but not for a lack of effort from MiraCosta in the second half.
Despite the relentless pressure in the first half, the Mustangs had just two shots on goal but converted both. In the second half, MiraCosta’s offense mustered five shots on goal, but they were all saved by Palomar’s starting goalkeeper, Bruin Bailey (#26).
Bailey and the Comet defense delivered a second-half shutout, while Hamm and Kozlowski extended the lead, adding insurance.
“It was intense, but we handled it well,” Bailey said. “Defensively, we were more organized in the second half. We were good at stopping the crosses, picking up the shots and the chances they got were minimal.”
In Palomar’s first second-half attack, Hamm received a cross from Isaac Garcia (#11) that he headed in, putting the Comets up 4-2 in the 59th minute.
MiraCosta attempted to counteract the two-point deficit with a full-frontal attack, but Palomar thwarted the assault and punted the ball down field to a wide-open Kozlowski.
Kozlowski maneuvered his way around a lone defender and the MiraCosta goalkeeper to extend the lead to three with a 62nd minute goal.
“I pretended to take the first shot, and then after that he went to the right side so I shot and scored,” Kozlowski said. “It was a really good team performance.”
With two goals each, Hamm and Kozlowski both earned a brace on the night and put the Comets in an insurmountable 5-2 lead that carried to the final whistle.
Palomar remains undefeated in PCAC play and sits first in the standings after the victory over MiraCosta. The Comets will defend its top rank with two road games, starting with a match against San Diego Miramar at 1 p.m. on Oct. 7.
“I like the fight, and the comeback,” Head Coach David Linenberger said, “We needed a fight, we needed to close them down. It was the players’ motivation and their desire to play and to win that got us that result. Biggest win of the season for sure.”
Oct. 6 2025 @ 7:30 a.m. — a correction has been made to this story, this is the most current version.
