The varsity boys’ soccer team scratched and clawed all afternoon, but did not have an answer for the persistent Red Tailed Hawks.

The Giants lost 1-0 against Tam in Mill Valley on Wednesday, Oct. 10, snapping a seven game unbeaten streak with the defeat.

Despite the loss, the Giants will remain in third place in the MCAL standings, while Tam will stay in first place with the win.

The Giants started the game off slowly, falling behind quickly after a goal in the opening minutes from senior Muhammad Manneh.

However, the Giants controlled most of the possession throughout the entirety of the second half, but could not produce an equalizing goal.

Despite his frustration, senior Jack Elton said that he was pleased with how the team bounced back from the early deficit.

“We came out slow, we gave up that early goal,” Elton said, “but, especially in the second half, I thought we were the better team.”

Elton and forwards Marvin Buch and Sasha Boussina led the attacking charge in the closing minutes of the game, but Tam managed to weather Redwood’s onslaught, surviving countless opportunities that resulted from dangerous corner kicks and crosses.

The Giants came into the game with a lot of momentum, after soundly defeating Terra Linda, who is in second place in MCAL, last Friday by a score of 5-1. The loss drops the Giants to 7-2-2 in MCAL, which puts them at odds to win the regular season title.

However, the 1-0 defeat was a far cry from their first meeting,  in which Tam beat Redwood 3-1.

“I believe we can beat them,” Elton said. “We’re probably going to meet them in MCALs and when we do we’ll be ready.”

MCAL playoffs run from Oct. 22-26, following tough games against fourth place Marin Catholic on Friday and fifth place San Rafael next Tuesday.

The Giants’ next game against Marin Catholic is at 4 pm at Redwood.