A controversial call proved costly in the Grays Harbor Gulls FC’s 3-2 loss to Twin City Union on Sunday at Stewart Field in Aberdeen.

The Gulls (0-3-1 overall) trailed 1-0 in the first half before Gulls midfielder Irvin Vincente tied it with a goal off an assist from defender William Galeana.

TCU (3-2) regained the lead on a goal with just under seven minutes left in the first half.

The Gulls would tie the game when a free kick from Connor Darras was sent into the box, where midfielder Tyheim Miller headed it on goal. After the TCU keeper made the save, Gulls midfielder Hank Doelman put the rebound into an open net for a 2-2 score less than eight minutes into the second half.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Grays Harbor Gulls midfielder Hank Doelman (left) scores a goal while teammate Ty Miller (8) celebrates during a 3-2 loss to Twin City Union on Sunday in Aberdeen.

The game would remain knotted up at 2-all throughout the majority of the second half, with the Gulls earning the bulk of the prime scoring chances the rest of the way, but failing to get the go-ahead goal.

Inside the final minute of the game, a 50-50 ball was sent in toward the Gulls 18-yard box. Grays Harbor keeper Alexis Garcia raced out from his line toward the edge of the box and leaped to deflect the ball away. Garcia collided with a TCU forward on what appeared to be a physical yet clean play as both players were making a play on the ball inside the 18-yard box. The referee didn’t see it that way and Garcia was called for a foul, leading to a TCU penalty kick.

On the ensuing penalty-kick attempt, Garcia dove to his left to make a save, but the rebound was chased down by the TCU shooter and put into the net for the eventual game-winning goal.

After a red card was issued to a TCU player in the testy rivalry match, the final whistle blew, ending the game as the Gulls remained winless on the season.

RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Grays Harbor Gulls goal keeper Alexis Garcia (bottom) dives in an attempt to stop a rebound after making a penalty-kick save at the end of a 3-2 loss to Twin City Union on Sunday in Aberdeen.

“I told the guys it was a heartbreaking way to lose,” Gulls head coach Drew Grannemann said. “This is my 10th year coaching and I’ve lost some games in interesting fashion. This one takes the cake.”

Grannemann said the play that led up to the penalty kick appeared to be a legitimate challenge by his goal keeper attempting to play the ball and not the opponent.

“The biggest thing when a goalie comes off his line is you want him to be aggressive, otherwise, he’s going to get injured when he hesitates and a player is coming full speed at him,” he said. “With that challenge, (Garcia) was definitely in the right. He got to the ball first and the Twin City player’s momentum went into him. I don’t think it was necessarily dirty or anything like that. It was a soccer play with a very unique and interesting call coming after it.”

The play capped a second half in which the Gulls held the majority of possession and had the better scoring opportunities, leading to Doelman’s tying goal and multiple chances at a go-ahead score that never came.

“We made some formation changes at halftime because when we can secure that back line, it gives us a little more support in the midfield,” said Grannemann, who went away from a 3-4-3 formation in the second half. “We rotated two of our forwards to be a little more holding to cover the midfield and kept one high to press that back line. … What we try to emphasize with this formation is we play possession-based passing and try to penetrate. … The times when we did have great opportunities, we played that simple two-feet style of soccer where guys were moving off the ball and creating their own opportunities to go to goal. As long as we’re active when we are on the pitch, it does wonders.”

The Gulls will host Thurston County SA at 1 p.m. Sunday, July 14 at Olympic Stadium in Hoquiam.