Benjamin Andronic has a firm understanding of the postseason history of No. 12 upsetting No. 5.

The Tolleson boys soccer coach has watched his fair shair March Madness games and experienced what it actually feels like to pull off the 12-5 first round playoff upset. Last year, Tolleson did just that against Mesa.

On Tuesday, the roles changed, as Andronic walked onto his home field with his fifth-seeded team a bit nervous, and for good reason. Their opponent was a young, battled-hardened team, Chandler, that became the first true test of Tolleson’s season.

Tolleson passed the test but just barely. Andronic’s team rallied from a 2-1 second half deficit, escaping with a 3-2 victory.

Tolleson scored its final goals via two of the three penalty kicks that were awarded in the match.

“That was the toughest match of the year,” said Andronic about his program’s first playoff home game in seven years.

It was only the second time in 18-0 Tolleson’s season that it trailed in a match. Tolleson let up during during a couple of stretches, and it almost cost it the match.

Chandler’s pressure also contributed to Tolleson’s miscues.

“We stopped running, and they (Chandler) didn’t,” said Andronic about the final minutes of the first half and opening minutes of the second half.

After a slow start, Tolleson started peppering Chandler’s freshman goalkeeper, Bryan Bautista, with shots in the first half. During the stretch in which Tolleson was playing its best soccer, a bounce off a cross by Julien Cano was redirected into an open net in the 14^th minute by Moises Palacios' header for Tolleson’s first goal.

Tolleson’s fast paced team began to slow down near the end of the first half, when Chandler’s No. 10, Elton Loza, whose quickness gave Tolleson fits, broke free in the box.

Loza was tripped from behind during his run to the near post, earning the match’s first penalty kick.

Tolleson goalkeeper Alan Cazares wound up saving the PK by Daniel Corona, but Corona tapped the rebound in for the equalizer.

Loza helped set up his team’s second goal in the 57^th minute, when Chandler’s pressure and midfield was in control. A cross by Loza went off a Chandler player in the box before Caleb Sanchez’s left-footed volley rolled by Cazares to put Chandler up 2-1.

But in the 62^nd minute, Tolleson’s Cesar Martinez converted the first of his two penalty kicks. The second one came almost five minutes after the first one.

“We are the first real team they (Tolleson) played all year,” Chandler coach Sasha Hunter said.   

Chandler (8-5-4) will return 18 players next year.

“We fought hard today,” Hunter added.

But Tolleson is the team that will continue to play. 

Tolleson will play at Corona del Sol on Saturday at 2 p.m.