A wild weekend for Central College included many ups and downs…

-The 23rd-ranked Central College football team launched a clutch final-minute strike on a broken play for a come-from-behind 17-16 victory over archrival Simpson Saturday to earn sole possession of first place in the American Rivers Conference. It was a game heard live on both KNIA and KRLS.

– In the midst of a challenging season of training, the Central College men’s cross country team was hampered by tired legs as it finished 35th of 50 teams at the Kollege Towns Sports Invitational/Pre-National hosted the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Missing two of its anticipated top-seven runners, the Central College women’s cross country team was 43rd of 50 teams. The
American Rivers Conference Championships will be held on October 27 in Lincoln, Nebraska.

– Starting the day with a sweep of Finlandia University, the Central College volleyball battled through a four-set loss in the nightcap to Lakeland University on Saturday. The Dutch (11-14) took down the Lions (4-18) in straight sets, winning 25-14, 25-20, 25-15, while the Muskies (17-7) pulled out a 25-17, 25-27, 25-20, 29-27 triumph over Central. A streak of three American Rivers Conference matches at home inside P.H. Kuyper Gymnasium starts Friday night at 7:30 p.m. against Loras College.

– Katie Larson grabbed a runner-up finish in the C-Flight singles bracket at the American Rivers Conference Championships to highlight Saturday for the Central College women’s tennis team. Larson was a 6-2, 7-5 winner in Saturday’s semifinal over Cory Eull of Luther College. She fell 6-1, 4-6, 10-6 in the championship match to Anna Spencer of the Norse.

– Falling in a two-score hole early, the Central College women’s soccer could not climb out in a 4-1 loss to Nebraska Wesleyan University Saturday afternoon. The Prairie Wolves earned their first American Rivers Conference win of the season over the Dutch. A trip to Storm Lake to face Buena Vista University awaits the Dutch on Wednesday at 5 p.m.

– For the first time this season, the Central College men’s soccer team has a winning percentage over .500 after winning its fourth straight contest by knocking off Nebraska Wesleyan University 2-1 on Saturday. The win puts Central in a three-way tie for second in the American Rivers Conference standings. They join the women at BV Wednesday.