Playing one of the courses she knows best, Central College senior Lexie Patton, from nearby Aurelia, took medalist honors at the Buena Vista Fall Invitational Saturday. Patton shot 80-80-160 on the par-72 Lake Creek Golf Club. However, the Dutch missed out on the team title by a shot despite improving on Friday’s round, finishing at 344-339—783. Dakota Wesleyan rallied to win the nine-team tourney. The Dutch have next weekend off as they prepare to defend their title at the league meet, contested for the first time as a 54-hole tourney. The American Rivers tournament is Oct. 5-7 at the Ames Country Club.

Winning all six sets by at least five points, the Central College volleyball team rolled past Alverno College (Wis.) and Concordia University – Chicago (Ill.) in straight sets Saturday. The Dutch (12-3) dropped the Inferno (1-11) 25-14, 25-10, 25-12 and the Cougars (6-11) 25-12, 25-20, 25-19. The victories extended Central’s winning streak to nine. The Dutch will play on the road in the American Rivers Conference for the first time this season at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake on Thursday night.

In the 74th minute of Saturday’s game, senior midfielder Ben Turnley notched the game-winning goal as the Central College men’s soccer team bested Monmouth College (Ill.) 3-1. The only non-conference match remaining on the schedule is Tuesday at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota. The 4 p.m. match is the third for Central in Minnesota this season.

The Central College men’s tennis team had a representative in the semifinals in all three flights of the American Rivers Conference Individual Championships Saturday. In the A-Flight, William Isiminger finished fourth after No. 1 seed Cole Schneider of Luther beat him 6-2, 6-2 in the semifinal. Tanner Finken played for the B-Flight singles title after a 6-3, 6-3 semifinal win over Jose Mancilla from Dubuque. He fell in the championship 6-1, 6-0 against Luther’s Charlie Weill. An impressive opening weekend saw Trey Melvin beat Hayden Retzlaff of Nebraska Wesleyan University in the third-place match. A select few players will go to Saint Peter, Minnesota next weekend for the USTA/ITA Division III Midwest Regional.