Scoring flurry keeps Central women’s soccer hopes alive
The Central College women’s soccer team did its part to extend its season with a one-sided 6-0 shutout of Buena Vista University Tuesday. Closing the regular season with a 9-7-1 record, the win improved the Dutch to 3-5-0 in American Rivers play but still needed some help entering evening action to secure a spot in the six-team league tournament which opens Saturday.
The first part of the equation was never in serious doubt. Central held a monstrous 52-1 shot advantage over Buena Vista (1-15-0 overall, 0-8-0 conference) and used 29 players in the contest. Midfielder Abby Frey assisted on a pair of goals in less than a 2-minute span to put the Dutch up 2-0 at 13:57 in the first half. Forward Grace Coates notched a team-high eighth goal in her rookie season and midfielder Kaitlyn Isom scored her first.
Midfielder Amber Santana came off the bench to record her first two-goal game. She connected at the 36:36 mark with an assist from freshman Kayla Koch to make it 3-0 at halftime, then added an unassisted tally at 55:04.
Koch also assisted on the first collegiate goal by freshman midfielder Lily Bardwell at 80:58 and forward Rachel Daniels finished the scoring, maneuvering her way from near midfield at 87:10 to strike with an unassisted goal, her third of the year.
It was a relaxing afternoon for goalkeeper Sheila Horstmann. She made a save on the only Buena Vista shot to preserve the team’s eighth shutout of the year, four shy of the school season record
Defender Sydney Canney is the team’s lone senior so Kobylinski said experiencing league tournament play would be valuable for the young Central squad. But if given the opportunity, the Dutch want to do more than show up.
Dominant close for Central men’s soccer season
It was a fitting finale for the Central College men’s soccer seniors but Tuesday’s 6-0 whitewashing of Buena Vista University was also a glimpse of the program’s promising future. Just two seasons after capturing the American Rivers Crown, the Dutch concluded an injury ravaged campaign at 4-10-1 overall and 2-5-1 in league play. But as Tuesday’s display demonstrated, the squad’s capabilities were far greater with good health.
Four seniors landed in the scoring column Tuesday as the Dutch sprinted to a 4-0 lead at intermission. Just 7:11 in, defender Mitchel Lahinen scored his second goal of the year on a pass from midfielder Cole Manuel. Senior midfielder Joey Parker converted a penalty kick at 16:02 and midfielder Chandler Herbert quickly followed at 18:45, assisted by midfielder Gabe Wilson. And at 24:15 senior midfielder Jake Dzarnowski connected on his third goal of the year, assisted by midfielder Max Sisson.
In the second half, senior midfielder Zach Worster knocked home a penalty kick at 62:59 and Wilson recorded his second assist of the day on midfielder Nathan Kuhlman’s first goal of the season.
Other Dutch seniors include forward Tristan Gilles and four-year standout Brant Mueller, who sustained a season-ending injury earlier in the year.
Central outshot Buena Vista 21-8. Goalkeeper John Foster recorded four saves before getting relief help from Micah Poole and Alex Miller in combining for the team’s third shutout of the season. Central used 31 players in the contest.