Event Results:
Central Women’s Cross Country 2nd, Men 3rd at the Connecticut College Invitational
Central Volleyball swept both North Central and Lawrence 3-0
Central Men’s Soccer fell to Wartburg 1-0
Central Women’s Soccer defeated Wartburg 1-0
Central Women’s Triathlon took 14th at the West Regional Qualifier
Event Recaps:
Central Women’s Cross Country Has Record-Setting Day in Connecticut
Posting three of the four fastest 6,000-meter times in school history, the #23 Central College women’s cross country team staked its claim to a spot on the national stage, taking second place in a 26-team field at the Connecticut College Invitational that featured 10 nationally ranked squads Saturday.
No. 5-ranked New York University put all five of its runners in the top 15 and won with 36 points to Central’s 130. Taking advantage of calm, comfortable conditions on the flat, oceanside course, Caroline McMartin erased her own school record, placing fourth individually in 21:16.7, well under her school mark of 21:50 set last October in the Augustana (Ill.) Interregional Invitational in Rock Island, Illinois and 51 seconds faster than her previous season best. Megan Johnson was seventh in 21:23.7, No. 2 all-time at Central, more than a minute under her previous best. Addison Parrott was 19th in 22:04.2, which puts her fourth on Central’s career list. Kira Hooper placed 36th in a personal best 22:32, while Hailey Hill was 64th in 22:57.2, Lindsey Davidson was 69th in a career-best 23:05.0 and Leah Bontrager was 70th in a career-best 23:05.2.
The Dutch immediately turn their focus to the American Rivers Championships on their home course at the A.N. Kuyper Athletics Complex on October 28th. The women’s race starts at noon.
Silver Takes Men’s Cross Country Gold in Connecticut
When the lights are brightest, Caleb Silver shines and did so Saturday with the fastest 8,000-meter time in Central College men’s cross country history.
Running along the shores of the Atlantic Ocean in a field that included eight nationally ranked teams, Silver streaked to first place in a 199-runner field at the Connecticut College Invitational Saturday, winning in 24:13.4. That shatters the mark of 24:27 set last year by teammate Noah Jorgenson at the Augustana (Ill.) Interregional Invitational at Rock Island, Illinois. Silver, a two-time NCAA Division III meet qualifier who delivered an all-America finish last November, helped propel the No. 26-rated Dutch to third place in the 25-team meet.
No.16-rated St. Olaf won the team title with 69 points, with Tufts University (Mass.) in second at 69 and Central in third at 128. Jorgenson was sixth in 24:41.40, while Adam Sylvia also topped his career best, placing 12th in 24:49.2, ranking him 11th on Central’s all-time list. His previous best was 25:17. Jack Brown was 50th in 25:39.7, William Wadsley was 61st in 25:46.5, Derek Webster was 84th in 26:04.7, smashing his previous best of 26:51, and Donovan Card was 92nd in 26:09.8. Brown’s time was 1:12 under his previous season best.
Central is off until playing host to the American Rivers Championships October 28th at the A.N. Kuyper Athletics Complex course. The 8,000-meter men’s race starts at 11 a.m.
Dutch Clinch a Pair of Volleyball Sweeps
The Central College volleyball team needed just six sets to win two matches in a Saturday triangular with North Central University (Minn.) and Lawrence University (Wis.).
The Dutch (17-5) first swept the Rams (9-9) 25-23, 25-12, 25-16 and then the Vikings (4-16) 25-9, 25-6, 25-10. With four matches in four days, Central used 12 different players and gave its regular starters some time off while using its younger players. Leslie Snow had double-doubles in both contests. She notched 11 kills and 11 digs against North Central and then 10 and 10 against Lawrence. With primary setter Avery Rexroat resting for both games, Makayla Ribble had 20 assists against North Central and 19 against Lawrence. Landry Pacha also had 11 and 12 assists, respectively. Gracie Pierson had 11 kills against Lawrence and Elyse Johnson had six blocks against North Central. Libero Colleen Kenney had 25 total digs on the day.
Central hosts Nebraska Wesleyan University for an American Rivers Conference match next Thursday at 6 p.m. in P.H. Kuyper Gymnasium.
Wartburg Stymies Central in Men’s Soccer
The Wartburg College men’s soccer team scored early and then held off Central College for a 1-0 win Saturday afternoon.
The Dutch (6-6-2, 2-3-0 American Rivers Conference) were outshot by the Knights (7-1-6, 3-1-2 conference) 19-2. Wartburg put seven shots on frame while Central was only able to do so once. Wartburg’s goal came seven minutes into the contest via a header off a corner kick. Starting goalkeeper John Foster made six saves, including four in the second half.
Central plays at Coe College in Cedar Rapids on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. A trip to Nebraska Wesleyan University also awaits the Dutch on Saturday. All three teams are fighting for the final spots in the conference tournament.
Central Wins Crucial Conference Women’s Soccer Match
Grace Coates broke a scoreless tie in the 72nd minute to give the Central College women’s soccer team a 1-0 win over Wartburg College Saturday afternoon.
On a day where the Dutch (7-3-4. 2-2-1 American Rivers Conference) outshot the Knights (5-8-1, 3-3-0 conference), it took until late in the second half to find the back of the net. Coates took a pass down the left side from Paige Cahill and weaved it to a left-footed goal, her 13th of the season. The goal was one of four shots Coates put on frame. Bailey Huizenga had two of the other eight shots on goal. Zoey Sizemore made three saves in helping Central shutout an opponent for the eighth time in 2023.
The Dutch are at Coe College Wednesday for a 5 p.m. match.
Central Battles Cold Conditions at Regional Triathlon Qualifier
The conditions were not ideal but the Central College triathlon team made the most of its opportunity Saturday at the West Regional Qualifier.
Central finished 14th of 16 teams in the overall standings with 130 points and fifth of seventh Division III programs. Arizona State University was the top overall team with 485 points and North Central College (Ill.) was ninth overall and topped Division III with 282 points. Competing in the fast heat, Grace Benson placed 73rd in a time of 1:18.46. Addie Smith, led the way for Central in the slower heat, placing 81st in 1:20.27. Taylor Jones was 91st in 1:23.22, Luci Laidlaw was 99th in 1:25.54 and Sophie Lunning was 113th in 1:34.35.
The Dutch quintet will next compete at the USA Triathlon Collegiate National Championships on November 11 in Tempe, Arizona.
Schubert Takes Home Title at League Tennis Tournament
Capping off an 8-0 fall season in singles, Kalina Schubert finished atop the C-Flight bracket at the American Rivers Conference Individual Championships Saturday.
Schubert started her Saturday with a 4-2, 3-5, 10-7 win over Tori Johnson of Wartburg College in the semifinal. She downed teammate Ellie Sackett 1-4, 4-2 (10-8) in the title bout. Schubert completed a 5-0 run through the league tournament and finished the fall 8-0. Sackett won her semifinal match 4-1, 4-0 win over Wartburg’s Lily Schreckengast.
Lauren Gano and Emma Murphy took runner-up honors in the B-Flight doubles after going 1-1 Saturday. They beat Bailey Sinnwell and Tori Johnson of Wartburg College 6-3 in the semifinal match before suffering a 6-3 defeat against Natalie Neff and Lena Lichau of Luther College in the title match.
Central will return to action in the spring semester.