Blowout win for Central women in league soccer quarterfinals
PELLA – A four-goal outburst paired with another shutout propelled the Central College women’s soccer team to a 4-0 win over Nebraska Wesleyan University in the American Rivers Conference tournament quarterfinals Saturday.
Central (13-2-2) started the scoring at the 37:59 mark with an unassisted Olivia DeVos (junior, Altoona, Southeast Polk HS) tally. Addie Shields (sophomore, Liberty, Mo.) tapped in a rebound from a Jordan Torres (sophomore, Parker, Colo., Ponderosa HS) miss less than two minutes for a 2-0 lead.
Rylee Rustad (senior, Gilbert, Ariz., Casteel HS) extended the lead to 3-0 with a Piper Eighmy (senior, Birmingham, Ala., Briarwood Christian HS) assist in the 67th minute. Shields added an assist to her day in the 87th minute, aiding Rachel Mendlik’s (junior, Spring Grove, Ill., Richmond-Burton HS) goal.
“We had numerous players step up in attack and score some beautiful goals,” coach Mike Kobylinski said.
Goalkeeper Zoey Sizmore (senior, Omaha, Neb., Mercy HS) anchored the Dutch to its ninth shutout of the season, making four saves.
“It was a total team effort today,” Kobylinski said.
Central eclipsed its single-season scoring record with 57 goals. Today’s four goals also set a new program standard for goals in a tournament contest. The Dutch we’re making their first appearance at home in the league’s postseason tournament since 2017.
The win also advances the Dutch to the semifinals for the third year in a row where they will face the No. 2 seed University of Dubuque on Wednesday night at 5 p.m. Central was a 4-3 winner at Dubuque on October 13.
