Critical home conference victory for Central men’s soccer squad

Central Dutch Athletics

PELLA — A second-half strike from forward Miguel Pina (junior, Chicago, Ill., Taft HS) and a shutout from goalkeeper Salvador Salado-Herrera (freshman, Brooklyn Park, Minn., Park Center HS) helped the Central College men’s soccer team pick up a crucial 1-0 victory against the University of Dubuque Wednesday.

It was the second conference shutout in the last week for the Dutch (10-2-0, 2-2-0 IIAC) after a 5-0 win at Coe College last Wednesday.

Central outshot the Spartans (6-5-2, 2-2-1 IIAC) 14-9 in the first half but could not find a goal. Pina, the team’s leading scorer with eight goals, put his head on a long cross from midfielder Kiel Pederson (junior, Arlington Heights, Ill., John Hersey HS) to put the Dutch ahead 1-0 at the 55-minute mark. Midfielder Daniel Alanis (junior, Phoenix, Ariz., Apollo HS) was also credited with an assist on the play.

“It was a great goal from start to finish,” coach Garry Laidlaw said. “Daniel sprayed a great ball out to Kiel and he served it into Miguel. Kiel and Miguel really seem to have a connection when they get into those positions.”

Salado-Herrera made three saves while earning his 10th win, already the sixth-most in a single season by a Central keeper.

“He did his job today when we needed him,” Laidlaw said. “He had a couple of critical plays and the defenders played well in front of him. Dubuque played a lot of dangerous balls into the box and we had to deal with those.”

Using a total of 20 players in the contest, Laidlaw called the win a total team effort.

“There are almost too many players who had good games to single individuals out,” he said.

Central heads back out on the road this Saturday for a conference match at Nebraska Wesleyan University at 7 p.m.

“This was a massive three points for us today but the job is not done,” Laidlaw said. “It could take 12 or more points to make the conference tournament as competitive as the league is this year.”