DUBUQUE — In the final regular season match of the season, the Central College men's soccer team fell 3-0 to Loras College Tuesday night.
           
Central (8-8, 5-3 American Rivers Conference) finishes the regular season in fifth place, despite winning as many games as the third- and fourth-place teams. Loras (12-3, 7-1 conference) secured the conference crown. Central entered the contest with the possibility of finishing any from first to fifth in the league.
           
"The score line flattered us in the first half," coach Garry Laidlaw said. "It could have been more than two at halftime. What we saw was the difference between a team who's been in these kind of games many times and the team that has not."
           
Offensively, freshman midfielders Tony Cervelli (Plainfield, Ill., South HS) and Nathan Casas (Cottage Grove, Minn., East Ridge HS) each had two shot attempts. Casas, Cervelli and Tristin Gilles (freshman, midfielder, Hudson) all had a shot on goal.
           
"All of our young guys are contributing and learning at the same time," Laidlaw said. "Tonight was just another level in the education they are getting."
           
"We had a great chance on a fantastic through ball from Taylor Petkovich (junior, Littleton, Colo., Heritage HS) to Tony. If we get that one to fall, it's 2-1 and we are back in the game. It didn't go, so we had to fight that uphill battle the rest of the way."
           
After an injury chased starting goalkeeper Salvador Salado-Herrera (sophomore, Brooklyn Park, Minn., Park Center HS) at halftime, Andrew Mathys (junior, Elburn, Ill., Kaneland HS) made two saves.
           
"Andrew played really well in the second half," Laidlaw said. "Sal was tremendous in the first half. He single-handedly kept us in the game while we were under a barrage in the first 25 minutes."
           
As the No. 5 seed in the conference tournament, the Dutch will play on the road at No. 4-seed Simpson College Saturday at Indianola. The start time has not been set. Simpson defeated the Dutch 3-2 Sept. 2.. in Pella.
           
"A chance to advance is all the motivation you need," Laidlaw said. "I think our guys enjoy the work they've been putting in. We've gotten better as the season has gone. We're experiencing a different level of intensity and looking forward to the game."