LINCOLN, NEB. — A goal late in the second half by the Central College women's soccer team sent the match to overtime, but Nebraska Wesleyan University took a 2-1 win after scoring in the 106th minute Wednesday night.
Nebraska Wesleyan improved to 11-1-0 (2-0-0 American Rivers Conference) while Central slips to 5-6-1 (0-3-0 conference).
"Soccer can be a cruel game," coach
Mike Kobylinski said. "We were three minutes away from earning a point on the road at the No. 8 team in the region."
Central scored its only goal of the contest in the 87th minute on a penalty kick by defender
Cate Christopherson (junior, Omaha, Neb., North HS).
"I thought she was one of the best players on the field," Kobylinski said. "I was glad she had the chance to tuck it away."
Unfortunately for the Dutch, both of the Prairie Wolves goals came on set pieces, including the game-winning direct free kick 105 minutes and 31 seconds into the game.
"The first was a very hard shot on a corner kick," Kobylinski said. "And the second was another nice set piece that ultimately was the game winner."
Goalkeeper
LeAnn Grandia (sophomore, West Des Moines, Valley HS) took the loss in her first career start while making five saves.
"She had a stellar performance with a few point-blank saves," Kobylinski said. "She really stepped up to the challenge."
Midfielder
Katie Wang (junior, Brooklyn Park, Minn., Park Center HS) played up top and impressed Kobylinski with her play and two shot attempts.
"She had another spectacular game," he said. "She was a difference maker for us today."
Another stiff test awaits Central on Saturday with the region's No. 9 team, the University of Dubuque coming to Pella. That match has been moved to the Pella High school turf field and will now start at 2 p.m.
"We've got four regionally ranked teams in a row so it's a pretty tough stretch for us," Kobylinski said. "I've told the players we need to band together as a team."
