WAVERLY, Iowa – Women's soccer opened the American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) tournament with a 3-2 loss against Central College on Saturday, Nov. 1.  Central erased a two-goal deficit in the second half to come back and win 3-2 in regulation over Wartburg.
 
The Knights close the 2025 season with an overall record of 8-10-1.
 
Match Summary

• First Half
  • Following off target attempts from Athena Sheets and Lindsey Overmann, Paige Lienhard recorded the first shot on goal with a strike that was saved in the 16^th minute
  • The first goal of the match came in the 28^th minute following a corner kick from Nikayla Youngblut that deflected off a Central defender for an own goal to give Wartburg a 1-0 lead
  • The Knights added another goal in the 31^st minute when Paige Lienhard made great contact on a free kick that led to a Webster header into the goal to push the Knights' lead to 2-0
  • Greta Rothe fired a shot on goal that was saved in the 40^th minute by Central and then two minutes later Tulla Jensen made her first save of the day for Wartburg
    • Wartburg took a 2-0 lead into halftime
• Second Half
  • Neither side could create a scoring opportunity until the 62^nd minute when Maya Anderson took a shot on goal that was saved by the Dutch
  • Following a save in the 70^th minute, Central got on the scoreboard when Rylee Rustad took a deep shot and buried it high into the net to cut the lead to 2-1
  • In the 78^th minute, Central drew a free kick following a foul to set up a free kick shot for Rustad, who scored on a similar shot to her first and tied the match up at 2-2
  • Sami Webster had a shot saved in the 87^th minute by the Dutch, but on the other end, Rustad set up her teammate Grace Wolford for a score to bring the Dutch ahead 3-2
  • Youngblut had a shot on goal saved in the final 20 seconds of play, but the Knights were unable to score again as Central closed out a 3-2 win

 
Top Performers

• Sami Webster
  • Goal
  • Two shots on goal
• Paige Lienhard
  • Assist
  • Shot on goal
• Nikayla Youngblut
  • Shot on goal
  • Corner kick led to own goal

 
Notes/Streaks

• Wartburg still leads the all-time series 22-10-4
• Central and Wartburg have now met four times in the A-R-C tournament
  • Wartburg is now 2-1-1 in those matchups (Knights advanced on PK's in the draw)
• Webster finished the 2025 season with 14 goals, three assists and 31 points
  • 14 goals is tied for seventh all-time in single season program history (most goals in a season since 2019)
• Second assist of the season for Lienhard
  • Second assist in last four matches played