Brett McKenzie Oct. 15, 2008

McKenzie gets game-winner at Coe

CEDAR RAPIDS—Sophomore forward Brett McKenzie (Lindenhurst, Ill., Antioch HS) knocked home the game-winning goal with 4:02 remaining in the Central College men’s soccer team’s 2-1 victory at Coe College Wednesday.

It was McKenzie’s team-high seventh goal of the season as Central improved to 9-5 overall and 4-1 in Iowa Conference play.

Central had taken a 1-0 lead in the first half on midfielder Cody Jandik’s (sophomore, Cedar Rapids, Cedar Valley Christian HS) fifth goal in the 29th minute. Bbut Coe tied the score on a David Schmitz goal in the 64th minute.

The Dutch dominated the stat sheet, outshooting Coe 17-3, but the win did not come easily.

“Coe is much improved,” coach Garry Laidlaw said. “They have an excellent defensive team that really made us work hard.

“But the guys played well. We played in tough conditions. It was a windy day and Coe has a narrow field.”

It was the third game-winning goal for McKenzie. Jandik has two and no other Central player has more than one.

“We’ve got good, balanced scoring this year,” Laidlaw said. “It’s nice that we’re not relying on just one player. We’re getting contributions from a lot of guys.”

Central is home for the first time in 10 days Saturday, facing Simpson College in a conference men’s-women’s doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. at the A.N. Kuyper Athletics Complex field. Simpson is 5-6-2 overall and 3-2 in conference play after an 8-0 rout at Cornell College Wednesday. Simpson holds a 10-6-3 record in the series with Central but the Dutch have won the teams’ last four meetings, including a 6-1 decision at Indianola last year.

Laidlaw anticipates a much tighter match as Simpson has recorded draws with regionally rated Gustavus Adolphus (Minn.) and Augsburg (Minn.).

“Simpson’s a lot better,” he said. “It will be a very stern test for us.”