PELLA, Iowa – Grinnell College's men's soccer team made a mad dash for the finish line in Saturday's contest at Central College, but came up just shy in a 4-3 setback.
 
The Pioneers trailed 4-1 with 15 minutes to go before Jasper Yang '21 scored on a penalty kick in the 75^th minute and Sam Naik '22 put in a goal in the 88^th minute to bring Grinnell within one.
 
But that's all the closer the Pioneers could get as they saw their record evened at 1-1 on the season. Central also moved to 1-1.
 
The Dutch shot out to a 2-0 halftime lead before Grinnell got on the board in the 50^th minute when Henry Cladouhos '22 scored his second goal of the season and eighth of his career on an assist by Dylan Maddux '25.
 
Central scored twice in the next 17 minutes to build a 4-1 lead, but all hopes was not lost as Yang and Naik did their magic. It was the second goal of the season for Yang – whose total of 70 career points ranks seventh in program history - and 30^th goal of his career. For Naik, it was the second goal of the season and fourth of his career.
 
Central won the shots battle 13-8, with Cladouhos getting three shots and Naik two. Carter Benson '24 was at keeper for Grinnell and made six saves.
 
Grinnell travels to the Wheaton College Bob Baptista Invitational next weekend.