PELLA — Central College women’s soccer goalkeeper Sydney Lunardi (junior, Bettendorf/Davenport Assumption HS) was named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Women’s NCAA Division III All-North Region third team Wednesday.

This is the third-consecutive season the Dutch put a player on the all-region squad. Lunardi follows Alayna Bailey in 2013 and Liz Daniels a year ago.

“Putting a player on the all-region team three years in a row says a lot about where our program is headed,” coach Mike Kobylinski said.

Lunardi, an all-Iowa Conference second-team selection this season, started 16 games for Central and played over 1,315 minutes in goal, notching three shutouts. Her 99 saves and .846 save percentage both ranked third in the league and she was named conference defensive player of the week twice.

“She has been a stalwart for us, not only this season, but since her freshman year,” Kobylinski said. “I’m absolutely delighted that she is receiving this award. She has been doing great things for this program and I couldn’t be more proud of her.”

The first-team all-conference selection in 2013 and 2014 has 293 career saves and her 7-6-1 record this year brings her career mark to 27-16-7. Lunardi was named the team’s Most Outstanding Newcomer as a freshman in 2013.

Kobylinski doesn’t take all the credit for Lunardi’s success in net.

“Our goalkeeper coach Russ Goodman has worked absolute wonders with our goalies,” he said. “He’s put players on all-conference teams before and this is his first goalie to be named all-region.”

Central (9-6-2 overall, 3-2-2 conference) grabbed the four-seed in the league tourney before bowing out in the quarterfinals.

Story provided by the Central Sports Information Department