FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 31, 2025

#3 Iowa Lakes Battles #18 Western Nebraska to Draw, Bounces Back With 5–0 Win Over St. Louis CC (NJCAA D2, RV)

Spencer, IA — The No. 3–ranked Iowa Lakes men's soccer team faced another challenging weekend slate, taking on nationally ranked Western Nebraska Community College (NJCAA Division I #18) on Friday before closing with a commanding victory over St. Louis Community College (NJCAA D II RV) on Sunday.

Friday, August 29 – #3 Iowa Lakes 2, #18 Western Nebraska 2
The Lakers opened the weekend with a gritty performance against No. 18 Western Nebraska, earning a 2–2 draw. Sophomore Kenta Yagi gave Iowa Lakes the lead in the 24th minute, converting a penalty to make it 1–0. Western Nebraska responded with goals in the 40th and 84th minutes to pull ahead 2–1.

With time running out, sophomore center back Florent Lefebvre delivered a moment of brilliance, curling a world-class free kick into the net in the 87th minute to secure the draw for the Lakers.

Iowa Lakes outshot Western Nebraska 20–8 and placed 11 shots on target compared to the Cougars' five, but the match ended level after a hard-fought 90 minutes.

Sunday, August 31 – #3 Iowa Lakes 5, St. Louis Community College (RV) 0
The Lakers bounced back on Sunday with a dominant 5–0 victory over St. Louis Community College, controlling the match from start to finish.

Freshman Sharif Nata N'tcha opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, finishing a cross from Jugene Wessels. Moments later, Emmanuel Benazra doubled the lead with a stunning chipped finish from midfield, assisted by Sam Storey, giving the Lakers a 2–0 cushion at halftime.

Iowa Lakes carried their momentum into the second half. Jose Velasquez extended the lead in the 52nd minute off a setup from Nata N'tcha. In the 62nd, Lefebvre struck again from a free kick — his second in as many games, showcasing his precision from distance. Yagi capped off the scoring in the 79th minute, burying his second penalty of the weekend to seal the 5–0 result.

Defensively, the Lakers secured their third clean sheet of the season, with sophomores Louis Krueger, Florent Lefebvre, and Jeremy Koppe anchoring a backline that held firm across the weekend.

With the results, Iowa Lakes improves to 3–1–1 on the season, outscoring opponents 15–4 through five matches.

The Lakers now turn their attention to a marquee matchup on Sunday, September 7, when they travel to face #9 Johnson County Community College at 1:00 p.m.

To learn more about Iowa Lakes Athletics, please visit iowalakesathletics.com.