SIOUX FALLS – The Aberdeen Central girls’ soccer team is scoring goals and having a blast in the Class AA playoffs.

The Golden Eagles took down another higher-rated foe on Saturday with a 3-1 victory over Sioux Falls Roosevelt, after a road win earlier in the week over Pierre.

“The girls area playing really well now. We’re holding the ball well and we’re keeping pressure on the other teams. It seems like right now when we get the ball in the right spots, we’re getting the shots off and they’re going in,” said Central coach Merle Aske. “In the playoffs that’s what you want to have happen. You got to be playing your best soccer and that’s what we’re doing right now.”

The 14th-seeded Golden Eagles couldn’t buy a goal late in the regular season, but that has changed now that the postseason is here.

Aske said a big change has been in the confidence level of the players.

“I think a lot of it is just the confidence of the girls is growing in them these last couple of games,” Aske said. “They have just a lot of confidence now whereas before that ball would go wide or go over and right now we’re just putting it on frame and we’re getting them in.”

Central scored a pair of first-half goals against the Rough Riders. Gracie Lozenski scored the first one on a pass from Keyana Stillman, and then assisted on another by Kyley Stewart three minutes a part.

“Keyana played a great ball to Gracie on the first goal,” Aske said, “and she just cut a defender and just smacked it into the net.”

The Golden Eagles scored another goal in the second half when Ryelynn Hammer found the back of the net on an assist from Brianna Fischer.

Aske said the goals are helping to players to have confidence, which is translating to performance.

“The biggest thing is when you’re playing with confidence it has a lot to do with your attitude and your abilities on the field,” Aske said, “and the girls are just feeding off each other and staying together, and everyone is doing their jobs and getting the job done when they need to.”

Aske said he enjoys watching the girls play more relaxed and having fun on the pitch, compared to earlier in the year when things weren’t going well.

“They’re doing a much better job now of relaxing and just having fun out there while they’re playing,” he said.

Central, now 6-7-3, will try to continue their road success when they head west on Tuesday to face second-seeded undefeated Rapid City Stevens in the semifinals. The Golden Eagles lost to RCS 3-2 during the regular season.

“We’ll just hold pressure as best we can and hopefully we find a way to get the ball in behind,” Aske said. “We scored first last time, and hopefully we can score first and then not allow a goal this time.”

Aberdeen Central 2 1 – 3

Sioux Falls Roosevelt 0 1 – 2

First Half: 1, AC, Gracie Lozenski (Keyana Stillman), 31st; 2, AC, Kyley Stewart (Lozenski), 34th minute.

Second Half: 3, AC, Ryelynn Hammer (Brianna Fischer), 56th; 4, SFR, Madison Smalley, 77th minute.

Shots: Aberdeen Central 24, 10 on goal; Sioux Falls Roosevelt 21, 11 on goal.

Goalies: Aberdeen Central, Ava Beck (10 saves); Sioux Falls Roosevelt, Susan Olson (7 saves).