Darienne Maust and Lindsay McQuinn, both sophomores, paced the Maple Leafs with 14 kills apiece as the Goshen College women’s volleyball team snagged a 25-19, 24-26, 25-17, 25-23 victory over Spring Arbor University this Saturday evening at the SAU Fieldhouse.

Both teams struggled offensively and defensively as action remained tight throughout all four sets. Goshen (9-10, 2-6 Crossroads League) finished the evening with a hitting percentage of .218, while SAU (8-13, 2-7 CL) struck a slightly-transposed .128. Maust and McQuinn led all players with their 14 kills while SAU’s Sydney Ritz and Goshen’s Jennifer Ritchie, a first-year, were the next closest with 10 apiece. The Leafs notched a team total of 58 compared to the Cougars’ 49.

Ritchie also led the GC with 20 defensive digs. SAU’s Stephaney Fifield led all players with 29. The two teams were separated by only one in total defensive digs with Goshen registering 90 to the Cougar’s 89.

Spring Arbor’s lone set victory came in the second stanza as they jumped out to a quick 4-1 lead before the Leafs battled back roughly midway through the set to leave things virtually deadlocked through the latter stages. The score reached 24 apiece as the Cougars used three consecutive Goshen attack errors to escape 26-24.

Goshen then cruised to an easy third-set advantage before reversing tides to score the last three match points to take down the Cougars’ last glimpse of a comeback. Ally Roehr, sophomore, flexed her versatility late with a dig, an assist and a kill within the final three points scored by the Leafs.   

The win marked the Leafs second in as many days, allowing them to crawl out of a three-way tie at the bottom of the league standings. Goshen sits eighth in the conference, leads Spring Arbor and Bethel by half a game, and faces ninth-place Bethel and seventh-place Mount Vernon Nazarene next week.

Goshen returns to action Wednesday against the closer of those two schools, visiting Bethel for a 7 p.m. first serve in Goodman Gymnasium.

More, including comments from Goshen volleyball head coach Jim Routhier, to come when available.

The Goshen women will look to claim a win streak and stay out of the last place when they travel to Bethel this coming Wednesday. The conference rivalry is set to commence at 7 p.m.