As we welcome November and decreasing temperatures, fall sports at Goshen College have begun to come to a close. However, the women’s soccer team and the men’s and women’s cross country teams are the last ones standing for the Maple Leafs. 

The women’s soccer team was able to clinch a Crossroads League tournament spot with their 3-0 shutout win against Huntington on Tuesday afternoon.

Head coach Justin Crew said, “It’s been an up and down season, we have had some highs and some lows, however, I believe we continue to move in the right direction as a program.”

This is the second time the women’s team has made the conference tournament in three years. From 2008 to 2018, the program only made the tournament once. 

“We are a very young team with a lot of new players,” Crew said. “Most games there are seven to eight true freshmen playing on the field at the same time.” 

“This young group has a chance to be very special over the next three and a half years,” Crew said. “I am excited to see what the future has in store.”

For now, the team will focus on their next matchup on the road against the top-ranked Spring Arbor team, which is scheduled to be played Saturday, Nov. 6. 

The Maple Leaf men’s and women’s cross country teams are also preparing for an important meet on Nov. 6. Both teams will travel to Huntington to participate in the Crossroads League Championship. 

After record-breaking performances all season long, the teams have high expectations going into the weekend. 

The men’s soccer team’s season recently came to an end. They finished 6-9-3 overall and fell just one place short of making the league tournament. 

Coach Victor Newberg said, “We had a strong non-conference showing, and once conference hit, we were competitive in every match, but unfortunately did not get the results.”

“Bringing in 14 new players onto the team, almost half, there is an adjustment and bedding-in period, but the guys bonded quickly as a family and became whole,” Newberg said. “The team is hungry to improve on the good work from this season and reach new heights for the program in 2022.”

The women’s volleyball team concluded their season with a record of 4-32. Although it wasn’t quite evident in the stat sheet, the team’s progress leaves optimism for the future.

Head coach Kourtney Crawford said, “We definitely improved from last season, even if it doesn’t seem like it.”

“We are going to miss the leadership and heart that our senior captains held,” Crawford said. “Now it’s time for someone else to step up and fill those shoes.”