Saturday proved to be a day full of celebration and record-setting performances for the Goshen College men’s and women’s soccer teams.

Over the Homecoming Weekend, both teams earned shutouts and their first conference wins of the season. 

The men’s team played under the lights on Saturday night and topped the University of St. Francis Cougars (IN) 3 to 0 with goals by first-year Lars Razor and seniors Lucas Bontreger and Wendo Kisila. 

Bontreger’s insurance goal in the second half was his fifth of the season, tying him with Razor for the team’s leading scorer.

Goalkeeper Matias da Fonesca made six saves, carrying the Maple Leafs to their first league shutout in four seasons.

Securing the win not only brought their league record to 1-2-1, and 5-4-3 overall, but it was also the program’s 550th win since 1958.

Although the men’s team has already established themselves as the winningest program in the Crossroads League, this milestone places them fifth on the list of the all-time winningest programs in all of NAIA men’s soccer.

The women’s side also found success, defeating the Cougars 1 to 0 on their home field at the John Ingold Athletic Complex.

Senior midfielder Paige Renshaw’s shot on goal saw the back of the net just six minutes into the match. 

“This goal in particular was special because it was my first conference goal this year and this is the last season of my soccer career,” Renshaw said. “These moments mean even more because I know how limited they have become.”

The women’s team is currently sitting at 1-2-0 in the league, and 5-5-0 overall.

Renshaw said, “Our team mentally needed this win.”

“Coming out on top against St. Francis should give us more momentum for the up and coming game against Bethel [University], our school rival,” she said.

With these wins, the men’s soccer team has now moved up to sixth place in the 2021 Crossroads League standings and the women’s team is tied for fifth out of ten teams. 

On Oct. 9, the men’s team is scheduled to play away against the number one seed, Bethel University (IN), while the women will take on the same opponent at home.