Five goals. Five different players. A win and a draw. In short, that was the story of the Maple Leafs’ week.
At more length, a pair of goals from the University of Saint Francis Wednesday night were not enough as Goshen won its Crossroads League home opener by a 4-2 count. Josh Van Allen, a junior, knocked home Goshen’s first goal at 6:39 of the first half when the Cougars were whistled for a handball in the penalty area. Andres Garcia, a sophomore, was next in the scorebook on a deflection 12 minutes later.Saint Francis added a free-kick goal just after the period’s midway point. Then Daniel Martin, a senior, scored an insurance goal with Caleb Longenecker, a sophomore, assisting; Longenecker added his own goal from the edge of the penalty area with 17:43 to play. Saint Francis converted on a penalty kick of their own in the 77th minute to create the final score.
The contest with Saint Francis followed a draw in the Maple Leafs’ conference opener, played at Spring Arbor on Saturday afternoon. Joe Gunden, a junior, scored for the Maple Leafs with barely more than a minute left until halftime. That 1-0 lead held until the 80th minute, when Spring Arbor equalized at 1-1. Two 10-minute overtime periods yielded only one shot on goal, a save by Goshen goalkeeper Brian O’Leary, and so the game entered the history books as a tie.
Goshen tied Spring Arbor despite being out-shot 27-6. O’Leary, a senior, made 12 saves for Goshen. The Spring Arbor Cougars — one of three Cougars teams in the conference — held an 8-0 lead in corner kicks.
The Maple Leafs are tied for first in the Crossroads League with half of the league. In addition to Goshen, four other teams are 1-0-1. Goshen returns to the road on Saturday for a visit to Grace beginning at 2 p.m.
