The Women’s Volleyball team traveled to the University of Saint Francis for their third conference matchup of the season. In four sets, the Cougars of Saint Francis had taken down the Maple Leafs.  

The Leafs conference record now stands at 1-2 and overall record at 7-8.

Goshen led the first set with a 10-5 lead following kills from both senior Hallie Vanitvelt and sophomore Jennifer Ritchie. The Leafs went on to increase their lead against the 19th-ranked Cougars to 14-8.

However, the Cougars responded by tieing the game to 18 a piece. Saint Francis continued their momentum to go on a 7-2 run to close out the first set 21-25.

The second set was a deflating one for the Maple Leafs. Again Goshen took the lead at 14-5, but the Cougars responded once again, this time with an 8-1 run. Goshen was then able to stretch their lead to 24-20, which took them one point away from winning the set and tieing the series.

Three Maple Leaf errors and a pair of kills from Saint Francis’ Ava Klunker, meant that the Cougars won the set 24-26.

The third set began like the previous two with Goshen taking the lead. Following kills from Ritchie, Vanitvelt, Sydney Cruz, and Elizabeth Breckbill the Maple Leafs were up 20-12.

Saint Francis went on another threatening run closing the gap to just four points at 20-24. This time the Maple Leafs would not crack under pressure. They prevented the clean sweep with one final kill from Ritchie to cap off the third set. Maple Leafs 25-21.

The fourth set failed to follow the pattern of the Maple Leafs taking a strong lead. The game was back and forth with neither side able to pull away by more than three points. They would trade points until the score was 17-19 in favor of the Cougars.

Going on a 6-2 run, the Cougars were able to put away the Maple Leafs to take the set and the match, 19-25.

Ritchie led the team with 10 kills, followed by Vanitvelt with nine. Ritchie also led the team with three aces, and seniors Meghan Manley and Tracy McKinnon added two.

The Maple Leafs take the court again this Friday, September 14 in another conference game against Marion University at the Ruth Gunden Gymnasium beginning at 7 p.m.