MAR. 3 — Fisher And McDugle Capture All-Conference Honors
Goshen's leading scorers get first All-MCC award in respective careers

Junior Lindsay Fisher Sophomore Erin McDugle

Indianapolis, IN — After averaging 15.5 points per game each and leading Goshen to a 10-17 overall record and a seventh-place finish in the Mid-Central Collegiate Conference, junior Lindsay Fisher and sophomore Erin McDugle were named to the MCC’s Third Team All-Conference Monday, the first all-conference award for either player.

“I am very pleased that we were able to get two players named to the all-conference team,” said Steve Wiktorowski, Goshen head coach. “Lindsay was one of our captains and probably the most consistent player we had throughout the year. She had been known as a good three point shooter, but I thought she became a much more complete player this year.

“I believe Erin was the main reason we were able to compete against some of the best teams in the conference this year. She improved tremendously from last year. She was much more aggressive which allowed her to become a very good inside scorer and rebounder. Being only a sophomore, I believe she will contend for player of the year honors the next two years.”

Fisher ended the 2002-2003 campaign shooting a 38 percent clip from three-point land, good for first on the team. She also upped her scoring to 16.1 points per game during conference play, good for fourth in the league. She finished first in the MCC in three-point shooting during league games, connecting on 48.3 percent of her three-point tries, and fifth in the conference in overall field goal percentage, connecting on 48 percent of her attempts.

McDugle concluded the MCC season as the league’s second-best scorer, upping her average to 16.4 points per game. She averaged a team-high 6.1 rebounds per game, good for seventh in the conference.

To view all MCC post season all-conference teams and awards, click here.

FEB. 25 — Goshen's Season Ends In First Round Of MCC Tournament
Leafs hang tough with #22 Marian, but fall 50-57 in Indianapolis

Leading the way: Sophomore Erin McDugle, shown here in a game against Indiana Wesleyan earlier in the month, led the Leafs in scoring Tuesday night with 16 points.

Indianapolis, IN — With a defensive game plan in place that would limit 22nd-ranked Marian to just 33 percent shooting on the night and 57 total points, it looked as if seventh-seeded Goshen would have a legitimate shot at knocking off the second-seeded Knights in the first round of the Mid-Central Collegiate Conference Tournament Tuesday night. Unfortunately for Goshen, however, its own offense was tough to come by as Marian took the game by attrition, winning 57-50 and ending the Leafs season in the process.

“Marian is one of the best teams in the conference and in the U.S.,” said Steve Wiktorowski, Goshen head coach. “I was very pleased with our defense which limited a very good offensive team to just 57 points, 33 percent shooting and 19 turnovers. Unfortunately, we struggled to score ourselves, and while we put ourselves in a position to win, we couldn't get a couple key scores when the game was on the line at the end.”

Using a triangle-and-two defense on Marian’s top two scorers, Goshen (10-17, 4-10) hung with the host Knights early, but fell behind by nine points with just 1:02 to go in the first half. A pair of threes in the final minute by freshman Kortney Hanson and sophomore Erin McDugle cut the Marian lead to just 24-21 at the break, however, and Goshen was in business.

The second half started with a surge from Marian, as the squad used an 18 to four run over the first six minutes to take a 42-25 lead. Goshen would crawl back into the contest, but the pace needed to be quicker as time became Goshen’s biggest enemy. The Leafs cut the deficit to 43-48 on a Lindsay Fisher (junior) jumper with 3:30 remaining, but missed its next two shots that could have cut the lead even more. Goshen would get within five on two more occasions in the final 1:23, but could never get closer.

The Leafs were led by McDugle’s 16 points on five of 15 shooting. Fisher provided 10 points, while Hanson and senior Anna Smith each scored seven. McDugle also grabbed a team-high eight rebounds on the night.

While Goshen did hold Marian’s offensive production from well below its season norm, Goshen struggled as well. The Leafs could only convert on 35 percent of their shots, while committing 22 turnovers of their own. Marian also won the battle of the boards, outrebounding Goshen by a 44-32 count.

“I am extremely proud of the season this team had overall,” Wiktorowski said. “We lost a lot of offensive production from last year and were very young with only two seniors. We played in perhaps the best conference from top to bottom in the U.S. and either competed very well against or beat three nationally ranked teams. We improved tremendously and with the players we have returning, if we work hard in the off-season and add a couple key recruits, I think we could surprise some people next year.”

Check back to this site regularly for complete information on off-season news, including recruit signings, post-season banquet information and other women’s basketball announcements.

FEB. 22 — St. Francis Gets Best Of Leafs On Senior Day
Goshen can't get offense going against Cougars' gimmick defense; fall 64-77

Rising: Junior Sarah Adams knocks down a mid-range jumper in the second half against St. Francis on Saturday.

Honoring seniors : Goshen seniors Stephanie Sidener (#50) and Anna Smith (#23) are joined by their parents before Saturday’s game. The contest would be the last home game the duo would play in.

Goshen, IN — Facing a rarely used triangle-and-two defense employed by St. Francis, Goshen could not find its groove offensively Saturday and lost to the Cougars, 64-77. The loss comes on the heels of Goshen’s 75-73 road win over 19th-ranked Bethel, and concludes seniors Anna Smith and Stephanie Sidener’s playing career at home.

“After shooting well against Bethel, we really struggled today offensively,” said Steve Wiktorowski, Goshen head coach. “They played a triangle-and-two on our two best scorers, (junior Lindsay) Fisher and (sophomore Erin) McDugle, so they didn't get many good looks on offense. The rest of our team struggled to shoot well from the outside, and the zone part of their defense made it difficult to get it inside consistently.”

Fisher, who came into the game scoring 16.1 ppg and McDugle, who was averaging 15.7 ppg, scored 12 and nine, respectively, on Saturday. Fisher went four of seven from the field including two of four from three-point range, while McDugle struggled in a three of 10 performance.

Despite St. Francis’ attempt to limit Goshen’s leaders, it was the Leafs (10-16, 4-10) who started hot early. Smith began senior day in fitting fashion, drilling the first shot of the game from deep, giving her team a 3-0 lead. Goshen would lead by a 10-7 score at the 14:27 mark in the first period, but then St. Francis made a run. After leading 14-12 at the 8:22 mark, the Cougars exploded on a 26 to 10 scoring binge, making the score 40-22 with 43 seconds remaining in the first period. Goshen would tack on another three points before the half, but went into the intermission trailing 26-40.

In the second period, Goshen would attempt to come back, but it was a short-lived effort. After closing the gap to just six points at the 11:38 mark, the Cougars would again make a run, this time increasing the lead to 23 points with a 64-41 advantage at the 5:57 mark. Goshen would get as close as 10 points the remainder of the way, but no closer.

Aside from Fisher and McDugle’s point totals, the Leafs were led by sophomore Kortney Hanson with 11 points on three of 11 shooting. Smith, along with freshmen Jennifer Rupp and Kylie Steinmetz, all scored seven points. Sidener tallied a game-high nine rebounds for Goshen.

“I felt that Kylie Steinmetz played one of her best games and Kortney Hanson did a good job on their leading scorer and with offensive rebounding,” Wiktorowski said. “Steph Sidener did well getting nine rebounds in her last home game as a senior. We just need to gain back the confidence we displayed offensively in our last game as we go into the conference tournament this week.”

Goshen finishes the Mid-Central Collegiate Conference season as the seventh-place team, and will travel to second-seed and 22nd-ranked Marian Tuesday night. Game time is set for 7 p.m. For a complete list of MCC standings and tournament pairings, click here.

FEB. 19 — Goshen Shocks #19 Bethel In Mishawaka
Leafs ruin Pilots home finale with 75-73 win

Junior Lindsay Fisher Sophomore Erin McDugle

Mishawaka, IN — On Wednesday night, a party was set to take place in the Weikamp Center on the campus of Bethel College. The night would feature the last regular-season home game for Bethel’s nationally ranked women’s basketball team, and all was in place for a celebration set to begin at 7 p.m.

But then Goshen showed up.

The Goshen College women’s basketball program got an enormous win Wednesday night, as the Leafs knocked off the 19th-ranked Pilots by a 75-73 score, ending a four-game losing skid of their own while putting a damper on Bethel’s home finale. Goshen (10-15, 4-9) led from start to finish and was able to hang on down the stretch as Bethel made a strong push at the end.

“I thought we showed great mental toughness in battling through a very physical game on the road, along with much improved confidence as we finally shot the basketball like we can,” said Steve Wiktorowski, Goshen head coach. “At the end, the team was determined not to let their hard work throughout the game all go for nothing, and had a great will to win in a very difficult environment.”

Wiktorowski’s team started the game strong, taking a 41-35 halftime lead while shooting a blistering 17 for 27 from the floor (63 percent). The Leafs would stay hot throughout the contest, as their 10 of 16 second-half performance from the field kept them ahead, as Goshen finished the game shooting the ball at a remarkable 63 percent on the night.

That shooting, along with a major rebounding advantage — 36 total boards to the Pilots’ 24 — kept Bethel at bay despite Goshen committing a season-high 33 turnovers. The Leafs were able to overcome their difficulties handling the ball with some tough defense as well, as Goshen held Bethel to just 40 percent shooting on the night (27 for 66). The Leafs were also able to make better use of the free throw line, as Goshen nailed 17 of 20 free throws to Bethel’s eight of 12.

“We turned the ball over more than I thought possible to still be able to win,” Wiktorowski said. “But we did a great job of getting the basketball inside for either a score or a foul, and we controlled the boards, which offset the turnovers.”

Goshen was led by junior Lindsay Fisher’s 22 points on seven of 11 shooting, after scoring just six and three points in her last two outings. Sophomore Erin McDugle knocked in 21 to go with a game-high 12 boards, while freshman Jennifer Rupp came back from a recent illness to provide nine points and six boards. Senior Anna Smith scored eight points. Fisher also collected seven boards in addition to being the game’s leading scorer.

“Erin McDugle was simply a force inside with her scoring and rebounding,” Wiktorowski said. “Lindsay Fisher showed great toughness and confidence after two sub-par outings. (Junior) Sarah Adams (six points, four rebounds) and Jennifer Rupp both played a strong first half to help us get off to a good start. Anna Smith played tough the second half against very quick and strong defensive pressure by Bethel.”

The win shakes things up a bit in the last week of regular-season play in the Mid-Central Collegiate Conference. Goshen will next host St. Francis on Saturday, as the team will honor its two seniors in Smith and Stephanie Sidener in its final home game of the year. Game time is set for 1 p.m. in the Roman Gingerich Center. Should Goshen win that game, the team would finish in sixth place. A loss would drop the squad to seventh in the MCC. Goshen’s first round opponent in the MCC Tournament is still up in the air, as several teams are battling for the three of the top four positions in the league. To view all possible conference tournament scenarios, click here. Goshen will begin MCC Tournament play next Tuesday.

FEB. 17 — Goshen Can't Get #23 Marian In Monday Nighter; Lose 55-68
Knights too much for Leafs despite Martin's 16 point-effort

Junior DeeDee Martin

Indianapolis, IN — Traveling to Indiana’s capital for a rare Monday night Mid-Central Collegiate Conference game, the Goshen women’s basketball team was defeated 68-55 by 23rd-ranked Marian, after a severe snowstorm postponed the game from its original Saturday afternoon scheduling.

Despite its departure from the normal routine, Goshen (9-15, 3-9) got off the bus to start off hotly against the Knights, taking an early lead and only trailing 22-25 with 9:14 left to play in the first half. A late 18-6 run by Marian put some distance in the scoring, however, as the Knights took a 43-26 advantage with just 35 seconds to go in the period. A pair of buckets over the final 11 seconds by junior DeeDee Martin cut the deficit to 12, however, as her three-pointer at the horn made the halftime score 43-31, Marian.

The Leafs would have trouble getting much closer in the second period, as Marian began to pull away. The Knights would lead by as much as 19 points before Goshen could chip away late, never getting closer than 11 down the final five-minute stretch, however.

Goshen was led by junior DeeDee Martin’s season-high 16 points and five rebounds. Sophomore Erin McDugle chipped in 10 points to go with nine boards, while classmate Kortney Hanson scored eight points on four of eight shooting from the floor.

Goshen shot a collective 21 for 55 from the field (38 percent) in the game, while only connecting on two of 15 three-point attempts (13 percent). Marian outrebounded the Leafs by a 39-31 margin, while gaining a slight edge in the turnover column (18 to 20).

“We actually got off to a good start after a long ride to Indianapolis,” said Steve Wiktorowski, Goshen head coach. “We had a bad stretch towards the end of the first half that we were never able to overcome because we didn't shoot very well the second half from the field, and struggled the whole game shooting three pointers. Turnovers and rebounding also hurt us.

“I thought DeeDee Martin probably played her best overall game of the year. Erin McDugle rebounded well on the defensive end, and Kortney Hanson and freshman Kylie Steinmetz both played a good floor game. With two more games this week, we need to hopefully move up in the conference standings in order to get the best possible draw for next week's conference tourney.”

Goshen will next travel to 20th-ranked Bethel on Wednesday night. Game time is set for 7 p.m.

FEB. 12 — Leafs Fall Just Short Against #14 Indiana Wesleyan
Goshen stays close but can't get on top of Wildcats in second half, lose 53-59

Scoring early: Junior DeeDee Martin gets a good look at the basket in the first half of Wednesday’s game against Indiana Wesleyan.

Goshen, IN — In a terrific display of effort and team play, the Goshen women’s basketball team nearly captured an upset of the 14th-ranked team in the country Wednesday night. When it came down to the end, however, Indiana Wesleyan just had too much to overcome.

The Leafs dropped a 53-59 decision to the Wildcats in the Roman Gingerich Center, after leading by five at one point in the first half and never trailing by more than six points in the second. Wesleyan was able to keep Goshen at bay after a 22-21 halftime advantage, however, as the Wildcats never trailed in the second period.

“I was very proud of our effort against an extremely talented and well-coached team,” said Steve Wiktorowski, Goshen head coach. “I felt it was a total team effort, as we had several players step up offensively in pressure situations.”

The game started slowly, as the teams combined to miss their first six shots of the contest while committing a total seven turnovers in the game’s first three minutes. Goshen (9-14, 3-8) led by a 14-9 score at the 8:51 mark, but Wesleyan ended the half with a slight surge, taking the one-point lead at the intermission.

In the second half, Goshen found its two leading scorers — junior Lindsay Fisher and sophomore Erin McDugle — on the bench with three fouls apiece just three minutes into the stanza. Big baskets by sophomore Kortney Hanson and junior DeeDee Martin over the next 11 minutes kept Goshen close, as the Leafs only trailed 44-47 at the 6:17 mark. Even with Fisher and McDugle back on the floor for the remainder of the game, Goshen could not capitalize enough to take the lead. Wesleyan pushed the score back to a 55-49 advantage at the 2:48 mark, and the Leafs could get no closer than four points the rest of the way.

“I thought our substitutes really kept us close, especially when we had three starters on the bench with foul trouble in the second half,” Wiktorowski said. “Wesleyan hit a couple of big three-pointers and we couldn't convert at the end when the game was on the line.”

Goshen was led by sophomore Erin McDugle’s game-high 21 points on eight of 21 shooting. Junior DeeDee Martin provided 11 points in 32 minutes of work, while senior Anna Smith and sophomore Kortney Hanson knocked in eight apiece.

“After an off game last time, Erin McDugle responded with one of her best all-around games of the year,” Wiktorowski said. “DeeDee Martin was very solid and found some ways to score. Anna Smith ran the team well and Kortney Hanson hit some big second half shots under pressure when we were in foul trouble. All of the other 11 players who dressed played and performed their roles well.”

The Leafs outrebounded Wesleyan by a 28 to 25 count, while both teams committed 17 turnovers on the night. The Wildcats had the edge in shooting the basketball however, as they connected on 20 of 50 shots (40 percent) while Goshen could only convert on 19 of 55 (35 percent.)

Goshen was without the services of freshman guard Jennifer Rupp on the evening, as she did not dress due to illness. She is questionable for Goshen’s next contest, at 23rd-ranked Marian on Saturday. Game time is set for 1 p.m.

FEB. 11— Fisher Named Mid-Central Conference's Player Of The Week
Junior guard averages 25 points per game in games with Huntington, Taylor

Junior Lindsay Fisher

Indianapolis, IN — Goshen junior guard Lindsay Fisher was named the Mid-Central Collegiate Conference’s Player of the Week on Tuesday, encompassing her play from the Feb. 5th game against Huntington and the Feb. 8th game against Taylor. Fisher, who is the first Goshen player to capture the honor this season, averaged 25 points per game on 68 percent shooting (19 of 28) from the floor. She hit 7 of 9 shots from both the three-point line and the free throw line. She also collected 9 rebounds from her guard position in the games, as she scored a career-high 28 points at Huntington.

“Lindsay has made great strides this year to become a more complete player and I believe this award reflects that,” said Steve Wiktorowski, Goshen head coach. “In the past she was mainly known for her outside shooting, but she has added driving to the basket and posting up to her offensive game, which helps get her more free throws. She is very competitive and has worked hard to become a better defender and rebounder.”

Through Jan. 11th, Fisher is currently leading the MCC in scoring, averaging 17 points per game. Goshen will host 14th-ranked Indiana Wesleyan on Wednesday night. Game time is set for 7 p.m.

FEB. 10 — Parson, Murdent To Be Honored At Halftime
2002 graduates to be recognized during game against Indiana Wesleyan

Krysten Parson Margene Murdent

Goshen, IN — Two of the finest players in the history of Goshen College women’s basketball will be honored during halftime of the Indiana Wesleyan game Wednesday night, as 2002 graduates Krysten Parson and Margene Murdent will accept their 2001-2002 NAIA awards while having the chance to address the crowd.

“Krysten and Margene embody the true essence of what a student-athlete should be,” said Ken Pletcher, Goshen College athletic director. “It’s only fitting that we recognize both of them for their tremendous accomplishments.”

Parson ended her four-year career as the school’s all-time leading assist getter (610) and finished tied for first in the nation during her senior season, handing out 185 dishes in 2001-2002. Parson also finished third on the Goshen career list in scoring (1,277 points) and second in free throws made and attempted (345 for 453). Parson also finished second in the career books in three-pointers made, attempted and percentage (132 for 351 — 38 percent), starting every game in her four-year career as the team’s point guard.

Murdent spent two years at Goshen after transferring in from Kankakee Community College, but made an incredible impact in just two years as a Leaf. After her senior season, Murdent was selected as an NAIA Second Team All-American, the only player in Goshen history to earn such an honor. Murdent also holds the single-season record for points (545 in 2001-2002) and in only two seasons scored 900 points, good for 11th place all-time in school history. She also holds the record for most points scored in a game in school history, as Murdent knocked in 36 last season against Huntington on Jan. 26. On top of her on-the-court success, Murdent was an NAIA All-American Scholar Athlete during her two years at Goshen as well, maintaining a GPA of 4.0.

Parson will officially receive her NAIA National Season Assist Leader award during the halftime ceremony, while Murdent will collect her NAIA Second Team All-American honor.

The game against Indiana Wesleyan is slated to begin at 7 p.m. in the Roman Gingerich Center.

FEB. 8 — Goshen Competes Hard, But Can't Get On Top Of Taylor
Trojans steadily keep Leafs at bay in statistically-even 68-60 defeat of Goshen

Scoring well: Junior Lindsay Fisher knocks down a three-pointer against Grace on Feb. 1. Saturday against Taylor, Fisher scored a game-high 22 points on eight of 13 shooting. She has led the Leafs in scoring in three of the team’s last four contests.

Goshen, IN — Just 17 seconds into Saturday’s game with Taylor at the Roman Gingerich Center, Goshen senior guard Anna Smith scored a driving layup, the first points of the day’s game.

It would be the only lead Goshen would possess on the afternoon.

After tying the game at two apiece and then scoring the next field goal, Taylor used a steady, consistent attack in a 68-60 win over the Maple Leafs, never relinquishing the lead while dropping Goshen to 9-13 overall and 3-7 in the ever-competitive Mid-Central Collegiate Conference.

“This was another conference game where we competed well statistically but didn't make the plays we needed to actually win,” said Steve Wiktorowski, Goshen head coach. “We didn't shoot well from the free throw line, made some big turnovers in the middle of the second half, and didn't make a couple key defensive stops. I feel we are close to being a more consistently winning team if we can just come up with a few more key plays at key times. This conference is so good from top to bottom that just a few possessions often determines the winner.”

Aside from the teams’ total points, Saturday’s game was a wash statistically. Taylor had a slight edge in shooting the ball (48 percent from the floor compared to Goshen’s 46) while the Leafs knocked in two more three’s than the Trojans (seven to five). Both teams made 11 free throws, while Taylor had 13 opportunities to Goshen’s 19. Taylor outrebounded the Leafs by two (26 to 24) while Goshen committed two more turnovers than the Trojans for the game (18 to 16).

In the playing of the actual game, however, it was Taylor who had the visible upper-hand. Goshen was able to keep the game relatively close for much of the first half, but a 6-0 Taylor run over the final two minutes of the stanza gave the Trojans a 39-30 lead at the intermission. In the second period, Goshen would trail by as many as 15 points before making a small run late.

Goshen was led by junior Lindsay Fisher’s 22 points on eight of 13 shooting. She also shared a team-high five rebounds with senior Stephanie Sidener. Sophomore Kortney Hanson recovered from a recent bout with strep throat to score 14 points, going four for five from behind the arc. Classmate Erin McDugle was the only other Leaf in double figures, scoring 10 points on a two of 10 performance from the floor.

“I felt that Kortney Hanson rebounded from some recent sickness to play and shoot well,” Wiktorowski said. “Lindsay Fisher played another well-rounded offensive game and rebounded better. Steph Sidener came off the bench and played physically, and freshman Kylie Steinmetz played well during our second half run.”

Goshen will next face off against 16th-ranked and conference leader Indiana Wesleyan on Wednesday. Goshen will host the Wildcats with the game slated to begin at 7 p.m.

FEB. 5 — Fisher And McDugle Combine To Score 50 Points; Leafs Fall 72-82
Pair's offensive performance not enough to defeat a balanced Huntington attack

Junior Lindsay Fisher Sophomore Erin McDugle

Huntington, IN — With junior guard Lindsay Fisher scoring a career-high 28 points and sophomore forward Erin McDugle chipping in 22 in Wednesday night’s game at Huntington, Goshen head coach Steve Wiktorowski could not have asked for more from his two leading scorers. Unfortunately, the rest of his team could only provide 22 more points and the Leafs fell to the Foresters by a 72-82 count.

“We were very competitive the whole game but just could not make enough offensive plays or defensive stops down the stretch to pull out a victory,” Wiktorowski said. “It was a pretty even game statistically except that they had a much more balanced offensive attack, where as we had only two players score 50 of our 72 points. That seemed to be the difference at the end — they had more offensive weapons to try to stop than we did. We need to find a way to give Erin and Lindsay more consistent offensive help.”

Goshen (9-12, 3-6) stayed close to the Foresters at the half, trailing only 38-43. The teams finished the game deadlocked at rebounds (29 apiece) and made free throws (20 each). Goshen did commit five more turnovers than the Foresters (21 to 16), but in the end the lack of offensive balance was tough for the team to overcome. Huntington placed four players in double-figure scoring, while Fisher and McDugle took 32 of the Leafs’ 45 shots on the night. Freshman Jennifer Rupp provided eight points for the Leafs, while senior Anna Smith, junior DeeDee Martin and sophomore Kortney Hanson all had four points. Junior Sarah Adams chipped in two points on one of four shooting.

“I thought senior Anna Smith did a good job defensively and Erin McDugle was very effective against a much bigger and stronger defender,” Wiktorowski said. “Lindsay Fisher continued with her outstanding recent offensive play. DeeDee Martin, Jennifer Rupp and (freshman) Kylie Steinmetz performed well in their roles tonight.”

Goshen will return to the Roman Gingerich Center on Saturday, when the team will host Mid-Central Collegiate Conference rival Taylor. Game time is set for 1 p.m.

FEB. 1 — Goshen Hangs On At Home To Defeat Grace, 62-60
Defense keys win down stretch as teams combine to score six points in final three minutes

Inside presence: Senior Stephanie Sidener connects on one of her two field goals against Grace on Saturday afternoon. Sidener collected eight defensive rebounds against the Lancers in Goshen’s 62-60 win.

Goshen, IN — With three and a half minutes left in Saturday’s game with Mid-Central Collegiate Conference rival Grace, Goshen held a 59-57 lead. From that point on, the Leafs would only score three points for the remainder of the contest. The key, however, is that the visiting Lancers would only do the same.

Goshen (9-11, 3-5) won a hard-fought, defensive-laden 62-60 decision over Grace Saturday, a win that head coach Steve Wiktorowski was pleased with, albeit not the prettiest of victories.

“I felt that the key today was our different zone defenses which made them shoot from outside where they shot poorly,” Wiktorowski said. “We rebounded well and often kept them to just one shot.”

The Leafs’ use of zone defenses resulted in a miserable five of 31 three-point shooting performance (16 percent) for Grace, while Goshen outrebounded the Lancers by a 37 to 30 margin overall, and a 26-19 advantage on the defensive glass. This effort was enough to overcome the lack of offense down the stretch, as both teams struggled to score late.

After a first half that ended with the Leafs ahead 32-31, Goshen got out to a 12-point lead midway through the period. Back to back threes by junior Lindsay Fisher and sophomore Erin McDugle gave their squad a 55-43 advantage, and Goshen looked completely in control of the game. The Lancers used a 15 to four run over the next six and a half minutes, however, and found themselves down 59-58 with 2:48 to play.

That’s when the offense screeched to a halt for both teams, as Goshen missed four of its last five attempts — including free throws — while Grace couldn’t connect on five of its last six. Senior Anna Smith ended the drought by converting the second of two freebies with 14 seconds left, and the following shot by Grace’s Andrea Amor missed at the buzzer, keeping the game from going to overtime.

Goshen was led by McDugle, who finished with 17 points on six of 12 shooting. She also grabbed a game-high nine rebounds. Fisher chipped in 16 points, while Smith scored a career-high 15 on a four of five performance from the field and a seven of eight effort from the free throw line. Senior Stephanie Sidener grabbed eight rebounds on the night — all defensive — while junior DeeDee Martin collected seven.

The Leafs shot 46 percent on the afternoon, while Grace was held to just 39 percent shooting.

“I felt that Anna Smith did a good job creating offense for herself and others, and Stephanie Sidener played strong defense and rebounded well off the bench,” Wiktorowski said. “We have been playing better as of late and hopefully can go on the road and play better than we did the first time against Huntington and extend our two-game win streak in the conference.”

Goshen will travel to Huntington Wednesday. Game time is slated for a 7 p.m. tip.

JAN. 29 — Leafs Too Much For St. Francis To Handle
Squad gets second conference win of season with 69-63 decision in Fort Wayne

Helping the cause: Junior Lindsay Fisher — shown here driving for a layup against Taylor on Jan. 15 — led the Leafs with 25 points in the team’s 69-63 win at St. Francis Tuesday night.

Fort Wayne, IN — In perhaps its most convincing win of the season to date, Goshen took care of business on the road Tuesday, defeating St. Francis by a 69-63 score. The Leafs trailed by 12 points early in the first half of play, but took a one-point lead just two and a half minutes into the second stanza and never relinquished it.

“We have really improved over the last several games, especially offensively, and hopefully that will continue as we head into the second half of conference play,” said Steve Wiktorowski, Goshen head coach.

After starting off relatively slowly and falling behind 9-21 with 12:48 to play in the first half, Goshen (8-11, 2-5) got untracked. The Leafs used a 25 to 13 run to close out the period in taking a 34-34 tie into the locker room at the half.

It was in the second half, however, that Wiktorowski’s team showed its true grit. After trading baskets for the first two minutes of the half, Goshen took a 40-39 lead after junior Lindsay Fisher converted a layup. From that point on, the Leafs would not trail the Cougars again. Goshen was able to break away by as many as nine points throughout the remainder, and St. Francis closed to within a single point on four different occasions over the final eight minutes of play. Wiktorowki’s team did not buckle, nor did it give up the lead.

Goshen was led by Fisher’s 25 points on the evening, coming just one game after she reached the 1,000 career-point plateau. Sophomore Erin McDugle provided 17 points on seven of 12 shooting, while senior Anna Smith had 10. Sophomore Kortney Hanson knocked in nine points, while junior DeeDee Martin grabbed a game-high seven rebounds while scoring four points.

The Leafs also held the Mid-Central Collegiate Conference’s second-leading scorer, Megan Eckert, to just six points on the night, all of which came in the first half of play. The Leafs also cut down their turnovers to a respectable 14 and outrebounded the Cougars by a 36-31 margin.

“I felt that our defense on their outstanding shooters was the key,” Wiktorowski said. “Holding Eckert to just six was big for us. Kortney Hanson spearheaded our defensive effort off the bench along with DeeDee Martin. Anna Smith played her best game of the year, and Fisher and McDugle brought us home offensively down the stretch.”

Goshen begins the second round of MCC play on Saturday, when the team hosts Grace in the Roman Gingerich Center. The Lancers were the Leafs other league victory in the first half of conference play. Saturday’s game time is set for 1 p.m.

JAN. 25 — Goshen Plays #15 Bethel Even For A Half, Then Falls 69-78
Fisher eclipses 1,000th career point in home game with rival school

Club member: Junior Lindsay Fisher receives a signed ball from her teammates and Goshen head coach Steve Wiktorowski after eclipsing her 1,000th career point against Bethel Saturday. Fisher’s 14 points on the afternoon gave her 1,010 career points, just 533 points short of the Goshen career record of 1,543, held by Kathy Mast.

Goshen, IN — On Saturday afternoon in the Roman Gingerich Center, the Goshen women’s basketball team played the 15th-ranked team in the country even for 20 minutes, taking the visiting Bethel Pilots to a 32-32 tie at the half. The squad couldn’t reduplicate it’s outstanding performance in the second period, however, and lost by a 69-78 score.

“I was very proud of our effort today,” said Goshen head coach Steve Wiktorowski. “We were tied with the 15th-ranked team in the country at the half, got down by 14 in the second half, and then fought back and cut it to four before having to foul at the end. I felt the key was our defense on their outstanding shooters and our offense was more productive.”

Goshen’s (7-11, 1-5) hot start came from the inside, as junior Sarah Adams and sophomore Erin McDugle scored 11 points apiece while grabbing eight of the team’s 13 first half rebounds. It would be more of the same in the second half, as McDugle finished the contest with a career-high 28 points while Adams poured in a career-high 17 to go along with a game-high eight rebounds.

“Both Erin McDugle and Sarah Adams gave us a very strong offensive and defensive presence inside today,” Wiktorowski said. “The rest of the team did a great job of getting the ball to them and carrying out our defensive game plan. Hopefully our recent offensive production will continue improving and we will handle pressure on the ball better.”

It was a one step forward, one step back kind of a day offensively for Wiktorowski and his squad, as the team did increase its scoring output in shooting 51 percent on the afternoon, but went three-pointerless for the first time this year (0 for 12). The Leafs also had 22 turnovers.

Defensively, Goshen limited Bethel’s normally lethal outside shooting to just 17 percent from three-point land (four for 24) and forced 13 errors by the Pilots, but couldn’t quite make enough plays late. After a 29-11 Bethel run early in the second half made the score 61-45 Bethel, Goshen responded with a 14 to two run of its own to make the score 63-59. The Leafs could get no closer, however, as Bethel made six of its last seven free throws to seal the win.

Aside from McDulge and Adams’ breakout performances, Goshen got scoring from junior guard Lindsay Fisher, whose 14 points on the afternoon gave her 1,010 career points. Fisher is just the ninth player in Goshen history to reach such a landmark, and is only 533 points shy of the school record of 1,543 points, currently held by Kathy Mast.

“I am especially proud of Lindsay Fisher's accomplishment today of reaching 1,000 career points at this stage of only her junior year,” Wiktorowski said. “She has great passion for the game and is perhaps our most dedicated player. She is becoming a more well-rounded player and will only continue to improve.”

Goshen will next travel to Fort Wayne to face St. Francis on Wednesday. Game time is set for 7 p.m.

JAN. 23 — Leafs Can't Stop Marian's Shooting; Fall 63-90
Visiting Knights benefit from a 10 for 15 effort from three-point land in road win

Reversal: Senior Anna Smith initiates offense in the first half of Wednesday’s game against Marian. Smith finished with eight points, going two for two from beyond the three-point arc.

Goshen, IN — Wednesday’s game against Marian started off well enough for Goshen, as the Leafs played the Knights even for the first 10 minutes of the game. Goshen got good looks at the basket and converted, all the while keeping an explosive Marian team slightly off kilter.

Then Kristi Koselke started to feel it.

Koselke, Marian’s 6-0 inside-outside specialist, sank five three-pointers in five tries throughout the remainder of the first period, giving the Knights as much as a 16-point lead in the period before taking a 45-32 lead into the intermission. When Goshen head coach Steve Wiktorowski made the adjustment at halftime to direct more attention to Koselke — she had 28 points on the night — it was Marian’s inside game that took over, as 6-0 post Megan Dean finished with 21 points. The Knights cruised to their fourth victory in the Mid-Central Collegiate Conference, winning 90-63.

“We have struggled lately with our offense and getting off to good starts, but our defense failed us tonight,” Wiktorowski said. “We scored early, hit seven of 10 three-pointers for the night and shot 44 percent overall after shooting 56 percent the first half. However, we lost track of Koselke early and her seven of eight three-pointers really opened up their inside game the rest of the night for Dean. We only had one steal and only forced seven turnovers. We have to be able to count on our defense every night because we are very inconsistent offensively.”

While Goshen (7-10, 1-4) could not force the Knights into many errors, the Leafs had 18 turnovers on the night. And while the Leafs outrebounded the Knights by two (28 to 26) they were unable to stop the wicked shooting pace from Marian, as the Knights finished the contest going 10 for 15 from deep (67 percent).

Goshen was led by junior Lindsay Fisher’s 17 points on six of 12 shooting. Sophomore Erin McDugle scored 16 on five of 11 shooting, going three for four from downtown. McDugle also supplied a team-high seven rebounds. Senior Anna Smith finished with eight points, going two for two from three-point land.

“I felt that Erin McDugle shot threes very well in pressure situations tonight,” Wiktorowski said. “I thought that (junior) Sara Adams and (sophomore) Kortney Hanson played well off the bench in the first half, and freshmen Jennifer Rupp and Kylie Steinmetz played well off it in the second. It will be important to get such contributions off the bench against Bethel because they are a very deep and pressing team.”

The tasks get no easier for Goshen, as they host the 15th-ranked Pilots Saturday afternoon at the Roman Gingerich Center. Game time is slated for a 1 p.m. tip-off.

JAN. 18 — Goshen Gives 17th-Ranked IWU A Fight In Away Contest
Squad is defeated 59-68 in its "best game of the year" according to Wiktorowski

Junior Lindsay Fisher

Marion, IN — Facing the 17th-ranked team in the country on their own floor Saturday, the Goshen women’s basketball team gave a superb effort in a 59-68 defeat. Trailing only by five points at the half, Goshen forced the Wildcats into 25 turnovers with pressuring defense. However, the Leafs could only muster a 32 percent effort from the field on their own behalf, being the true difference in the contest.

“I felt this was perhaps our best game of the year,” said Steve Wiktorowski, Goshen head coach. “We were very competitive with the team ranked first in the conference and 17th in the country on their home floor. They are very athletic, experienced, and well coached. Our girls did a great job of executing our defensive game plan, got to the free throw line and had fewer turnovers than Wesleyan. We just had trouble getting many good shot opportunities against their height and athleticism.”

Goshen’s (7-9, 1-3) effort from the charity stripe was what kept the team in the game offensively. A 26 for 33 effort (79 percent) from Wiktorowski’s squad helped ease the squad’s 15 for 47 effort from the floor.

Goshen was led by junior Lindsay Fisher’s 21 points on five of 14 shooting. Fisher connected on nine of 12 free throw attempts. Sophomore Erin McDugle scored 12, while junior DeeDee Martin scored 10 points in a six of eight effort from the line. Freshman Jennifer Rupp also provided some scoring for the Leafs despite going zero for three from the field — the guard had eight points on ten attempts from the free throw line.

"I felt Lindsay Fisher and Jennifer Rupp were very aggressive taking the ball to the basket as evidenced by their combined 22 free throw opportunities,” Wiktorowski said. “DeeDee Marin did a good job working the boards and getting fouled against much bigger players. (Senior) Anna Smith directed the team and (senior) Steph Sidener was aggressive off the bench. Hopefully we can carry this performance into two home games this coming week against good conference opponents.”

Goshen will host Marian on Wednesday night. Game time is set for 7 p.m.

JAN. 15 — Offensive Struggles In Second Half Give Leafs Road Loss
Goshen falls to Taylor 56-71 after trailing by just two points at the half

Talking it over: Goshen head coach Steve Wiktorowski addresses his team during the second half of Wednesday’s game at Taylor. Goshen could only convert on 26 percent of its shots in the second period, while Taylor heated up shooting the ball.

Clamping down: Freshman Kylie Steinmetz forces Taylor into a tough situation with her aggressive defense in the first half. The Leafs forced the Trojans into 23 turnovers on the night.

Upland, IN — Goshen lost its second straight Mid-Central Collegiate Conference game to Taylor Wednesday night, taking part in yet another contest that truly was a tale of two halves. After competing hard with the Trojans for the first 20 minutes of play and falling behind by only two points at the half, Goshen shot just 26 percent in the second period and was outscored by 13 points in a 56-71 loss.

“We have lost our last two conference games because we are struggling to score points in any kind of consistent manner,” said Steve Wiktorowski, Goshen head coach. “We didn't score in the first 10 minutes of the first half on Saturday (against Huntington), and then couldn't compete in the second half of a tight game tonight because of poor shooting and turnovers.”

Goshen (7-8, 1-2) shot out to an early 6-0 lead in the first period Wednesday night, and competed hard with Taylor, shooting 38 percent to Taylor’s 39 percent in trailing 25-27 at the break. After coming out of the locker room and trading baskets for the first three minutes of the second half, the Trojans went on a 12-0 run, putting the game out of reach for good. The Leafs could convert on just eight of 31 shots from the field in the second half, while Taylor got hot — the Trojans used a 14 of 23 performance (61 percent) to seal the win.

The Leafs committed 21 turnovers on the night, while 10 of the team’s shots were blocked by bigger Taylor defenders. When Wiktorowski’s squad stayed on the perimeter it wasn’t much better, as the team converted only three of 21 three-point attempts (21 percent).

The squad was led by sophomore Erin McDugle’s 18 points on five of 11 shooting. Junior guard Lindsay Fisher poured in 17, going seven for 14 from the field. No other Maple Leaf scored more than seven points.

“Our girls are unselfish and are playing very hard,” Wiktorowski said. “We just have to provide Lindsay and Erin with more consistent scoring help and stop giving the other team extra possessions through our turnovers. We are playing a lot of underclassmen, and hopefully through the experience of playing the difficult competition our league provides, we will improve on our weaknesses and become a more threatening offensive team yet this conference season.”

The schedule gets no easier for Goshen, however, as the team travels to 17th-ranked Indiana Wesleyan on Saturday. Game time is set for 1 p.m.

JAN. 11 — Slow Start Against Huntintgon Too Much To Overcome For Goshen
Leafs get behind by 0-19 score to begin first conference home game and never recover

Tough early: Goshen head coach Steve Wiktorowski, shown here discussing matters with freshman Kylie Steinmetz, saw his team stumble through the first nine minutes of Saturday’s game against Huntington.

Goshen, IN — Of all the things a basketball team could do to prevent itself from winning a game, not scoring a point for the first nine minutes would have to rank pretty close to the top. But that’s exactly what happened to the Goshen women’s basketball team Saturday against Huntington, as the Leafs opened up their home Mid-Central Collegiate Conference schedule by going scoreless until the 10:49 mark in the first period. By then, Huntington possessed a 19-1 lead. The Foresters would never trail and won the contest by a 62-50 count.

“With this being our conference home opener we knew that it was very important to protect our home floor,” said Steve Wiktorowski, Goshen head coach. “I think we got too caught up in that and came out trying not to lose, which caused us to start out flat and allowed Huntington to be very aggressive.”

Goshen (7-7, 1-1) missed its first 10 shots and committed nine turnovers before a made Jennifer Rupp (freshman) free throw ended the drought with 10:49 to play in the first half. The Leafs trailed at the intermission by an 18-31 score, but would not give up. Despite the extremely slow start, Wiktorowski’s squad clawed to within two points in the second half, trailing 44-46 with 6:34 remaining. Clutch Forester free throw and three-point shooting kept Goshen at bay, however, as the team could get no closer.

“After the bad start, our bench gave us a big lift and we became much more competitive as we outscored them the rest of the way and forced them to call several second-half time-outs to stop our momentum,” Wiktorowski said. “I was proud of how we didn't give up and adjusted to their press, but we can't start out like that and expect to win in this conference very often.”

Goshen shot just 31 percent for the game and only connected on one three-point basket in nine tries. The Leafs also committed 23 turnovers on the afternoon, a byproduct of the poor onset. Wiktorowski’s squad didn’t help themselves much when they had free looks, either — Goshen made just 19 of 28 free throws (68 percent).

Goshen was led by Rupp, who finished with a career-high 18 points and five rebounds. Sophomore Erin McDugle chipped in 16 points and a game-high 10 boards.

The Leafs will resume MCC play Wednesday, when the team will travel to Taylor. Game time is set for 7 p.m.

JAN. 9 — Goshen Opens Up MCC Play With Road Win
Leafs finish both halves with scoring surges to edge Grace, 52-47

Junior Lindsay Fisher

Winona Lake, IN — Using some timely scoring runs and harassing defense, the Goshen women’s basketball team began its Mid-Central Collegiate Conference slate with a 52-47 victory at rival Grace Wednesday. Despite shooting a lesser percentage than the Lancers and being outrebounded by a 37-25 margin, the Leafs found a way to win on an opponent’s home floor for the second time this season.

“We've talked a lot about mental toughness and discipline lately, and I thought we showed improvement in both aspects tonight to open the conference season on the road,” said Steve Wiktorowski, Goshen head coach. “We played good defense and tried to make other people besides their two best players score. It was obvious that our offense wasn't sharp coming off the Christmas layoff, but we scored enough points to give our defense a chance to win the game. Hopefully our offense will get untracked now.”

Goshen (7-6, 1-0) may have been outshot from the field by a 35 percent to 41 percent difference, but the Leafs wisely chose when to heat up in shooting the basketball. After trailing 14-18 in the first half, Goshen finished the period with a 14-3 run to take a 28-21 lead into the locker room. In the second half Wiktorowski’s squad fell behind once again, but a 14-2 Leaf run over the final seven minutes of play sealed the deal for Goshen.

Goshen was led by junior Lindsay Fisher’s 18 points on four of eight shooting from three-point land. After Grace started the second half on a 10-1 run of their own, it was Fisher who canned back-to-back three pointers to regain the lead for her team. Sophomore Erin McDugle provided 13 points and a game-high eight rebounds.

Wiktorowski was especially pleased with his squad’s defensive effort, as Goshen forced the Lancers into 29 turnovers on the evening. Goshen also held Grace’s Kelly Springer — a 5-11 sophomore transfer who previously played at Valparaiso — to only eight points in 33 minutes of play.

“I felt that forcing that many turnovers and holding former division-one player Kelly Springer to eight points were two big keys,” Wiktorowski said. “I also felt that the point guard play of (senior) Anna Smith and (freshman) Kylie Steinmetz was the best it has been in tandem this year, especially the last seven minutes of the game when we made a comeback from six points down. Lindsay Fisher hit two big threes and DeeDee Martin took a charge during that same stretch that I felt sort of broke their spirit and gave us confidence that we could win. That same toughness, discipline, and point guard play will be key factors if we are to compete against some very good teams in this conference and have any chance to win our home opener against Huntington on Saturday.”

That contest against Huntington is slated to begin at 1 p.m. in the Roman Gingerich Center Saturday.

DEC. 28 — Squad Drops Tough-To-Swallow Loss At Kalamazoo
Undermanned Goshen gets edged by 68-69 score in final game before conference play

Freshman Jennifer Rupp Sophomore Kortney Hanson

Kalamazoo, MI — In a tough road game Saturday, Goshen was narrowly edged out by Kalamazoo in a 68-69 heartbreaker. Playing without three players due to travel issues and injuries, the Leafs fought hard throughout the game, but came up just short at the end.

“It’s always tough to lose games like this,” said Goshen head coach Steve Wiktorowski following the one-point defeat. “However, these kinds of tough, close games on the road will hopefully help prepare us for the conference season when we get back in January.”

Goshen (6-6, 0-0) took an early lead over the Hornets, and kept a 35-28 advantage at the half. The Leafs shot 44 percent from the floor (11 for 25) in the first half and limited Kalamazoo to only 40 percent shooting for the period.

The second half was a different story, however, as sophomore Erin McDugle was forced to sit the bench due to foul problems. Despite losing its most active inside presence, Goshen was able to keep the game close in large part due to a very balanced scoring attack. Four Maple Leafs would finish the game in double-figure scoring, while three players grabbed five rebounds apiece. Goshen was without the services of juniors DeeDee Martin and Catie Froese, as each was granted permission for extra traveling time over the holidays to their Colorado homes. Also missing from the lineup on Saturday was junior Sarah Adams, who still was recovering from a sprained ankle suffered just before the Christmas break.

“Considering we played today without three players, including one starter, and Erin McDugle played less than half the game because of foul trouble, I felt we competed fairly well, especially in rebounding,” Wiktorowski said.

Goshen had its chance to win the game after fighting hard to keep the game close throughout the second half. With eight seconds remaining and the score tied at 68, Wiktorowski called a set play. Freshman Kylie Steinmetz was fouled on her way to the basket, giving her two free throws. She missed both. Kalamazoo was able to penetrate the Leafs’ defense and a foul was called on freshman Teresa Bartal with one second remaining. Kalamazoo converted on the second free throw, taking the game.

Goshen was led by junior Lindsay Fisher’s 18 points on four of 11 shooting. Freshman Jennifer Rupp scored 16 points while sophomore Kortney Hanson provided 12, as the twosome combined to go three for four from behind the arc. McDugle finished the night with 11 points and five rebounds, all coming in 18 minutes of work after being saddled with fouls for most of the game.

“Even with Lindsay Fisher scoring points for us to hang in there while Erin was in foul trouble, we had trouble scoring when Erin went out very early in the second half,” Wiktorowski said. “We did a nice job of fighting back to tie the game after being down four with under two minutes to play. We just couldn’t convert at the very end.”

The Leafs now have over a week to prepare for the Mid-Central Collegiate Conference season, as Goshen will open league play on Jan. 8 at Grace. That game is slated to begin at 7 p.m.

DEC. 21 — Leafs Take Down Manchester In Last Contest Before Holiday
Defense, rebounding pave the way for 76-56 Goshen win

Two easy ones: Sophomore Kortney Hanson floats to the basket for an easy layup in an earlier season game. Hanson finished with six rebounds and eight points on three of eight shooting against Manchester, and earned praise from her coach afterward.

Goshen, IN — Goshen collectively outrebounded its opponent for the fourth time of the season Saturday, and came away with a 76-56 win over Manchester as a result. Goshen forced the Spartans into 35 turnovers — tying its season-high for forced errors — and had seven of its 11 dressed players score at least eight points in the game. The win gave the Leafs a pro-.500 record heading into the Christmas holiday at 6-5 overall.

“I was happy with the contributions made by every player in that we had such a well balanced scoring effort, and that we played defense with real intensity and aggressiveness, causing 35 turnovers,” said Steve Wiktorowski, Goshen head coach. “Team play and defensive intensity have to be real strengths for us to be successful and I felt we made some big strides in those areas the last two games.”

Goshen got off to a relatively good start, taking a 38-26 lead into the locker room at halftime. Manchester could not get much closer in the second half, as Goshen slowly extended the lead into the final margin of 20 points. Junior DeeDee Martin led the Leafs in scoring for the first time this season with 12 points. Classmates Lindsay Fisher and Catie Froese each had 11, while sophomore Erin McDugle finished with nine points. Senior Anna Smith, sophomore Kortney Hanson and freshman Jennifer Rupp each provided eight points, with Hanson grabbing a team-high six rebounds.

“I felt that both DeeDee and Catie played their best games to date, using their athletic ability while playing under control,” Wiktorowski said. “ I also felt that Kortney Hanson showed much improved confidence. There was absolutely no drop-off when we substituted off the bench tonight. If we can now cut down on our turnovers, we can be a difficult team to play against the rest of the season.”

The Leafs were without junior center Sarah Adams, who sprained her right ankle in the previous night’s game with Indiana Tech. Adams is expected to be back in the lineup for Goshen’s next game, at Kalamazoo on Saturday. That game is slated to start at 3 p.m.

DEC. 20 — Indiana Tech Gets Goshen 74-59
Athletic Warriors force the Leafs into a season-high 41 turnovers after nine-day layoff

Junior Lindsay Fisher

Fort Wayne, IN — After a nine-day hiatus from game competition due to final examinations, the Goshen women’s basketball team resumed to game action Friday night at Indiana Tech. The Warriors used their collective athleticism and quickness to take an early lead in the game, and eventually won by a 74-59 score. Goshen was forced into a season-high 41 turnovers on the night, and couldn’t accomplish much success on the defensive end either, as Indiana Tech’s quickness got several Leaf players into early foul trouble.

Goshen (5-5, 0-0) relaxed and played more solidly in the second period, as the squad upped its overall shooting percentage from a 39.1 percent mark in the first half (nine for 23) to a commendable 50 percent in the second (10 for 20). After trailing by a 19-28 count at the break, the Leafs were only outscored 40-46 in the second 20 minutes.

“Indiana Tech is an incredibly athletic team and their quickness gave us a lot of trouble,” said Steve Wiktorowski, Goshen head coach. “Despite that, we actually were very competitive against them almost the entire game, and were only outscored by six in the second half. Turnovers, early foul trouble (senior Anna Smith and junior Lindsay Fisher each had three in the first half) and their three point shooting (Indiana Tech finished the game 10 of 26 from behind the arc compared to Goshen’s four of 10) were the difference makers. But I was extremely happy with the toughness we exhibited — the most we have displayed for an entire game yet. We need to carry that over to Saturday and defend our home court one last time heading into Christmas.”

Goshen was led by Fisher’s 20 points on six of 10 shooting. She was also three of five from three-point land, and was a perfect three of three from deep in the second period. Sophomore Erin McDugle chipped in 16 points to go along with a team-high eight rebounds. Smith was next in the scoring column with seven points.

“After struggling offensively the past couple games, I felt Lindsay Fisher played a complete game and shot the ball like she is capable,” Wiktorowski said. “(Freshman) Kylie Steinmetz did a good job filling in at point when Anna Smith got in early foul trouble, and (seniors) Stephanie Sidener and Michelle Wade gave us the kind of physical presence we need from them all the time.”

Goshen will play its final game before the Christmas holiday at the Roman Gingerich Center on Saturday night. The Leafs will host Manchester. Game time is set for 7 p.m.

DEC. 11 — Slow Start Leads To Loss At St. Mary's
Leafs come back in second half, but can't hang on in 58-64 road loss

Freshman Jennifer Rupp

Notre Dame, IN — In the end, the slow start to Wednesday’s game at St. Mary’s was just too much for Goshen to overcome, as the Leafs fell by a 58-64 count. After trailing by 10 points at the half, the Leafs used a 12-0 run at the start of the second period to take a 33-31 lead. St. Mary’s had too much down the stretch, however, as the Belles never gave up the lead in the final five minutes of the contest.

“We struggled offensively in the first half and were not sharp,” said Steve Wiktorowski, Goshen head coach. “We played much more aggressive defense and rebounded harder in the second half. Statistically, it was a very even game. We just didn't make enough of the little toughness plays it takes to win on the road.”

The stats didn’t favor Goshen (5-4, 0-0) in the first half of Wednesday night’s game, however, as the Leafs shot a miserable eight for 26 from the field (30.8 percent) and only converted one of six three-point tries (16.7 percent). Wiktorowski’s squad didn’t help themselves from the free throw line in the first period, either, as the team went a collective four for 10 before heading into the locker room down by a 21-31 score.

Coming out in the second half was a completely different story, however, as Goshen turned up the defensive pressure, holding the Belles scoreless for the first five minutes of the second half. The Leafs took their first lead of the second half (33-31) at the 15:20 mark, and would hold that lead for a full 10 minutes. After four ties and seven lead changes over the course of the game, it was St. Mary’s that made the plays in the last five minutes, as Goshen could not regain a lead after the Belles’ Emily Creachbaum scored at the 5:20 mark.

The Leafs were led by sophomore Erin McDugle’s 15 points on six of 13 shooting. Freshman Jennifer Rupp poured in 14 points, while junior DeeDee Martin scored 10 points to go along with a team-high six rebounds. Classmates Lindsay Fisher, Catie Froese and Sarah Adams also grabbed six boards apiece, with four of those coming on the offensive end for Martin.

“I thought Jennifer Rupp played her best all around game of the year, DeeDee Martin was outstanding on the offensive boards in the second half, and Sarah Adams and Catie Froese were aggressive on the boards overall,” Wiktorowski said.

Goshen will sit idle for over a week to focus on final exams. The Leafs will be in action again on Friday, Dec. 20, when the team will travel to Indiana Tech. Game time is set for 7 p.m.

DEC. 6-7 — Goshen Gets Back To Winning By Taking Own Tournament
Wins over IU Northwest and Purdue Calumet give Leafs first Goshen Classic trophy since 2000

Posing: Members of the Maple Leaf women’s basketball team pose with the Goshen College Classic trophy after defeating Purdue Calumet 82-67 in the championship game. It was Goshen’s first championship in the tournament since two years ago, when Goshen defeated Aquinas to win.

Tough D: Junior Lindsay Fisher applies ball pressure to Purdue Calumet’s Meggan Patton in the second half of the championship game. Goshen head coach Steve Wiktorowski said that the contest against Purdue Calumet was the best 40 minutes of basketball his team has played so far this season.

Goshen, IN — Coming off a stretch in which Goshen had lost three of its last four games, a championship at this weekend’s Goshen College Classic could not have come at a better time. Goshen successfully regained its crown at the four-team tournament, defeating IU Northwest on Friday night by an 85-26 score, and beating Purdue Calumet 82-67 in the championship game on Saturday. The Leafs lost in last year’s Classic championship game to Tri-State, 68-80.

“Winning a trophy is nice, but this weekend was about us improving as a team,” said Steve Wiktorowski, Goshen head coach.

Goshen (5-3, 0-0) did not have much room for improvement in the semi-final game against a short-handed IU Northwest squad, and took a 39-20 lead into the half. The Leafs applied even more pressure in the second half, outscoring the Redhawks by a 46-6 count en route to the 85-26 rout.

The Leafs were led in the semi-final game by junior Lindsay Fisher’s 16 points on six of 13 shooting. Sophomore Erin McDugle and freshman Jennifer Rupp each placed 11, while senior point guard Anna Smith chipped in nine points. Freshman Teresa Bartal scored six points and had a team-high seven rebounds in limited action off the bench.

“I wasn't happy with our intensity the first half, but I thought we played much stronger defense and rebounded better the second half,” Wiktorowski said of Friday's contest. “I thought both Teresa Bartal and Jennifer Rupp played well off the bench, and Anna Smith ran our offense and took care of the ball well. It was good to get a lot of people playing time.”

On Saturday, the competition was much tougher for the Leafs, as Purdue Calumet (which defeated Calumet College 68-45 in the other semi-final Friday) maintained pace in the first half and kept the score even (35-35) at halftime. Goshen was solid down the stretch, slowly pulling away from the Lady Lakers with steady free throw shooting and tough defense. A pair of Purdue Calumet technical fouls in the last seven minutes of the game gave the Lady Lakers no chance down the stretch, as Goshen pulled away with their largest lead of the game in the final margin of victory.

Goshen was led by McDugle who scored 27 points in as many minutes, going nine for 12 from the floor while connecting on her only three-point attempt. Fisher provided 18 points and six rebounds, while junior DeeDee Martin gave the squad a huge lift off the bench, scoring 14 points and grabbing a team-high seven rebounds. Senior Anna Smith remained steady, scoring 11 points and grabbing five rebounds.

“Although we struggled against their zone defense the first half, it was probably the best this team has played overall for 40 minutes,” Wiktorowski said of his team. “I was especially happy with the contributions off the bench of DeeDee Martin, (junior) Sarah Adams, (senior) Steph Sidener and (junior) Catie Froese. I also felt that Erin McDugle and Lyndsay Fisher hit some key shots in the second half because our shooting has struggled a little the last couple games. If we play defense like we did tonight and keep our offense going, we can hopefully be competitive with a lot of teams on our schedule the rest of the season.”

The championship is Goshen’s fourth in the six-year old event. Aside from its loss last season, the only other time Goshen did not win the trophy was in the inaugural Classic in 1997, when the team lost to Cornerstone 50-58.

To view all scores from this year’s tournament, click here. Goshen will have a few days to prepare before facing competition again. The squad will play next at St. Mary's College on Wednesday. Game time is set for 7 p.m.

NOV. 27 — Turnovers, Lack Of Offense Doom Leafs Against Tri-State
Goshen cannot score in overtime, loses 52-65

Blur to the hoop: Freshman Kylie Steinmetz connects on her only field goal of the night in acrobatic fashion against Tri-State on Tuesday. Goshen had its troubles offensively, as the squad could not score in overtime and lost by a 65-52 score.

Goshen, IN — The Goshen women’s basketball team didn’t have very much to be thankful for while playing just two days before the Thanksgiving holiday, as the Leafs came out slowly and finished even slower in a 52-65 loss against Tri-State at the Roman Gingerich Center Tuesday night. After starting the contest down 4-16, Goshen eventually came back to tie the game at the end of regulation, 52-52. The Leafs were outscored 13-0 in the overtime period, however, as the team could not connect on any of its five shots.

Goshen (3-3, 0-0) committed 23 turnovers on the evening, while only shooting 39.1 percent from the field.

“I was disappointed in our intensity at the start of the game,” said Steve Wiktorowski, Goshen head coach. “I thought we battled harder in the second half, but turnovers hurt us. Our shooting and offensive execution was not sharp tonight.”

After trailing by six points at the half, Goshen began to heat up, forcing Tri-State into turnovers and a miserable 33 percent field-goal shooting clip in the second half. The Leafs appeared to have the game in hand when they forced the extra stanza, but the Thunder hit its first two threes of the extra period, while Goshen could not capitalize on its first few offensive possessions. Tri-State nailed free throws down the stretch to secure its first win of the year.

Goshen was led by sophomore Erin McDugle’s 16 points on five of 10 shooting. McDugle also finished with a team-high seven rebounds. Junior Lindsay Fisher scored 11 points, but had a rough night from three-point land, cashing in on only three of 13 from deep. No other Leaf scored in double figures.

Goshen will have over a week to prepare for its next games, which will come at the Goshen College Classic on Nov. 6. The Leafs will host IU Northwest at 8 p.m. Calumet will face Purdue Calumet at 6 p.m. in the other semi-final of the tournament. The consolation game will take place at 1 p.m. and the championship at 3 p.m. on Nov. 7.

NOV. 22-23 — Goshen Splits At Aquinas Classic
Leafs down host school for second time in nine days, fall to St. Xavier on Saturday

Junior Lindsay Fisher Junior DeeDee Martin

Grand Rapids, MI — Playing in the round-robin style Aquinas Classic over the weekend, Goshen defeated the host team 57-56 Friday night but dropped a 61-66 decision to St. Xavier on Saturday.

Playing Aquinas for the second time in nine days didn’t matter for Goshen (3-2, 0-0), though the Leafs did have more difficulty with the Saints than in their 70-63 decision on Nov. 13. After trailing by four points at the half, the Leafs found themselves down 50-42 with just under nine minutes to play. Steady offense and a stout defense closed the gap, however, and Goshen found itself down by only one point with the ball with just under 30 seconds remaining in the contest. Senior Anna Smith was fouled while driving to the basket with just 2.4 seconds to play. Her two free throws iced the game for Goshen, who had fought hard into five lead changes and two ties up to that point.

The Leafs were led by junior Lindsay Fisher’s 19 points on seven of 13 shooting. Sophomore Erin McDugle provided 13 points, while junior DeeDee Martin scored eight points in her first game after coming to the squad from Goshen’s volleyball team.

Against St. Xavier on Saturday, the Leafs struggled from the field, shooting only 26 percent in the first half collectively. Goshen finished the night shooting only two of 10 from three-point range, but did outshoot the Cougars from the free throw line, connecting on 25 of 38 attempts to St. Xavier’s eight of 12. Still, the quick St. Xavier team was able to hold on down the stretch, as the Leafs could not get closer than the final margin within the last two minutes.

Goshen was again led offensively by Fisher, who scored 23 on Saturday. McDugle chipped in 14 with a team-high seven rebounds, while freshman Jennifer Rupp poured in 10 points.

“I thought the tournament was a great experience for us,” said Steve Wiktorowski, Goshen head coach. “We didn’t play well but fought for a win against Aquinas. Then we turned around the next day and played a fresh and very quick Xavier team down to the wire without shooting very well. I though Lindsay Fisher had a strong showing both nights, Anna Smith hit clutch free throws enabling us to win Friday, and DeeDee Martin did some very positive things having just joined the team this past Tuesday from volleyball.”

Goshen will return to play at the Roman Gingerich Center Tuesday, when the Leafs will host Tri-State. Game time is set for 7 p.m.

NOV. 16 — Squad Acquires First Loss Of Season At Spring Arbor
Nationally-ranked Cougars gives Leafs "good experience" according to Wiktorowski

Senior Anna Smith Junior Lindsay Fisher

Spring Arbor, MI — It was a rough afternoon for Goshen Saturday, as the Leafs dropped their first game of the young season to Spring Arbor by a 75-46 score. The Cougars, ranked 14th in the NAIA national pre-season poll, came out strong and did not let up, shooting 45.6 percent from the floor for the game while outrebounding Goshen 50-35.

“I felt Spring Arbor was the most physically gifted team I've seen this year,” said Goshen head coach Steve Wiktorowski said. “It was a good experience to play a team of that caliber on their home court.”

Goshen (2-1, 0-0) shot a miserable 27.1 percent from the field, and could only convert on five of 22 from three-point range. The Leafs were led by senior Anna Smith and junior Lindsay Fisher’s 10 points apiece. Sophomore Erin McDugle chipped in nine points.

“I felt we played them tough at the start of the game, and our posts played their best defense to date, but their overall talent won out at this point of the season,” Wiktorowski said. “We should improve from this good experience. (Senior) Steph Sidener played her best defensive game, and (junior) Sarah Adams played well off the bench.”

Goshen will have one week to prepare for its next to games, as the Leafs will take part in the Aquinas College Classic in Grand Rapids this weekend. They will play Aquinas on Friday night and St. Xavier on Saturday afternoon. Game times are set for 7 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. Saturday.

NOV. 13 — Leafs Protect Home Floor With 70-63 Win Over Aquinas
Squad takes 2-0 record on road for next three contests

Going up strong: Sophomore Erin McDugle powers up a layup in the first half of Wednesday’s game with Aquinas. McDugle was a force offensively for the Leafs, scoring a game-high 21 points while going four for five from the free throw line.

Goshen, IN — For the second consecutive time, a strong second half effort pushed Goshen past its competition, with Aquinas being the latest to fall by a 70-63 score at the Roman Gingerich Center Wednesday night.

As was the case in first game of the year against Trinity Christian, the Leafs found themselves down at halftime. But again, Goshen (2-0, 0-0) picked up the collective intensity in the second stanza, outscoring Aquinas 37-26 after trailing the Saints by four points at the intermission.

“I thought we came out flat in the first half,” said Steve Wiktorowski, Goshen head coach. “We didn't get into our offense against the press, and we did a very poor job of rebounding. The second half we played defense more aggressively, limited them to one shot from the outside, and started getting the ball inside more ourselves.”

Goshen got production from sophomore inside-outside threat Erin McDugle, who led all scorers on the night with 21 points. Junior Lindsay Fisher and freshman Jennifer Rupp each scored 11, while sophomore Kortney Hanson scored six points while grabbing a team-high eight boards. Fisher, despite being in foul trouble, also had four assists.

“I thought the key players for us were Erin McDugle who did a good job of scoring both inside and outside, and Jennifer Rupp who was very aggressive on offense in the second half when Lindsay Fisher picked up three fouls,” Wiktorowski said. “I also thought (freshman) Teresa Bartal came off the bench and played good defense in the post.”

Goshen has had the luxury of starting its season with two homes games now begins a three-game road swing.

“We've won our first two games, both of which were at home,” Wiktorowski said. “Now we must play our next three on the road which will be a good indicator of our mental toughness. Our next game against Spring Arbor will put us up against one of the most talented and tall teams anywhere around. The next two weeks will be a good test of just how competitive we really are.”

Goshen will travel to Spring Arbor Saturday. Game time is slated for a 1 p.m. tip time.

NOV. 6 — New Season, New Coach Starts With Win
Leafs and Wiktorowski open year with 74-56 win over Trinity Christian

Reading: Senior Stephanie Sidener takes a look at her options in the second half of Wednesday’s game against Trinity Christian. Sidener was a force inside for the Leafs, scoring six points while grabbing a team-high seven rebounds in Goshen’s 74-56 season-opening win over the Trolls.

Goshen, IN — It was a good beginning for the Goshen College women’s basketball team Wednesday night, as the Leafs opened the 2002-2003 season by defeating Trinity Christian 74-56, giving first-year head coach Steve Wiktorowski a win in both his collegiate and women’s basketball coaching debut.

“It was good to get a win against a veteran team in our first game under a new system,” Wikttorowski said. “Our team played aggressively on defense and took pretty good care of the ball on offense for a first game. If we can continue to do that, especially at home, we can be a very competitive team.”

Goshen (1-0, 0-0) started the game cold, shooting only 36 percent from the field in the first half while going three for 10 from three-point range. After the half, however, the Leafs heated up: Goshen shot 50 percent from the field in the second period, and was five of eight from deep. After trailing by three points at the intermission, Goshen hammered the Trolls by a 44-23 score in the second half.

“We came out tight to start the game,” Wiktorowski said. “We settled down in the end of the first half, and then played very strong defense the second half. We especially did a good job in the second half of collapsing on their posts and limiting them to one shot on offense.”

Goshen was aided by an injury to Trinity’s best post player, Kara Bruxvoort, early in the second half. Bruxvoort — who had 10 points and 12 rebounds before her injury — went down with a severe ankle sprain five minutes into the second period, and did not return.

Goshen was led by junior guard Lindsay Fisher’s 21 points on nine of 15 shooting. Senior Anna Smith and sophomores Kortney Hanson and Erin McDugle all chipped in 10 points. Senior Stephanie Sidener cleared seven rebounds to lead the Leafs’ effort on the glass.

Goshen will have a week to prepare for its next game. The Leafs will host Aquinas next Wednesday. Game time is set for 7 p.m.