Bluffton, OH — Only time will determine if Goshen’s 68-45 victory at Bluffton University this Wednesday afternoon was indeed a turning point for the team this season, but for now at least it can be considered a very clear statement on the verge of Mid-Central Conference play resuming next week. After an exigent pre-Christmas schedule lugged Goshen to losses in six of its last seven games, Wednesday’s rout of the Beavers helped displace some of the negative momentum associated with the recent past, according to head coach Steve Wiktorowski.

“I was happy with how we returned from eight days off for Christmas to come out and play with some intensity and offensive consistency,” Wiktorowski said. “We are slowly beginning to get everyone healthy for the first time this year, and if we can stay healthy, take care of the ball and keep our level of play elevated, we can be a team that is difficult to play against in the conference for the rest of the season.”

Goshen (8-10, 1-3) trailed the host Beavers for only a minute and a half before beginning the onslaught Wednesday afternoon, as a 23 to seven run turned a 4-2 Bluffton advantage into a 25-11 Leaf lead. Wiktorowski’s team pushed its benefit to 17 points at halftime — a 40-23 lead — behind a 16 for 30 effort from the floor (53.3 percent) and just six first-half turnovers.

“Turnovers were a real problem for us before Christmas and we wanted to come back and get ready for the rest of the conference season with a good ballhandling game,” Wiktorowski said. “We were able to do that today, and that helped us to the win as much as anything else.”

Goshen only committed eight second-half giveaways, though its shooting dropped to just eight for 27 in the second half (29.6 percent). Bluffton was never able to get closer than its original halftime deficit in the second period, however, as the Leafs limited the Beavers to just a 20 for 70 effort from the field (28.6 percent) on the afternoon. Goshen’s lead ballooned to 26 points with 13:43 remaining in the game — a 53-27 advantage — as Wiktorowski’s team was never challenged the rest of the way.

Senior Candice Williams, despite being in foul trouble for most of the contest, led the Leafs with 25 points on nine of 13 shooting in just 20 minutes of play. Freshman Kelsy McKee, who missed Goshen’s three-game stretch in Kentucky and played with a cast on her broken left hand in the two games following, tallied 18 points on a four for seven effort from three-point land in cast-less action. The Leafs found balance among its remaining players, as six others scored at least two points while junior Jenn Rupp corralled a team-high seven rebounds. Williams also grabbed seven boards, in what Wiktorowski called her best all-around effort of the season.

“Candice had to sit a lot because of fouls, but made the most of her minutes with perhaps her most complete game of the season,” he said. “Kelsy shot the ball really well, a strength we missed when she was hurt. (Seniors) Kortney Hanson and Erin McDugle both played strong floor games, and Jennifer Rupp was a spark off the bench. Everyone got extended minutes which was good for our confidence and conditioning as a whole.”

Goshen will next face off against MCC rival Bethel College, returning to conference action Wednesday night. Game time is set for 7 p.m. in the Wiekamp Center.