Goshen, IN — Though it may not have the wins to show for it just yet, the Goshen College women’s basketball team is on the right track.

Just four days after what head coach Steve Wiktorowski called his team’s “most competitive game,” the Leafs nearly took out 21st-ranked Marian College Saturday afternoon at the Roman Gingerich Center, eventually falling by a 60-71 score. Goshen (1-9, 0-3) had chances down the stretch to come within one possession of the Knights, but Marian converted free throws to hold on for the important Mid-Central Conference road win.

“I was really happy with the improvement we showed from last Saturday (a 47-80 loss at Albion College, click here for recap),” Wiktorowski said. “After playing very poorly last week at Albion, we played a very competitive conference game on Tuesday (a 43-53 loss to Spring Arbor University, click here for recap) and then hung in there for 40 minutes against a nationally ranked and very physical team in Marian today. If we continue to keep improving at the rate we have this past week, I believe our young team can begin to win some games soon.”

Goshen’s offensive efficiency was perhaps the most noticeable improvement Saturday, as the team connected on 50 percent of its first-half tries (12 of 24), a vast progression from Tuesday’s five of 20 first-half performance against Spring Arbor. Unfortunately for the Leafs, Marian was also able to catch fire in the first period, knocking in 16 of 30 attempts (53.3 percent) including going four of six from long range (66.7 percent) in taking a 39-27 lead at the half. Marian led by as many as 15 in the first stanza, but a late seven to nothing Goshen run made it 27-37 with just a minute to play. A bucket by the Knights’ Whitney Frame pushed the visitor’s lead to 12 points, as sophomore Kelsy McKee misfired on a three-ball at the buzzer.

Wiktorowski’s team could not make much of a dent into Marian’s lead at the outset of the second half, as the Knights claimed their largest advantage (56-40) with 9:32 remaining in the contest. It was at that point that the tide began to turn in Goshen’s favor, as the Leafs turned up the defensive intensity. A three pointer by sophomore Jess Buller and a pair of free throws by freshman Kendra Fights cut Marian’s lead to 11 points, and Goshen began to scratch for a comeback. After a Knights basket and two free throws pushed the lead back to 15 points, Wiktorowski’s team answered with an eight to nothing run, keyed by yet another Buller trey. Her fourth three-pointer of the night made it a 58-64 game with 2:06 to play, and the Leafs forced a turnover on Marian’s ensuing possession.

Sensing the momentum change — and Buller’s heat from behind the arc — Wiktorowski called a set to free up Buller for another long attempt. Unfortunately, her seventh try of the afternoon fell off the rim, keeping it a two-possession game. Marian made six of a final 10 free throws in the game’s last minute, icing the outcome over a gutsy Leafs’ push.

“We were in it all the way until we had to start fouling,” Wiktorowski said. “Pride in our defense and rebounding was very noticeable, we shot the ball much better and had real contributions from every player today.”

Buller led Goshen’s second-half charge, scoring 16 points on the night off a four of seven effort from three-point land. McKee added 14 on five of nine shooting from the floor, while sophomore point guard Sarah Arnold added eight on four of five shooting in 35 minutes of work. Freshman Troyanna Scott added seven points, sharing game-high rebounding honors with Buller in collecting six boards.

Collectively, Goshen continued its upstart shooting in the second half, knocking in 11 of 23 attempts (47.8 percent). Conversely, the Leafs’ defense helped limit Marian to just a 10 of 28 effort in the second period (35.7 percent). The Knights were able to keep Goshen at bay due in large part to a major advantage at the free throw line (Marian made 14 of 27 charity tosses; Goshen hit eight of 11) and in the second-chance department. Marian’s 10 to five advantage on the offensive glass — coupled with committing just 17 turnovers to the Leafs’ 27 — helped the Knights to 11 more shot attempts from the field than Goshen.

“I was especially happy today with the toughness we showed in the second half and that we refused to go away,” Wiktorowski said. “I thought McKee and Buller played their best overall games this year. Arnold played a lot of minutes coming off a knee injury and hit some big jump shots. Scott continues to rebound well and improves every game. Freshman Rachel Canen (four points) hit a couple big baskets when we needed it late and senior Teresa Bartal gave us some good second-half defense and rebounding. Whenever we went to our bench, especially in the second half, we responded and remained steady in our play and enthusiastic in our attitude.”

Goshen will commence first-semester final exams this week and then return to MCC action on Thursday evening, when the team will travel to nationally third-ranked Indiana Wesleyan University. Game time is set for 7 p.m.