(Box Score) Goshen, IN — With Saturday’s Mid-Central Conference contest against Spring Arbor University on the line, the Goshen College women’s basketball team was able to capture a two-point lead with 7:24 remaining in regulation.

Unfortunately for Goshen, it was the visiting Cougars that possessed a slim lead during almost all other moments of competition.

Goshen (3-7, 0-2) dropped a disheartening, 50-53 decision to Spring Arbor at the Roman Gingerich Center Saturday afternoon, hanging close with the Cougars for the majority of the contest but finding a lead tough to come by. While trailing by no more than eight points at any point of the contest, the Leafs secured a lead for a total of just three minutes and 42 seconds throughout the game, eventually falling by the team’s closest margin of the year.

It was a tough loss for Leafs’ head coach Steve Wiktorowski, as both Spring Arbor and Goshen entered the afternoon looking for the first MCC win of the programs’ respective seasons.

“I thought that for the most part we played strong defense both full and half court, made them work hard for points and held their leading scorer to one point,” Wiktorowski said.  “Our offense, however, while it showed some signs of improvement, was still inconsistent and we had to force too many shots with the (shot) clock running down. I felt we came out the first half very tight offensively and had a lot of turnovers due to trying too hard. I thought we almost had the opposite problem the second half as we didn't focus well on offense and so didn't execute as well. Our defense can keep us in games, but we are still struggling offensively with our youth.”

Wiktorowski’s team captured a two-point lead on three different occasions in the first half of play Saturday, but an eight for 25 first-half shooting performance (32 percent) and eight first-half turnovers helped the Cougars to a 23-20 lead at the intermission. Spring Arbor captured its largest first-period advantage with 4:50 remaining — a 23-16 lead — but Goshen responded with baskets from freshman Kimmie Hummer and sophomore Troyanna Scott to end the half with a four to nothing run.

The Cougars used an early second-half run to push their lead to seven points on two occasions, but again Wiktorowski’s team did not go away. After falling behind 29-36 at the game’s 12:33 mark, Goshen scored five straight points to pull within a 34-36 deficit. A layup by Scott at the 7:50 mark tied the game at 38-38, while a rebound put-back from Hummer gave the Leafs a 40-38 lead with 7:24 to play.

It was the last lead Wiktorowski’s team would enjoy, and it did not last nearly long enough.

Spring Arbor scored on its next possession — just 16 seconds later — tying the game at 40-40. After Scott missed a shot in the post on Goshen’s next offensive possession, Spring Arbor got an offensive rebound and basket on its next trip, taking a 42-40 lead.

Goshen turned the ball over on its next two possessions and missed shots on its following two trips, giving the Cougars a chance to pull away. Spring Arbor held a 46-40 lead after Goshen came up empty on four straight possessions, and with 1:54 remaining the visitors possessed a 52-44 lead, the largest of the game.

Sophomore Krystal Duensing buried her second three-pointer of the afternoon on Goshen’s next possession, cutting the lead to 47-52 with :59 to play. Forcing a miss on the Cougars’ next trip down the floor, the Leafs came up empty as well, committing their 19th turnover of the game. Forced to foul, SAU helped Goshen by missing two of three free throws over the next 30 seconds. A made three pointer by freshman Ashley Hummer with three seconds to play was not enough, however, as Spring Arbor escaped with the 53-50 win.

“Our offensive execution is improving slowly as should be expected and we are definitely becoming more competitive,” Wiktorowski said. “One area that hasn't improved as much, and which must, is keeping other teams from scoring on offensive put backs. We usually defend first shots very well, but give up too many second shots.”

Goshen allowed 16 offensive rebounds on the afternoon, and gave up 11 second-chance points to the Cougars. The Leafs were equally as effective on the glass, however, scoring 15 second-effort points off just as many o-boards.

Team statistics were, naturally, nearly equal on the afternoon, as Spring Arbor connected on three more baskets with the same number of attempts to supply the game’s difference. The Cougars were 21 of 49 from the field (42.9 percent) compared to Goshen’s 18 of 49 effot (36.7 percent). Goshen made one more three-point basket than Spring Arbor (four to three), while the Cougars made eight free throws to Goshen’s 10.

Duensing led the Leafs in scoring, charting 14 points to go with four assists. Scott scored 12 points to go with a game-high 10 rebounds, her first double-double of the year. Kimmie Hummer added nine points and Ashley Hummer scored eight.

“I thought that Troyanna Scott gave us a good physical presence inside,” Wiktorowski said. “She scored points, got their posts in foul trouble and rebounded well. Krystal Duensing had a solid floor game on both ends. We had several people in foul trouble the first half, and everyone stepped up and played their roles well. When we were down in the second half we put ourselves back in position to win. Everyone is improving and finding their role in the system. There are a lot of positives going on right now and we have to just keep fighting as our offense and young players develop.”

A highly skilled opponent lies in wait next, as Goshen will complete the pre-Christmas portion of its MCC schedule Tuesday night in Fort Wayne. Goshen will then travel to the University of St. Francis — ranked eighth in the nation in the pre-season NAIA Top 25 Poll. Game time is set for 7 p.m.