(Box Score) Goshen, IN — Prior to the start of the 2006-2007 season, Goshen head coach Steve Wiktorowski said that the initial part of the team’s schedule was suitable for his young team.

“It’s a (schedule) that will test us, but we also get a number of opportunities to play at home,” he said.

Saturday afternoon against Trinity Christian College, Goshen got the best of both worlds.

Playing at the Roman Gingerich Center for the second time in three days, Goshen withstood a neck-and-neck affair to come out atop the Trolls by a 61-58 score, needing a pair of key scores late to seal the win. In a game that produced five ties and 17 lead changes, it was freshman Kara Boester’s three-pointer with 42 seconds remaining that iced the outcome for Goshen (2-0, 0-0).

“Today was a very tight game to the finish, but we were able to make enough plays at the end to get the win,” Wiktorowski said. “It was good to get an early season win when we weren’t executing well offensively or creating turnovers defensively. It’s important that we come away from this tight win with the ability and confidence to execute well in games that are tight for 40 minutes.”

It looked as if the Leafs would run away with things early on, as the team knocked in five of its first seven shots from the floor — including its first three tries from deep -— in gaining a 13-6 lead just five minutes into play. Trinity Christian responded with a 11 to nothing run over the game’s next four minutes, however, and the close-knit contest was on: Following that Trolls’ run, neither team would lead by more than five points until the final seconds of play.

Comparable statistics across the board led to a 28-27 Goshen lead at the half, as well as the game’s final score. With similar numbers in total field goal percentage (Goshen 40.4 percent; Trinity Christian 41.4 percent), total rebounds (Goshen 32, Trinity Christian 34) made three-pointers (Goshen nine, Trinity Christian eight) and turnovers (both teams had 16) it was free throws that made the ultimate difference. Goshen connected on 10 of 12 attempts from the charity stripe -— including eight of 10 in the second half — while Trinity Christian only made two trips to the line, making both.

“I thought we got off to a good start early with a lead, then our defense started to get beat in transition and that gave (Trinity Christian) confidence the rest of the way,” Wiktorowski said. “We did shoot well from three, however, and limited them to just two free throws.”

The Trolls captured their largest lead of the game — 48-43 — with just 6:15 to play, after four straight Goshen misses and a turnover allowed Trinity Christian ample opportunities. A pair of interior baskets from sophomore Troyanna Scott closed the gap, and it was a possession-by-possession affair from then on. A basket from the Trolls’ Emily Thomassen with 4:36 remaining made the score 52-50, Trinity Christian, but Boester had the first of two big answers for Goshen. Boester knocked in a three-ball at the 2:24 mark, putting Goshen ahead by a 53-52 score.

Again Trinity Christian responded, this time with a three-pointer with 1:27 to play. After a missed shot from junior Katie Sowers and a made free throw from Scott, Goshen sophomore Krystal Duensing came up with a needed steal on the Leafs’ ensuing defensive possession. Racing down the court, she found Scott in the post, who kicked it out to Boester on the left wing.

With a hand in her face and a good two steps behind the arc, Boester pulled the trigger.

It was pure.

Pumping her fist with confidence, Boester’s trey gave the Leafs a 57-55 lead. It was an advantage the team would not surrender.

Trintiy Christian missed its next attempt from the field — a three-pointer in the corner — and freshman Ashley Hummer knocked in both free throw attempts after the Trolls were forced to foul. Another Trinity Christian miss led to two more made Goshen free throws — this time from Duensing — while the Trolls’ moot three-pointer at the buzzer closed the final gap to three points.

Scott led all scorers in the contest, charting 15 points on six of eight shooting from the floor. Duensing finished with 12 points, while Boester added nine on a trio of three-balls. Ashley Hummer scored eight while twin-sister Kimmie and classmate Chloe VanDenBrink each scored seven. Sowers finished with a game-high nine rebounds.

“I thought Troyanna Scott did a great job of keeping us in the game offensively in the second half when we were struggling to execute,” Wiktorowski said of Scott’s 11 second-half points. “Our bench of Kara Boester, Katie Sowers and (sophomore) Kendra Fights helped us, especially Sowers with her rebounding and Boester with her clutch ball handling and three-point shooting. Krystal Duensing also hit some key shots and free throws. Everyone contributed to put us in a position to win which is vital for this team because of our low numbers and youth.”

Goshen will next travel away from the Roman Gingerich Center for the first time of the year when the team takes on Siena Heights University Thursday. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m.