OCT. 27 — Goshen Falls To Bethel In MCC Tournament
Leafs can't hold on to early lead; end season with 5-2 loss

Senior Andrew Vargo Sophomore Ben Reed

Mishawaka, IN — Goshen concluded its season Saturday night with a 5-2 loss at Bethel College. Bethel, ranked 8th in the country at the NAIA level and winners of 13 straight, was just too much for the Leafs to contain. Goshen scored first on a goal from senior Andrew Vargo at the 27 minute mark. The 1-0 lead didn’t last for long, however, as Bethel then erupted for three goals prior to intermission. Both teams competed hard in the second half, with no additional scoring occurring until Maple Leaf sophomore Ben Reed scored off an assist from freshman Tom Stahly with seven minutes to play. “I thought we got a little momentum from that goal,” said Goshen head coach Tavi Mounsithiraj. “I thought we would get a chance at an equalizer, but Bethel was too good.” The Pilots scored twice more in retaliation, making the final 5-2. Goshen ends the season with a 3-16 overall record, 0-7 in the conference.

	Goshen	Bethel
Final Score	2	5
Shots	5	14
Saves	9	3
Corner Kicks	2	6

OCT. 24 — Leafs Drop Final Home Game
Trinity International gets six scores in win

Freshman Aaron Gerber

Goshen, IN — Playing on a sopping wet field and in a constant wind, the Goshen College men’s soccer team dropped its final home contest of the season 1-6 to Trinity International University Wednesday. Trinity came out of the gates strong, scoring four goals in the first half of play. Goshen (3-15, 0-7) could not catch up after the early scoring barrage by the Trojans. “Trinity is a very good team. They came to play and played hard,” said Tavi Mounsithiraj, Goshen head coach. “It seemed to me that we were not ready to play and it showed.” The weather leading up to the game was cause for concern. The women’s soccer team was scheduled to have a 4 p.m. kick-off against Cornerstone University at Goshen Field, but that game was cancelled fifteen minutes into the match due to severe thunderstorms. The weather cleared enough for the men to start play at the scheduled 7 p.m. start, but it was the Leafs who were still sluggish. Sophomore Todd Pletcher scored Goshen’s lone goal from 25 yards out off an assist from senior Andrew Vargo. Trinity scored twice more in the latter stages of the second half to complete the scoring. Mounsithiraj complimented the bench play of sophomore Marcus Scholten and freshman John Mashala. Freshman Aaron Gerber collected five saves in the first varsity action of his career. He stepped in for the sure-handed junior Nik Stoltzfus, who also stopped five shots. Goshen travels to Bethel for a 7 p.m. kick-off time this Saturday night in starting MCC tournament play.

	Goshen	Trinity International
Final Score	1	6
Shots	5	16
Saves	10	4
Corner Kicks	2	4

OCT. 19 — Offense Can't Get Untracked Against IWU
Wesleyan's two goals are enough against scoreless Leafs

Perfect form : Freshman Tom Stahly advances the ball against Indiana Wesleyan Friday night. Goshen's offense struggled on the evening.

Goshen, IN — Goshen couldn’t get the offensive push it needed Friday night, and fell to Indiana Wesleyan 0-2.

“Wesleyan scored on a beautiful goal on a direct kick from about 25 yards out early in the match, and there really wasn’t much we could do about that shot,” said Tavi Mounsithiraj, Goshen head coach. “It’s just that we can not get going offensively. I thought we played well, but we’re just not creating chances for goals.”

After Wesleyan’s first score, the Leafs (3-14, 0-7) moved the ball well according to Mounsithiraj, and were playing well. The Wildcats scored another goal at the 67-minute mark.

“I still thought we could get back into the match, but we just seemed to break down on the offensive end,” Mounsithiraj said. “The second goal we gave up was just enough for us to break down. We need to be more creative up front. If we could have scored two goals I know we could have had the match.”

Junior Nik Stoltzfus provided seven saves in goal for the Leafs. Goshen plays its final home game and regular season game Wednesday night against Trinity International. Game time is set for 7 p.m.

	Goshen	Indiana Wesleyan
Final Score	0	2
Shots	5	9
Saves	7	5
Corner Kicks	5	4

OCT. 15— Calvin's Early Boost Too Much For Leafs
Knights score four goals in first half en route to 5-2 win

Double teamed: Junior Kaleab Abebe fights off two Calvin defenders Monday night. The Leafs made a strong push in the second half, scoring twice.

Goshen, IN — In what would become a game of surges, it was the visiting Calvin College Knights who had the most prominent push. Calvin’s four goals in the first half of play helped defeat Goshen Monday night by a 5-2 final.

The Knights came off the bus on fire, building a 4-0 lead at the half. Goshen (3-13, 0-6) would compile a surge of its own, however. Catching fire in its own right, the Leafs scored twice in the first 10 minutes of the second half. Freshman Ben Steininger scored at the 50 minute mark off an assist by senior Steve Rhodes. Five minutes later, senior Andrew Vargo scored an unassisted goal to make the score 4-2, Calvin.

“In the first half, I thought we were playing well but just not getting the breaks that we needed,” said Tavi Mounsithiraj, Goshen head coach. “In the second half, I thought we needed to come out and push forward as much as possible. It worked, but it just wasn’t enough to catch up with Calvin.”

The Leafs would not score again in the game, while Calvin added an insurance goal late. Mounsithiraj saw positive signs as the team heads into its final MCC match this Friday against Indiana Wesleyan, however.

“I was pleased that we didn’t give up after getting down four to nil,” he said. “We played much better in the second half. We’ve got a couple of days to get ourselves ready for our final home match. It would be nice to end it with a win.”

	Goshen	Calvin
Final Score	2	5
Shots	7	12
Saves	7	5
Corner Kicks	5	4

OCT. 10 — Goshen Loses Heartbreaker To Bethel
Leafs play well but come up just short against ninth-ranked team in country

Senior Hollins Showalter Freshman Nick Yoder

Mishawaka, IN — In what was arguably its best effort of the season thus far, Goshen dropped a very tough 1-2 decision at Bethel College Wednesday night. Playing in a continual rain, the Leafs (3-11, 0-6) played well on both sides of the ball, according to head coach Tavi Mounsithiraj. Goshen scored first off a shot by senior Andrew Vargo at the 23minute mark. The defense then held for the remainder of the first half, or at least until the last few seconds. With only five seconds left in the first, Bethel intercepted a clear out and knocked in a goal to tie the match heading into the half. “Our defense stepped up and played like we have been capable of playing all year,” said Tavi Mounsithiraj, Goshen head coach. “The defense was playing so well — to give up that goal was tough.” In the second half, Goshen again hung with NAIA ninth-ranked Bethel’s proficient offense, only allowing a total nine shots on goal for the night. At the 70 minute-mark, however, Bethel’s Jorge Filizola headed in a goal to make the score 2-1. The Leafs would not go down quietly. In taking a page from Bethel’s first half-ending performance, Mounsithiraj ordered junior goalkeeper Nik Stoltzfus out of the goal to take a direct kick with 30 seconds remaining in the game. His boot caused a scramble in front of the Bethel goal, and out of the crowd Goshen got a good shot on the net. The Bethel keeper made the save, the ball lodging between his legs as the clock expired. “Bethel is a great soccer team worthy of being ranked in the top ten, and I am pleased with the way we played,” Mounsithiraj said. “Hollins Showalter (senior) and Nick Yoder (freshman) played well in the back for us defensively. Anytime you can hold a team like Bethel to two goals, you are doing a good job."

	Goshen	Bethel
Final Score	1	2
Shots	4	9
Saves	7	3
Corner Kicks	1	6

OCT. 6 — Alumni Weekend Proves Tough For Leafs
Goshen's offense can't score on Siena Heights

Booting it: Freshman Ben Steininger advances the ball against Siena Heights Saturday. Goshen's offense could only produce three shots on goal against the Saints.

Goshen, IN — Goshen cold not pull of a victory over Alumni Weekend, losing to Siena Heights 0-3 on a blustery Saturday afternoon.

Heights scored two goals early in the match and added another right after halftime to complete the 3-0 tally.

“Siena Heights is a very good team,” said Tavi Mounsithiraj, Goshen head coach. “We are playing well at times, but just not well enough to compete with Siena Heights.”

Goshen (3-10, 0-5) could only manage three shots on goal against the Saints, which attempted 10 of its own. Over its last three games, the Leafs have only been able to produce two scores.

“The youth of the team and lack of a goal scorer is evidence why we are struggling in past matches,” Mounsithiraj said. “I know it is tough learning a new system and it is a learning process for us. I am pleased with the effort the team is putting in and how hard they work.”

The Leafs travel to Bethel Wednesday for a match with last season’s national champions.

	Goshen	Siena Heights
Final Score	0	3
Shots	3	10
Saves	7	3
Corner Kicks	3	6

OCT. 4 — Visiting Taylor Explodes To Win
Leafs lead majority of game before Trojans erupt with scoring output

Surrounded: Junior Brian Miller prepares to pass to a teammate as Taylor players move in Thursday. Goshen led after one half of play, but the Trojans scored multiple goals late in the game to win.

Goshen, IN — For Goshen College on Thursday night, the game against Taylor University was just too long.

The Leafs (3-9, 0-5) lead 1-0 for 70 minutes in a cold, blowing rain. Freshman Ben Steininger scored an unassisted goal at the 15 minute mark to make the score 1-0. It would remain that way through the half, and through the majority of the second.

Then Taylor erupted.

The Trojans scored at the 70 minute mark to tie the game. They scored again, and again, in the span of six minutes. When the clock read triple zeros, most of the crowd was in shock to what they had witnessed.

“Well, when we made a mistake on defense, a good Taylor team made us pay for it,” Goshen head coach Tavi Mounsithiraj said. “Taylor is one of the toughest teams in the conference.”

Junior Nik Stoltzfus played well in goal for Goshen, deterring seven of Taylor’s 10 shots on goal. For Mounsithiraj, the game was an obvious case of two halves.

“I thought the team was able to maintain possession of the ball most of the first half and was getting good shots on goal,” he said. “I was very pleased with the way we played in the first half. We just need to put two halves together.”

Things don’t get any easier for Goshen, however. The Leafs will face Sienna Heights on Saturday (ranked in the Top 20 in NAIA) and travel to Bethel Wednesday. Bethel is the defending NSCAA National Champions.

	Goshen	Taylor
Final Score	1	3
Shots	7	10
Saves	7	6
Corner Kicks	4	5

OCT. 2 — Late Rally At Manchester Not Enough
Leafs can't make up for early mistakes and lose by a goal

Sophomore Todd Pletcher

North Manchester, IN — For Goshen head coach Tavi Mounsithiraj, Tuesday’s match at Manchester was a microcosm of the season for his squad: Give up an early score or two, make a furious comeback, but wind up just short in the end.

Indeed this was the case at Manchester, where the Leafs (3-8, 0-4) gave up two early goals to the Spartans, scored one at the 70 minute mark, had a few chances to tie the game but couldn’t, and walked off the field with a 1-2 loss.

“This has been our problem all year long, giving up early goals and then playing catch up,” Mounsithiraj said. “We just can’t afford to give up goals when we are struggling to produce goals ourselves.”

Sophomore Todd Pletcher scored Goshen’s lone goal off a penalty kick after freshman Ben Steininger was pulled down in the box. After his score, the Leafs were on attack, twice hitting the goalposts in shots on goal. Goshen attempted seven shots on goal to Manchester’s five on the evening.

“In the second half we did a better job on defense,” Mounsithiraj said. “Our offense picked up the intensity and created several chances to score. We just can’t start as slowly as we have been.”

	Goshen	Manchester
Final Score	1	2
Shots	7	5
Saves	3	6
Corner Kicks	2	3

SEPT. 28 — Moody Catches Fire Early; Goshen Can't Rebound
Leafs give up two early goals in 0-4 loss on road

Junior Nik Stoltzfus

Chicago, IL — It’s a long drive to Chicago from Goshen. Perhaps the length of that trip had something to do with Goshen’s slow start at Moody Bible College Friday. Stepping off the bus, Goshen (3-7, 0-4) gave up a goal to Moody just two minutes into the match, and another five minutes later. “As a team, we need to do a better job of preparing ourselves to come out and be ready to play,” said Tavi Mounsithiraj, Goshen head coach. “We need to be stronger in the back and not give up such easy goals.” The Leafs attempted seven shots on goal for the night, none of which divided the goal. Junior Nik Stolzfus deflected three shots on Goshen’s goal, but according to Mounsithiraj, Stoltzfus was faced with one on one charges on several occasions. “We were pushing in the second half to get a goal (and that allowed Moody) to eventually score two more,” Mounsithiraj said. “Moody Bible was simply better than us today.”

	Goshen	Moody
Final Score	0	4
Shots	7	7
Saves	3	7
Corner Kicks	4	3

SEPT. 25 — Goshen Drops Close One In Fort Wayne
St. Francis scores last in see-saw affair

Freshman Eric Witmer

Fort Wayne, IN — In the midst of a six-game road swing — the longest of the season — the Goshen College men’s soccer team let the game with St. Francis University slip away Tuesday, the Leafs losing by a 2-3 count. “This was a match that I felt we could have won,” Goshen head coach Tavi Mounsithiraj said. “St. Francis is a good club.” The Cougars struck first as Mounsithiraj said his team was not ready to play at the outset. However, Goshen (3-6, 0-4) quickly tied the score after first-time starter Eric Witmer (freshman) scored an unassisted goal. The score would remain 1-1 at the half. Again St. Francis scored. Again Goshen replied. At the 70th minute, Witmer fed junior Kaleab Abebe who punched the ball in the corner of the net. It was St. Francis who would again score at the 80 minute mark. The remaining 10 minutes in the match wasn’t enough time for Goshen to counter-attack. “We have a lot of work to do, but I am pleased with the way we are improving each day,” Mounsithiraj said. “We are having fun learning how to win and lose as a team.”

	Goshen	St. Francis
Final Score	2	3
Shots	5	9
Saves	6	3
Corner Kicks	1	6

SEPT. 22 — Leafs Stop Funk With Four Goals
Squad gets win at Bluffton after most goals in a match this season

Sophomore Todd Pletcher Freshman Ben Steininger

Bluffton, OH — After having problems putting the ball in the net for most of the season, the Maple Leafs exploded with four goals in a 4-1 onslaught of host Bluffton College Saturday. Scoring for Goshen (3-5, 0-3) was junior Kaleab Abebe, freshmen Seth Yoder and Ben Steininge and sophomore Todd Pletcher. “I am quite pleased with the way we finished today,” Goshen head coach Tavi Mounsithiraj said. “It’s always nice to score more goals than you really need.” Pletcher’s score was the fifth for the season — he leads the team. Yoder, a Goshen native, scored off an assist by his cousin, Tom Stahly. Steininger’s goal was his first as a Maple Leaf; his goal came after beating two defenders en route. “Ben (Steininger’s) goal was off a fine individual move,” Mounsithiraj said. The Beavers scored its insignificant goal late in the match . Junior Nik Stoltzfus continued his fine play in the goal, saving two of Bluffton’s three shots on goal.

	Goshen	Bluffton
Final Score	4	1
Shots	8	3
Saves	2	4
Corner Kicks	6	3

SEPT. 20 — Strong Start Can't Compensate for Weak Finish
Leafs drop game to conference foe Huntington

Sophomore Todd Pletcher

Huntington, IN — Goshen’s start was fast and furious. Unfortunately, so was the end for Huntington College. After scoring within the first 10 minutes of the game, Goshen (2-5, 0-3) gave up two goals in the last 20 minutes to give host Huntington the win. “We need to play with intensity for 90 minutes and we have not done that yet this season,” Goshen head coach Tavi Mounsithiraj said. “This is the match we needed to win.” Sophomore Todd Pletcher scored his fourth goal of the season early in the game off a corner kick by senior Justin Yoder. The game was stagnant until the last half of the second period, when Huntington punched in two scores. “When we have a lead, it seems we lose the ability to keep it,” Mounsithiraj said. “This is a major problem for us if we expect to win games down the stretch.”

	Goshen	Huntington
Final Score	1	2
Shots	7	6
Saves	4	6
Corner Kicks	4	3

SEPT. 18 — Goshen Puts Forth "Team Effort" In Win
Plethora of players step up to lead Leafs over Indiana Tech

Junior Nik Stoltzfus Senior Hollins Showalter Senior Andrew Vargo

Fort Wayne, IN — In traveling to Fort Wayne, Goshen truly brought two vans full of players. According to head coach Tavi Mounsithiraj, the Leafs used great performances by a multitude of players in defeating Indiana Tech Tuesday, 2-1. “I was very pleased with our play as a team,” Mounsithiraj said. “We came back from an early deficit and played very well on both sides of the ball.” Goshen (2-4, 0-2) gave up a Tech score that Mounsithiraj dubbed “not deserved.” From that point on, the team turned up the collective intensity to put on a great show. Defenders Tom Stahly (freshman), Hollins Showalter (senior), Jon Bontrager (sophomore) and Brian Miller (junior) were all exceptional after the initial score, Mounsithiraj said. “(Junior Nik) Stoltzfus was awesome in goal for us,” Mounsithiraj said. “He made some absolutely great saves.” Goshen’s offense took a cue from the defense in the second half, starting with an unassisted goal by sophomore Todd Pletcher at the 80 minute mark. Three minutes later the Leafs clicked again: Pletcher passed to junior Kaleab Abebe, who one touched the ball into the box. Senior Andrew Vargo headed the ball into the net for the go-ahead score. “That last score was fitting for the day,” Mounsithiraj said. “Three guys scored that for us.”

	Goshen	Indiana Tech
Final Score	2	1
Shots	6	11
Saves	10	4
Corner Kicks	1	4

SEPT. 14 — Inconsistency Dooms Maple Leafs
Stretches of good soccer not enough to beat Cornerstone University

Keep away : Freshman Alex Miller handles the ball around a Grace defender on Sept. 12. The loss to Cornerstone marks two in a row at home for the Leafs.

Goshen, IN — A lot can happen in one half of soccer. Goshen experienced this principle first hand in a 3-1 loss to Cornerstone University Wednesday.

After a first half which saw no scoring from either team, the second half proved to be a series of peaks and valleys for Goshen head coach Tavi Mounsithiraj and his squad. At the 70 minute mark, junior Kaleab Abebe was taken down from behind while attacking the goal. Sophomore Todd Pletcher promptly drilled the penalty kick for a 1-0 lead. For Goshen (1-4, 0-2) that was the peak.

“We played some really good soccer and just couldn’t find an opportunity to score,” Mounsithiraj said.

The Golden Eagles quickly replied to Pletcher’s goal with a score of its own. For Goshen, this was the valley.

“Our defense got really disoriented and just didn’t handle the pressure,” Mounsithiraj said. “Eventually as a team we broke down and gave up another goal. We could never recover from that point.”

Junior keeper Nik Stoltzfus was the lone bright spot defensively, saving more shots (five) than his team had on Cornerstone’s goal (four).

	Goshen	Cornerstone
Final Score	1	3
Shots	4	8
Saves	5	3
Corner Kicks	3	5

SEPT. 12 — Grace Surge Overpowers Leafs
Mounsithiraj: Rival "simply better" in 3-0 victory

Juking: Senior Andrew Vargo makes a move on a Grace defender Wednesday. Goshen fell to the Lancers after giving up three goals in 18 minutes.

Goshen, IN — Goshen head coach Tavi Mounsithiraj could sense the quiet before the storm while pacing the sideline early in the second half against Grace College on Wednesday. The score was still tied, 0-0, but Mounsithiraj didn’t feel good about things.

“I felt like we were just hanging around and couldn’t get anything going,” Mounsithiraj said. “(Even thouugh) it was tied, I felt they were dominating most of the play.”

And then it happened: An onlsaught — in soccer terms, anyway — of goals from the Lancers. Scores at the 50, 64 and 68 minute marks buried Goshen (1-3, 0-2).

“This has got to be the most painful loss so far for me as a head coach, “ Mounsithiraj said. “Grace was simply better than us tonight, and well coached.”

Mounsithiraj noted the need for more consistency on both the offensive and defensive ends. Freshman John Mashala provided solid minutes off the bench for the Leafs.

	Goshen	Grace
Final Score	0	3
Shots	4	8
Saves	5	4
Corner Kicks	3	7

SEPT. 8 — Scoreless Weekend Equals Loss For Leafs
Host Marian takes care of business early in finishing off Goshen

Sophomore Jon Hasselbring

Indianapolis, IN — Host Marian College scored two goals in the first half against Goshen College Saturday. That was twice as much as they needed. Goshen (1-2, 0-1) lost its first conference match of the season shooting six shots on goal, but none of them finding the net. Marian would not score again, making the final a 2-0 tally. “We started the match playing very tightly and unorganized,” said Goshen head coach Tavi Mounsithiraj. “It took us 25 minutes just to get going, but by then we were down one to nil. We came back and played well, but we just couldn’t find the back of the net.” Mounsithiraj noted the play of sophomores Todd Pletcher and Jon Hasselbring as being exceptionally strong. Junior Nik Stoltzfus compiled five saves on goal.

	Goshen	Marian
Final Score	0	2
Shots	6	7
Saves	5	6
Corner Kicks	1	6

SEPT. 4 — Leafs Get First Win In Dramatic Fashion
Fans storm field after overtime win against Tri-State University

Milestone: Head coach Tavi Mounsithiraj's first win as the head coach at Goshen came in an emotional way.

Goshen, IN — When the ball finally came to rest in Tri-State’s goal, it was Goshen head coach Tavi Mounsithiraj who was leading the charge of fans rushing the field. And who could blame him? Winning your first game as a collegiate head coach is a big deal. Take into account that this 2-1 win came in overtime in front of a capacity crowd at Goshen College against a very good opponent, and one can understand unbridled emotion.

“I was wondering what this would feel like,” Mounsithiraj said following his jaunt. “It feels great!”

Mounsithiraj was hired as the interim head coach after 25-year head coach Dwain Hartzler stepped down last season. Since that decision, Tavi has brought a high level of emotion to the program after serving as an assistant for five years.

Equally as emotional was Goshen’s (1-1, 0-0) victory over the Thunder. After sophomore Todd Pletcher chested in a score off a Tom Stahly (freshman) serve at the 35 minute mark, Tri-State responded with a goal just three minutes later to tie the score at one apiece. The second half proved to be a defensive battle as neither team had great opportunities to score. The game would eventually linger into overtime, but not before a crescendo of events.

After an unsportsmanlike red card left Goshen with 10 men on the field, Tri-State had a chance to win it on a penalty kick with only 1:45 remaining in regulation. Junior keeper Nik Stoltzfus used all of his 6’7” frame to lurch and stop the shot just shy of the goal line.

“That was the save of the match,” Mounsithiraj said, understating the point. “I thought for sure that it was over at that time.”

Using the save as a rallying point, Goshen proceeded to force the extra stanza, although the Leafs didn’t need much of it. Sophomore Todd Pletcher won the ball at midfield and fed the ball to classmate Nate Shenk. He put the ball in the corner of the net, triggering a brutal pile up of Goshen fans, players and even a coach.

“I was happy to win, but most importantly for the team’s overall performance,” Mounsithiraj said. “We needed this.”

	Goshen	Tri-State
Final Score	2	1
Shots	5	6
Saves	5	3
Corner Kicks	1	5

SEPT. 1 — Goshen Opens With Loss On Road
Earlham's field makes for tough starting spot

Senior Andrew Vargo

Richmond, IN — Though Goshen College lost its first contest of the year Saturday to Earlham College 1-2, several factors must be considered. For one, the Quakers scored its first goal with just 45 seconds left in the first half, killing Goshen’s momentum. For another, the game was in Richmond. “It’s always tough playing up there,” Goshen head coach Tavi Mounsithiraj said. “I thought the men played quite well for the first match of the season. Earlham is a very good squad.” The Quakers promptly scored again at the start of the second half, making the score 2-0. Senior Andrew Vargo scored Goshen’s (0-1, 0-0) lone goal 84 minutes into the game off sophomore Jon Hasselbring’s pass. Junior Nik Stoltzfus maintained the defense for the Maple Leafs, saving four attempts on goal.

	Goshen	Earlham
Final Score	1	2
Shots	4	6
Saves	4	3
Corner Kicks	7	7