NOV. 1 — Grace Just Nips Goshen In MCC Tournament
Leafs fight to scoreless tie until Lancers score with just two minutes remaining

Junior Nick Yoder Freshman Joel Miller

Winona Lake, IN — In perhaps the most heartbreaking manner possible, the Goshen men’s soccer team lost a 1-0 decision to host Grace College in the first round of the Mid-Central Conference Tournament Saturday afternoon, ending the Leafs’ season in the process. After playing tremendous soccer throughout the match and keeping a scoreless tie, Goshen’s hopes at a first-round upset were dashed when Grace scored a bizarre goal with just 2:14 left to play in regulation.

It was at that point that the Lancers’ Andre Virgilio launched a high shot toward the Leafs’ goal. Freshman keeper Craig Welscott went up to get the ball, as Grace’s Jason Johnston charged the net. Despite having two hands on the ball, Welscott fumbled it as a result of Johnston’s move. The ball popped out of Welscott’s hands and slowly trickled past the line, giving Grace the game’s only goal.

“I am so proud of how we played today,” said Tavi Mounsithiraj, Goshen head coach. “We played really well and surely deserved to win, but what can you do? I do not mind losing a match to any team, but to lose a match like the way we did today . . . it is tough.”

In the teams’ first meeting on Sept. 30, it was Grace who dominated play, taking a 6-0 decision from the Leafs on their own field. Saturday was a different story, however, as Goshen equaled Grace in shots on goal (six apiece) and led in corner kicks (five to three). Both goalkeepers had a busy day, as Welscott kept Goshen in the game with several great saves, finishing with five on the evening.

The Leafs had several opportunities to score in the first half, including one shot on goal that ricocheted out of bounds after striking the cross bar. Goshen’s defense also stepped up to the challenge, shutting down Grace’s big three of Virgilio, Jean DeSouza and Joe Katuele, with Katuele being named the MCC’s Player Of The Year.

Still, it was Grace that scored the ever important lone goal, keeping its season alive. Goshen concludes the year with a 9-8-2 record and a 1-4-2 mark in MCC play.

“I have to give credit to our seniors for playing so hard and so well in their last match of their college careers,” Mounsithiraj said. “I was hoping to prolong the season a bit longer, but it just wasn’t our day.”

Even with the emotional loss, there was a silver lining to the dark cloud that was Goshen’s afternoon. Junior Nick Yoder and freshman Joel Miller were each named MCC All-Conference, giving Mounsithiraj reason to look forward to next year.

“We had some awesome performances both today and throughout the year,” Mounsithiraj said. “We’re already getting excited for next season.”

OCT. 30 — Lack Of Firepower Results In Loss At Moody Bible
Goshen scores first but can't hold off Archers in 1-2 loss

Senior Jon Bontrager Senior Ben Metcalf

Chicago, IL — With an emphasis on resting his starters and playing an abundance of players Thursday at Moody Bible Institute, Goshen head coach Tavi Mounsithiraj was hoping that his team could notch one more regular season victory before heading into the Mid-Central Conference Tournament on Saturday. And while Goshen scored almost instantly to take a 1-0 lead, it was the Archers who scored two second half goals for the 2-1 win over the Leafs in closing out Goshen’s regular season.

“We dominated the match today, but we just couldn’t find a way to put more goals on the board,” Mounsithriraj said. “In the second half we were a much better team (than Moody) but somehow they were able to score on us twice.”

Goshen (9-7-2, 1-4-2) struck first against the Archers, when senior Jon Bontrager took classmate Ben Metcalf’s pass and headed the ball into the net just seven minutes into the match. The score remained 1-0 until Moody was able to score what Mounsithiraj called a “fluke goal” in the second half, when a ball was caught in the wind and floated over freshman keeper Craig Welscott’s head. Moody was able to use a counter attack within the minute to score again, and Goshen could not retaliate.

“I thought we could still come back and win the match, but we just couldn’t find the answer,” Mounsithiraj said.

Goshen had 23 players enter the match against Moody, as Mounsithiraj cited a need to rest his regulars for the MCC Tournament Saturday. Goshen will travel to Grace College for the first round of the MCC event. Match time is slated for 2 p.m.

OCT. 22 — Taylor Squeaks Out Of Goshen With 2-2 Tie
Costly foul call helps Trojans knot score with just five minutes left in regulation

Pushing: Senior Jon Cook advances the ball in the first half against Taylor Wednesday night.

AD appreciation: Goshen athletic director Ken Pletcher enjoys Wednesday’s game from the comfort of a couch and a tent. Pletcher was honored at halftime for the various work he has done for the college over the past four years. Pletcher received a Chicago hotel gift certificate along with a standing ovation at halftime.

Goshen, IN — Honoring its seniors and its athletic director in the final home match of the season Wednesday night, the Goshen men’s soccer team had to settle for a 2-2 double-overtime tie with Mid-Central Conference foe Taylor. The tie kept the Leafs from making a big jump in league standings, as Goshen will wait on several other conference games to see which team they will face in the MCC Tournament.

“I thought we played well enough to win against Taylor tonight, but they kept coming back every time we would score a go-ahead goal,” said Tavi Mounsithiraj, Goshen head coach. “What a night for a soccer match.”

Both teams began the game playing possession soccer, but it was Goshen (9-6-2, 1-4-2) that started the scoring in the 40th minute, when sophomore Dan Adcock beat the Taylor goalkeeper to a long ball and just pushed a shot past him to trickle the ball into the net from 15 yards away. The lone score of the first half sent the Goshen student-body crowd into a frenzy, with Mounsithiraj complimenting his squad’s first half effort.

“That score was nothing but extra effort from Dan Adcock, and we need that kind of effort to create scoring chances,” Mounsithiraj said. “At halftime I told the team that with a 1-0 lead we needed to keep going at them, and we did. I thought we did a good job of maintaining possession of the ball for the most part.”

Despite this fact, Taylor scored off a corner kick to tie the game just 10 minutes into the half. The Leafs came back again, however, when junior John Mashala chased down a loose ball inside the six-yard box at the 62nd minute mark and blasted the ball into the net for a 2-1 advantage.

“With 18 minutes left in the match I thought we could hang on for sure,” Mounsithiraj said.

And then the controversy started.

With just five minutes remaining in the match, freshman Adam Yoder was called for a foul just outside Goshen’s 18-yard box. Despite heavy protest from the Leafs coaching staff, the call stood. Taylor took full advantage of the direct kick from straight away, blasting the ball into the net despite the ball ricocheting off a Goshen player’s leg. A stunned Goshen team had to regroup.

Amazingly, the Leafs almost won the game with 20 seconds remaining in regulation, when freshman Joel Miller just misplaced a shot from 20 yards out that hit the crossbar and bounced over. A collective gasp from the crowd couldn’t help the ball find the net, and overtime was to be played.

In the two extra periods, neither team mounted much of an attack. Mounsithiraj gave high praise to Miller following the match, citing the freshman played well for the entire 110 minutes.

“Joel Miller was the man of the match tonight,” he said. “I can’t say enough about the freshman from Concord High School. He was all over the place for us tonight, and nearly won it with no time on the clock.”

Goshen also recognized athletic director Ken Pletcher at the match, giving the AD his own couch under a tent during the game. At halftime, Mounsithiraj presented Pletcher with a gift certificate to a Chicago hotel for him and his wife. Over the past two years, Pletcher has ran a 50 mile race and hauled over 300 pieces of furniture in and out of dorms in fundraising efforts for the Goshen athletic department.

Goshen will take some time off before traveling Chicago for a match with Moody Bible College on Oct. 30. Match time is slated for 3 p.m.

OCT. 18-19 — Leafs Make Most Of Trip To West
Goshen defeats Hesston, Bethel (KS) in weekend voyage to Kansas

Pass receive: Freshman Jesse Woodworth moves the ball downfield against Bethel on Sunday. Woodworth helped Goshen score the first goal of the game after he was fouled inside the penalty box.

Too fast: Sophomore Josh Sprunger gets away from the Bethel pursuit in the second half of Sunday’s match in North Newton, Kansas.

Hesston/North Newton, KS — Concluding a three-games-in-three-days stretch in central Kansas, the Goshen men’s soccer team demonstrated some endurance and competitiveness in a 4-1 win over Hesston College (Hesston, KS) and a 3-1 victory over Bethel College (North Newton, KS) this weekend. Goshen head coach Tavi Mounsithiraj said he scheduled this trip — and this tough stretch of games — to prepare his team for the Mid-Central Conference Tournament in early November.

“This week was a busy one, but I think having to be prepared both mentally and physically for these games will make us better for the post season,” he said. “We finished this weekend with a great effort from our team. To be able to play three matches in three days and still be competitive says a lot about the performance from everyone on our team.”

Goshen (9-6-1, 1-4-1) got things rolling at home Friday night, when the team hosted Cardinal Stritch University. Despite a 2-1 loss to the Wolves, Mounsithiraj said he was happy with his team’s performance. After arriving in Kansas, however, the Leafs left no doubt as to whether or not they would be ready for two more games over the next 48 hours. The Leafs 4-1 win over Hesston started the trip off on the right foot, especially since Mounsithiraj started the match with only freshmen and sophomores on the field to even the sides against the two-year institution.

Freshman Atlee Schrock began the scoring for the Leafs with a blast from 25 yards out just minutes into the match. Goshen would give up the tying score to Hesston just minutes later, but a three-score Leaf flurry put away the host Larks. Freshman Rueben Yoder headed the ball in the net off an assist from classmate Joel Miller at the 40th minute, and senior Dan Charles started the second half off with a score of an assist from junior Tom Stahly. Junior Nick Yoder finished off the night with a headed score off a throw-in from Stahly, giving Goshen its final 4-1 advantage.

“The team did a great job maintaining possession and creating chances,” Mounsithiraj said. “The last time we played Hesston was back in 1992, and I wasn’t sure how we would respond after the long trip from Goshen. We played very well, all things considered.”

The Leafs continued its strong play Sunday against the four-year institution in Bethel, striking early and often. Goshen dominated possession against the Threshers (15 total shots on goal to Bethel’s five) and scored first after freshman Jesse Woodworth was taken down inside the box. Yoder knocked in the penalty kick, and the Leafs took a 1-0 advantage into the half.
The second period was more of the same, as Yoder scored again off a Sprunger pass just minutes into the half. Sophomore Nick Loewen gave Goshen a 3-0 lead on a breakaway goal off a long pass from Yoder later in the half. Bethel scored a moot goal after trailing, but never had a serious chance of coming back from three scores down.

“We played with a lot of confidence and maintained possession well,” Mounsithiraj said. “We did a great job of moving the ball around to create scoring chances. It was a good trip for us.”

Goshen will return to MCC play Wednesday, when the team will host Taylor University. It is the final conference and home match of the Leafs’ season, as the team will honor its seniors. Match time is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday.

OCT. 17 — Talented Cardinal Stritch Takes 2-1 Decision
Goshen plays well but can't beat Wolves before Kansas trip

Goshen, IN — Goshen began its three-day soccer odyssey with a 2-1 loss to Cardinal Stritch University Friday, just moments before heading to Chicago to catch a plane to Kansas for two more games on Saturday and Sunday.

The Leafs (7-6-1, 1-4-1) held their own against a very talented Wolves squad Friday, outshooting Cardinal Stritch by a 10-9 count while taking eight corner kicks to Stritch’s six. Goshen scored first when sophomore Josh Sprunger received a pass from classmate Nick Loewen and hammered the ball into the net for a 1-0 lead. Cardinal Stritch was able to answer with a score just before halftime, and scored the winning goal early in the second period. Despite several good looks at the goal in the final 25 minutes, Goshen was unable to find an equalizing score.

“This was a very good match for us, and both teams played evenly throughout,” said Tavi Mounsithiraj, Goshen head coach. “Cardinal Stritch is a very good team with great players. We had several good chances to tie and maybe win this match, but we just couldn’t put the ball in the goal late. The team played well and will continue to improve.”

Following the match Mounsithiraj’s squad grabbed a quick shower and hopped aboard a bus to make a flight out of O’Hare airport to Wichita, Kansas. The Leafs will play Hesston College (Hesston, KS) Saturday and Bethel College (North Newton, KS) Sunday. Match times are set for 7:30 p.m. and 1 p.m. (CST), respectively.

OCT. 14 — USF Gets Lone Goal In Sloppy MCC Showdown
Goshen falls 1-0 to host Cougars in wet and windy conditions

Fort Wayne, IN — Playing on a rain-soaked field with a steady wind coming out of the west, Goshen could not duplicate St. Francis’ lone goal in the second half and fell to the host Cougars by a 1-0 score Tuesday afternoon. St. Francis scored the game’s only goal just minutes after the second half kickoff, when Goshen lost possession of the ball and couldn’t recover in time to stop a shot from 25 yards out. With the win, St. Francis stayed atop the Mid-Central Conference with one regular season match remaining.

“I don’t really know what to think about this match,” said Tavi Mounsithiraj, Goshen head coach. “I felt that the goal we allowed should have never happened. For some odd reason, we lost possession of the ball and the shot somehow found the back of the net. I guess the wind had a lot to do with it, but we did not start out well in the second half. Give credit to St. Francis for playing well.”

After a scoreless first half that saw neither team make a serious push, Goshen (7-5-1, 1-4-1) seemed to have the MCC-leading Cougars right where they wanted them. That was up until St. Francis’ T.J. Messerschmitt scored in the 48th minute. On the afternoon, St. Francis outshot Goshen by a nine to four count and took 12 corner kicks to the Leafs’ three.

“We got some good chances but just couldn’t score tonight,” Mounsithiraj said. “Even though we lost the match I was quite pleased with how our squad kept playing hard. We will continue to look for improvement as a team and as individuals.”

Goshen has an extremely busy weekend approaching, as the team will next host Cardinal Stritch University Friday at 5 p.m. Following that match, the team will make a dash for O’Hare International Airport to travel to Hesston, Kansas for a match against Hesston College on Saturday. The Leafs will also face Bethel College (KS) on Sunday before returning home.

“It will be a busy week for us but I also think it will be a good experience for us to get ready for our conference tournament in November,” Mounsithiraj said.

Friday’s match with Cardinal Stritch is a men’s-women’s doubleheader. The women’s team will face off against Cardinal Stritch immediately following the conclusion of the men’s match.

OCT. 11 — Leafs End Short Skid With 2-1 Win Over Hanover
Squad takes decision after losing three of last four contests

Goshen, IN — Dropping three of its last four contests and coming straight off a two-game losing skid, the Goshen men’s soccer team responded with a much needed 2-1 win over Hanover College at the Goshen College Soccer Complex Saturday afternoon. Freshman Joel Miller ended a 1-1 tie with a header into the net at the 72nd minute mark, placing a cap on what head coach Tavi Mounsithiraj said had been a good week of practice.

“After losing two matches in a row, I felt that this match was very important for us,” Mounsithiraj said. “I was very pleased with today’s performance of our team. They have been working very hard to get back to winning.”

Goshen (7-4-1, 1-3-1) came out of the blocks strong against the Panthers, controlling possession of the ball that would lead to an 8-3 advantage in shots on goal for the day. The Leafs were able to convert on one of those attempts at the 28th minute, when freshman keeper Craig Welscott punted the ball nearly eighty yards downfield. Sophomore Josh Sprunger was able to corral the ball and beat two defenders before poking the ball past the keeper with his right foot. Hanover was able to respond, however, as the visiting squad snuck a shot past Welscott with just five minutes remaining in the half.

Urged at halftime to continue its strong possession, Goshen again controlled the game until the 72nd minute, when Miller was able to work his magic. His headed shot came off a Nate Shenk (senior) corner kick, as the Leafs also led in that category by a seven to two count.

“In the second half, I felt like we were again dominating play but we just kept missing shots,” Mounsithiraj said. “Lately we have had trouble finding someone to finish for us, and today Josh and Joel stepped up.”

And though the win is nice, Mounsithiraj said he hopes his squad plays even stronger on Tuesday, when the team will travel to Fort Wayne for a Mid-Central Conference match up with league-leading St. Francis.

“St. Francis is playing really well, and it will be a big challenge for our squad,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll be up to it.”

Match time is slated for 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

OCT. 7 — Leafs Can't Get Back On Track Against Huntington
Foresters don't outshoot Goshen but come up more efficient in 1-0 win

Freshman Craig Welscott

Huntington, IN — Despite dominating possession of the ball for most of the afternoon and outshooting Huntington College by a 9-5 count, the Goshen men’s soccer team suffered its third defeat in four games with a 1-0 loss at Huntington Tuesday. Save for a 2-2 tie at Mid-Central Conference foe Marian on Sept. 27, the Leafs have dropped their last three contests, leaving head coach Tavi Mounsithiraj eager to get back to winning.

“We just have to get back to playing the way we started out earlier in the season, playing for fun and playing to win,” Mounsithiraj said. “Everyone needs to step up and challenge each other.”

On Tuesday, Goshen (6-4-1, 1-3-1) started the match with several good looks at the goal, but couldn’t connect. Such was the case again at the start of a scoreless second half, with the Leafs controlling possession of the ball for the majority. Huntington was able to defend well, and at the 67th minute mark scored to take the lead. With 27 minutes remaining, Mounsithiraj was confident his team could respond, but it wasn’t to be. The Foresters were able to fend off a late Goshen flurry to escape with the 1-0 decision.

Freshman Craig Welscott recorded four saves in goal for the Leafs.

“I thought we played with a lot of confidence and we moved the ball well,” Mounsithiraj said. “We are playing really good soccer but just not getting the result that we want. This match hurt a little bit because we feel that we played well enough to earn the win on the road. But give credit to Huntington. They played really hard.”

Goshen will look to end the slide against a non-MCC opponent, when the team hosts Hanover Saturday. Match time is slated for 4 p.m.

SEPT. 30 — Grace Hands It To Stunned Goshen Squad
Leafs drop 6-0 decision to Lancers in worst loss of season

Goshen, IN — Facing Grace in its second home Mid-Central Conference match of the season Tuesday night, all seemed fairly normal for the Goshen College men’s soccer team early on. Goshen played the Lancers — who came into the match undefeated in MCC play — even for the first 40 minutes, controlling possession and limiting the Grace’s chances on offense. And though the Lancers were able to score with five minutes left in the first period, Goshen head coach Tavi Mounsithiraj still liked where his team was in the match.

“Being down one to nil at the half, I thought we were still in the game,” he said. “I thought we started the match quite well and with a lot of confidence, because Grace is a very good team. I told the team that if we were going to beat Grace then we needed to continue to play good defense.”

The second half was anything but what Mounsithiraj had hoped for.

Grace stormed out of halftime, scoring within the opening minute to make the count 2-0, Lancers. It only got worse from there, as the visiting team opened up a flurry of offense, scoring four more goals over the next 30 minutes of play. When the smoke cleared, Grace held a 6-0 advantage with just under 15 minutes remaining, as the Leafs (6-3-1, 1-2-1) had nothing left in the tank.

“That was the night for us,” Mounsithiraj said. “We just could not get anything going after being down six to nil. Grace is playing good soccer. I thought we could have played better but Grace did a good job of putting pressure on us on both sides of the ball.”

The 6-0 defeat was the most lopsided of the year for the Leafs, and also was the worst loss to Grace in school history. The Lancers are currently ranked second in the NAIA Region VIII poll and with the win, sit atop the MCC standings.

Goshen will have a week to recuperate, as the team will not be in action on its “open” date this Friday. Goshen will next travel to MCC foe Huntington on Tuesday. Match time is slated for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff.

SEPT. 27 — Leafs Mount Attack But Settle For Tie At Marian
Team puts together strong second half but can't get go-ahead score in 2-2 decision

Senior Jon Cook Freshman Joel Miller

Indianapolis, IN — A slow start was balanced evenly with a strong finish for the Goshen men’s soccer team Saturday, as the Leafs came away with a 2-2 double-overtime tie at Mid-Central Conference foe Marian. Goshen began the game in sluggish fashion, giving up a goal to the host Knights at just the 10th minute mark to set an early tone.

“Lately we have had trouble getting ourselves ready to play,” said Tavi Mounsithiraj, Goshen head coach. “That was again the case with Marian. We need to do a better job of getting ourselves ready both mentally and emotionally.”

Even with the allotted early score, Goshen came back to tie the match in the 26th minute as freshman Joel Miller was able to flick the ball into the net off a corner kick from junior Tom Stahly. The Leafs’ initial comeback was short lived, however, as Marian roared back almost instantly to score in the same minute to take a 2-1 lead.

“That (Marian goal) really killed our momentum in the first half,” Mounsithiraj said. “We made a mistake and they took advantage of it. As a team, we need to be more careful with the ball, especially in the backfield.

“At halftime I told the guys that we can’t allow any more goals and that we need to do a better job maintaining possession,” Mounsithiraj continued. “If we can do that, we can create more chances.”

Goshen (6-2-1, 1-1-1) stepped up to its coach’s wishes, allowing Marian just two shots on goal in the entire second period. The team also stepped up its offensive attack, generating its second score at the 36th minute when senior Jon Cook tapped in a shot off of classmate Nate Shenk’s pass. Shenk was able to maneuver the ball to the baseline before setting up Cook for the tying goal.

With the score tied 2-2, the Leafs were able to keep the Knight defense extremely busy, notching 15 shots on goal for the entire contest to Marian’s nine. Goshen had its best chance to end the game in the first overtime period, when senior Ben Metcalf took a corner kick and headed the ball to the goal, only to head it directly to the keeper. Both teams remained scoreless throughout both extra periods.

“This was a good result for us playing an away match against a very good Marian team,” Mounsithiraj said. “We’ve got to continue to play at a high level as our schedule gets no easier.”

The Leafs were without starting freshman defensive back Adam Yoder, who didn’t make the trip due to a family matter. Freshman Jesse Woodworth was inserted into the starting lineup as a result, earning praise from Mounsithiraj after the game.

“I was very pleased with the performance of Jesse Woodworth and Joel Miller,” Mounsithiraj said. “Woodworth was inserted into the starting lineup to help spark our offense and we moved Miller from central defender to outside defender. Miller was awesome on both ends of the field.”

Goshen will next host Grace, which remains undefeated in MCC play thus far. Match time will begin at approximately 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Goshen College Soccer Complex.

SEPT. 24 — Manchester Surprises Sluggish Goshen
Host Spartans take early lead and never look back in 1-0 defeat of Leafs

Sophomore Dan Adcock

North Manchester, IN — Riding high into North Manchester Wednesday afternoon on a three-game winning streak, the Goshen College men’s soccer team suffered a huge letdown with a 1-0 loss to the Manchester College Spartans. Manchester’s Tom Robinson was able to score the game’s only goal in just the 10th minute of the contest, and the Leafs could never mount much of an attack in the following 80 minutes. Goshen got just two shots on goal off for the entire match — one by senior Nate Shenk and the other by sophomore Dan Adcock — in the squad’s second loss of the year.

“I thought we were simply not ready to play this match, and giving up the early goal didn’t help either,” said a frustrated Tavi Mounsithiraj, Goshen head coach. “I give credit to Manchester for getting that early goal and playing good defense for the entire match. We just couldn’t get anything going offensively or defensively. Today, Manchester was simply one goal better than us.”

The loss moves the Leafs to 6-2 on the season, with a 1-1 record in Mid-Central Conference play. Goshen has an important two-game stretch approaching: The Leafs travel to MCC foe Marian Saturday and then return with a home match against Grace on Tuesday. Marian and Grace are two of three teams remaining undefeated in conference play thus far — St. Francis is the third.

“We have to get back and keep finding the way to improve as it is still a long season and it will not get any easier,” Mounsithiraj said. “Marian is unbeaten in the conference and they are playing some very good soccer.”

Goshen’s trip to Indianapolis on Saturday will be for a 2 p.m. match start time. The squad will then host Grace in a men-women double-header Tuesday, with the match beginning at approximately 7 p.m.

SEPT. 20 — Leafs Get Wesleyan-Monkey Off Back In 2-1 Win
Goshen redeems 2002 MCC Tournament loss with comeback triumph

Goshen, IN — From an emotional and psychological standpoint, Saturday night’s Mid-Central Conference match with Indiana Wesleyan weighed heavily on third-year Goshen head coach Tavi Mounsithiraj. For one, Mounsithiraj had yet to lead his team to victory over the Wildcats in his first two seasons at the helm of the program. For another, it was Indiana Wesleyan that knocked Goshen out of the MCC Tournament last season with a 5-0 blitzing after the 2002 regular-season match yielded a scoreless tie. And finally, Goshen was still looking for its first MCC win of the 2003 season, after dropping a tough 3-2 loss at Bethel earlier in the month.

With a come-from-behind, 2-1 victory at the Goshen College Soccer Complex Saturday night, Goshen stepped up to the challenge.

“This was a very big win for us tonight, a must win,” Mounsithiraj said. “We worked very hard for this win, and played just well enough to get it. I am proud of our guys. IWU is a very good club.”

Whether or not Mounsithiraj considered Wesleyan to be a monkey on his team’s collective back was insignificant, save for the fact that early on in Saturday’s match it appeared as if the streak of bad luck would continue for the Leafs. Sophomore Josh Sprunger and senior Jon Cook each had quality looks at the goal in the first half, but both shots hammered off the goal post to trickle harmlessly out of bounds. In the 37th minute of the period, Wesleyan was able to score on a close-range shot to make the score 1-0 heading into halftime.

“We could have easily been up two to nothing, but instead we went to the half down 1-0,” Mounsithiraj said. “That was disappointing and tough to handle. I told the guys that we must not allow any more goals if we wanted to win, that we needed to do better playing defense and attacking Wesleyan’s third of the field offensively.”

Goshen (6-1, 1-1) was able to do just that in the second half, as the squad’s defense stiffened and the attack became even more prevalent. In the 62nd minute, junior Tom Stahly took a direct kick from just outside the box only to have yet another shot hit the post. This time, however, senior Nate Shenk was in the right place, knocking in the tying goal off the put back.

Exactly 20 minutes later, it was the same combination scoring the go-ahead goal for the Leafs. Stahly’s corner kick at the 82nd minute found Shenk, who trapped the ball with his chest and rocketed a shot through traffic to give Goshen a 2-1 lead, its first MCC win of the year and thwart any monkey looking to hang on for another day.

“Nate was definitely ‘Johnny on the spot’ for us tonight,” Mounsithiraj said. “After his go-ahead goal, we were able to play solid defense for the remainder of the way and hang on. This was a great win for us.”

Mounsithiraj gave credit to his defense following the match, keeping Wesleyan at bay for most of the night despite a statistical advantage — eight shots, five corner kicks — over Goshen for the night. Mounsithiraj also noted that Sprunger got the offense rolling, despite not being able to score his fifth goal in as many games.

“Josh was very busy with the ball up front as he was drawing a double team whenever he touched it,” Mounsithiraj said. “He created the room for others to have looks.”

Goshen will return to play on Wednesday, when the team will travel to Manchester. Game time is slated for a 4 p.m. start.

SEPT. 18 — Goshen Makes Easy Work Of Davenport, 4-0
Leafs' patient, consistent play wears down visiting Panthers

Must be the Tavi: Members of Goshen’s student body don masks of Tavi and Thavisith Mounsithiraj, head coaches of the men’s and women’s soccer teams, during the men’s match with Davenport Thursday night. The masks were handed out by athletic trainer Bill Kinsey to promote the first men-women double-header of the year.

Keep-away: Senior Nate Shenk gets crafty on two Davenport defenders in the second half of Thursday night’s match.

Goshen, IN — Playing in its first men-women double-header of the season, the Goshen men’s soccer team picked up where the women left off in a 4-0 defeat of visiting Davenport University. The Leafs took the field after their female counterparts laid a 9-1 thrashing on the Panthers, and sent the Goshen fans home feeling happy with a convincing, steady win.

“I thought we struggled a little bit in the beginning of the match, as Davenport came out and put pressure on us right away,” said Tavi Mounsithiraj, Goshen head coach. “It seemed to me that we just couldn’t get into the rhythm and Davenport did a good job of not letting us turn with the ball. Once we settled down and started being more patient, we were able to create chances to score.”

Goshen (5-1, 0-1) started to get those chances in the 25th minute, where sophomore Josh Sprunger chased down a loose ball off a corner kick and rocketed a shot into the net to give the Leafs a 1-0 lead. Just eight minutes into the second period Sprunger was at it again, this time chasing down a long punt from freshman keeper Craig Welscott and distancing himself from pursuing defenders to slip a shot past the goalie for a 2-0 advantage.

Goshen continued to keep the pressure on Davenport throughout the second half, a facet that Mounsithiraj said his team didn’t do nearly as well in the first. Eventually, the pressure wore on the Panthers, as in the 78th minute senior Nate Shenk received a through pass from sophomore Nick Loewen and out-maneuvered both the defenders and the keeper for an easy tap in. For good measure, junior Jon Cook was able to score late off a nifty pass from junior John Mashala, who was making his first varsity appearance of the season.

“This was a great effort for the team to get this win,” Mounsithiraj said. “Davenport played us hard and did well handling the pressure. I thought our defensive team did a great job getting our third shutout of the season.”

Goshen will return to Mid-Central Conference play on Saturday, when the team will host Indiana Wesleyan. Wesleyan knocked Goshen out of the MCC Tournament last season with a 5-0 win over the Leafs. Saturday’s match is slated to begin at 7 p.m.

SEPT. 13 — Team Opens Up 10-0 Haymaker On Grace Bible
Seven first half goals pave way for new-look Leafs' rout of Tigers

Goshen, IN — Light blue jerseys turned out to be much more than a fashion statement for the Goshen College men’s soccer team Friday night, as the team pummeled visiting Grace Bible by a 10-0 score. The Leafs got off to a 7-0 halftime lead and never looked back, giving a rowdy student-body crowd plenty to cheer about.

“Last year we went up to Grand Rapids and tied Grace Bible by a score of 1-1,” said Tavi Mounsithiraj, Goshen head coach. “We were lucky to get a tie last year with them. This year, we were fortunate to get up early and take care of business. Grace Bible is a very young team and they lost a lot of their players from last season.”

Goshen (4-1, 0-1) received first half scores from junior Tom Stahly (11th minute, unassisted and 12th minute, assist from sophomore Josh Sprunger), freshman Joel Miller (13th minute, assist from freshman Jesse Woodworth), senior Ben Steininger (14th minute, unassisted), freshman Jesse Johnson (28th minute, unassisted and 43rd minute, assist from freshman Rueben Yoder) and Rueben Yoder (30th minute, unassisted). The Leafs could only convert on a mere three goals in the second period, with sophomore Nick Loween (60th minute, assist from freshman Ashe Abebe), junior Kyle Yoder (67th minute, penalty kick) and senior Dan Charles (90th minute, assist from junior Pete Nyce) all placing shots in goal.

“It was nice to score goals like this and defensively we were never in real danger,” Mounsithiraj said. “This game gave us a chance to give our regular starters a break and use several new players.”

Friday’s win and score production tied for the fifth most goals scored in a game in school history. Goshen also scored 10 goals in wins against Bethel in 1977 (10-0) and St. Francis in 1971 (10-1). The team record for goals scored is 16, coming against St. Francis in both 1973 and 1974 (16-1 and 16-0 wins). Goshen also paid homage to the 1974 team with its light blue jerseys and navy blue shorts Friday night, the same color scheme the 1974 Leafs wore. Goshen broke out the new threads earlier in the year in its season opener at Earlham on Aug. 30. Friday was the first time this year’s Leafs squad had worn the alternate uniforms at home, however.

Goshen will next host Davenport University in a men’s-women’s doubleheader. The women’s game is slated for a 5 p.m. start, with the men’s game beginning at the conclusion of that contest. Men’s kick off time should begin at approximately 7 p.m.

SEPT. 9 — Goshen Comes Up Just Short At #14 Bethel
Leafs can't hold on to halftime lead and drop first match of season, 3-2

Junior Nick Yoder Sophomore Josh Sprunger

Mishawaka, IN — Attempting to keep its perfect season in tact and give Bethel its first Mid-Central Conference loss in four seasons, the Goshen men’s soccer team came up just short of that goal Tuesday night, dropping a 3-2 decision to the 14th nationally ranked Pilots.

“I thought we played about as well as we are capable of tonight,” said Tavi Mounsithiraj, Goshen head coach. “Bethel College is a very good team with great individual players and deserves to be ranked in the NAIA Top 20. I thought the match was an even match, although Bethel had better possession of the ball throughout.”

It was Goshen (3-1, 0-1) that struck first, however, as the Leafs put on a flurry of an attack early in the match. Junior Tom Stahly received a through ball from the right side and rocketed a shot that ricocheted off the post to the feet of sophomore Dan Adcock. Adcock’s shot was just off the mark, and Bethel avoided trailing. Such was not the case a few minutes later, where at the 35th minute mark freshman Jesse Woodworth passed the ball into the box and sophomore Josh Sprunger headed the ball toward the goal. The Pilot keeper was able to get a hand on it but couldn’t hang on, and junior Nick Yoder was able to blast the ball into the net giving Goshen a 1-0 lead.

The Leafs took the lead into the break, but Bethel responded quickly at the outset of the second. Just five minutes into the stanza, the host Pilots were able to score a tying goal off a loose ball in front of the Leaf goal. On the ensuing kick off, senior Nate Shenk was able to spread to Pilot defenders and passed the ball to Sprunger, who unloaded a rocket into the top of the net from 35 yards out to give Goshen the lead back, 2-1.

“Josh’s goal was the best goal that I have seen by a Goshen College player in years,” Mounsithiraj said.

Even with the 2-1 advantage, it was not enough to hold of the talented Pilots. A rebound shot at the 63rd minute and a 20-yard strike in the 66th minute gave the lead back to Bethel, and while Goshen was able to push for an attack late, the team couldn’t convert.

“Overall as a team, I thought we played really well,” Mounsithiraj concluded. “We will learn from this experience, move on and get ready for our next match. Tonight we lost to a very good squad.”

Goshen will return to action Friday evening, when the team will host Grace Bible College. Kick off is slated for a 7 p.m. start.

SEPT. 6 — Squad Stays Undefeated With 3-2 Win Over Saints
Sprunger's counter-punch dooms Siena Heights in second half

Speed on the outside: Sophomore Dan Adcock makes a push down field against Siena Heights’ Kevin Shear in the first half of Saturday night’s match.

Positive feedback: Members of the capacity student-body crowd react to sophomore Josh Sprunger’s go-ahead goal with 20 minutes remaining in Saturday night’s game against Siena Heights.

Goshen, IN — In the end for Siena Heights, scoring a second half game-tying goal might have been what ruined any chance for a win against Goshen on Saturday evening. For just thirty seconds later, the Leafs were able to catch the visitors asleep en route to what would be the game-winning score.

“It’s funny how the game is sometimes,” said Tavi Mounsithiraj, Goshen head coach. “Good teams find a way to score goals when they need them. Both teams did that tonight.”

After trailing by a 1-2 score with 20 minutes remaining in regulation, Siena Heights’ Brandon Smith scored his second goal of the evening, locking the score at 2-2 and quieting the deafening student-body crowd at the Goshen Soccer Complex in the process. Mere moments after receiving the ball in the center circle, however, Goshen was pushing the ball downfield as the Saints attempted to recover. Their efforts were futile — sophomore Josh Sprunger chased down a high ball on top of the box and somehow placed a shot through three defenders and a goalkeeper for the final score of the game.

“I’m not sure how Josh was able to score that goal, but he did,” Mounsithiraj said. “The team stepped up and played hard the remainder of the match to get the all-important victory.”

With the win, Goshen (3-0, 0-0) stays undefeated on the year heading into perhaps its biggest regular season match of the season with arch Mid-Central Conference rival and currently nationally ranked sixth Bethel Pilots on Tuesday.

“The match against Siena Heights was a tough, tough win for us,” Mounsithiraj said. “They are a very good team and this win truly was a team effort.”

The Leafs came out of the gates somewhat slowly, as Mounsithiraj called the first 10 minutes of the game “dominated by Siena Heights.” His squad responded, however, as junior Tom Stahly was able to control a pass from sophomore Nick Loewen at the 17th minute and rocketed a shot past the keeper as he streaked down the right side of the box. Just four minutes later, however, it was Smith who scored his first goal of the night for the Saints off a headed corner kick to tie the game.

Both teams continued the remainder of the first half pushing for possession, with neither team getting a serious threat mounted on the opposition’s goal until the final five minutes. It was at that point that senior Jon Cook received a no-look pass from Sprunger just inside the box. As he fought off defenders, Cook was able to connect on his first goal of the season to give the Leafs a 2-1 advantage at the half.

And while 45 minutes was allotted for the second period, Siena Heights and Goshen only needed 30 seconds to finish their respective business. Smith’s goal and Sprunger’s retaliation at the 70th minute mark sealed the deal for Goshen.

“Overall as a team we are improving,” Mounsithiraj said. “We have a lot of work ahead of us. We’ll continue to train hard and have fun doing it.”

Goshen will next travel to #6 Bethel, a team that has not been beaten in MCC play for the past four seasons. Match time is slated for a 7 p.m. start Tuesday evening.

SEPT. 3 — Goshen Takes Care Of Tri-State In Regulation
Squad ends streak of overtime thrillers with Thunder; capture 2-1 decision

Not today: Sophomore Josh Sprunger maneuvers the ball away from an ensuing Tri-State defender in the second half of Wednesday night’s game.

Physicality: Senior Ben Steininger does his best to control possession with a Tri-State player draped on him. Goshen head coach Tavi Mounsithiraj said the game was one of the more physical ones he’s seen at this level.

Goshen, IN — In each of the past two seasons, Goshen has defeated Tri-State in sudden-death overtime. On Wednesday night at the Goshen College Soccer Complex, the Leafs made it a little easier on themselves.

In front of a capacity crowd in the squad’s home opener, Goshen needed only regulation time to defeat Tri-State by a 2-1 count, moving the team to a perfect 2-0 on the season even without playing its best soccer.

“Tonight’s game was very ugly,” said Tavi Mounsithiraj, Goshen head coach. “Both teams played somewhat sloppy with lots of through balls. Overall, I thought we could do a better job passing the ball, but it is a long season and we will get back to training and keep working. We’re happy to get the win, but we still need to improve.”

The contest started with both teams playing very physical, as several fouls were called in the first half along with one yellow card distributed to a Tri-State player. Not finding much of a flow on offense, the Leafs gladly accepted what appeared to be a gift of a goal at the 22nd minute mark. Junior Tom Stahly — who ironically was celebrating his 21st birthday— took a direct kick from about 35 yards straight out, and made what Mounsithiraj called “an innocent pass into the box.” Somehow, the ball found the back of the net as it skipped by several players on both teams.

Goshen (2-0, 0-0) would eventually give that score back before the half, however, as a defensive misfeed led to Tri-State’s Sam Lwanga scoring the tying goal just seven minutes before the intermission.

“I told the guys at halftime, maybe we didn’t deserve Tom’s goal, but now we have given it back,” Mounsithiraj said. “We’re even now, so let’s go out and play our game.”

In the second half, Goshen was able to keep possession more effectively, but the physical play began to wear on the team. While there were no physical altercations between the squads, several verbal exchanges led to a heated second period atmosphere.

“I thought the match was a little physical on both sides,” Mounsithiraj said. “The referee let a lot of things go too easily. That made it hard for us to play our possession game. Tri-State is a very physical team and they really worked hard to win a lot of loose balls.”

And while the game might have been played with a high level of contact, Goshen’s go-ahead score came in an open field. With just 10 minutes remaining on the clock, freshman Joel Miller was able to secure a loose ball and touched it to sophomore Dan Adcock. Adcock found himself one on one with the keeper and rocketed a shot into the net, scoring his first goal as a collegian. The Leafs were able to play a strong defensive final 10 minutes of the game, as Tri-State never had a truly legitimate look at the goal late.

“Tonight was a good learning experience for us,” Mounsithiraj said. “We had several players step up and play well for us in situations, and again (freshman) Craig Welscott was solid for us in goal. We were able to use a lot of our younger players tonight as well. I thought (freshmen) Jesse Woodworth and Nate Gautche did a good job for us coming in as substitutes.”

Goshen will be at home again on Saturday, when the team hosts Siena Heights. Match time is slated for a 6 p.m. start.

AUG. 30 — Leafs Start Season With Dramatic Win At Earlham
Shenk's final-minute score propels Goshen to heart-pounding 1-0 victory

Senior Nate Shenk Freshman Craig Welscott

Richmond, IN — In two seasons as the head coach of the Goshen College men’s soccer program, Tavi Mounsithiraj has guided his team to improvements, winning three games in his first season to recording eight wins last year. He has also found a knack for drama.

In the latest installment of what is becoming a cardiac team, the Leafs opened the 2003 season with a just-in-time 1-0 decision over host Earlham Saturday in front of a raucous Quaker crowd. After competing to a scoreless tie through 89 full minutes of play, senior Nate Shenk was able to drill a shot in the upper right corner of the goal with just 40 seconds remaining in regulation to seal the win for Goshen.

Shenk’s score came after Mounsithiraj had begun substituting players in prepping for the extra stanza, but the exuberant head coach said he didn’t mind.

“I thought we were heading to an overtime for sure, but somehow Nate was able to rocket the ball in the net from just outside the 18-yard box,” Mounsithiraj said. “Playing this match as our season opener was not something that I was looking forward to as a coach. First there was the three and a half hour trip; second was the fact that Earlham is a very good soccer team. And third, there was last year’s game giving them some added incentive.”

Just one year ago it was Shenk who scored the game’s only goal on Goshen’s only shot on goal to give the Leafs a 1-0 win. Amazingly, Shenk was able to recreate the same outcome on Saturday.

Shenk’s dramatics wouldn’t have had a chance to happen if it wasn’t for the team’s outstanding defensive effort, however. The Leafs successfully defended four aggressive Quaker shots on goal throughout the match, two of which were dangerously close to going in. Freshman goalkeeper Craig Welscott was commended by his coach following the match, as were his defensive teammates.

“Earlham had two very good shots on goal, one which hit the post and another which Craig had to fully stretch to get his fingers on it to redirect it out of the net,” Mounsithiraj said. “Our defensive team of (seniors) Jon Bontrager, Ben Metcalf, John Weldy, (juniors) Kyle Yoder, Nick Yoder, (freshmen) Adam Yoder and Craig Welscott were awesome in our first shut out. (Freshman) Joel Miller was outstanding in his first match as a starter, and (freshman) Jesse Woodworth gave us good minutes creating several chances for others.”

Goshen (1-0, 0-0) had several chances to score throughout the match, but Earlham defended equally as well. Junior Tom Stahly had a great look at the goal early in the second half off a feed from sophomore Josh Sprunger, but Earlham’s keeper was able to fend the shot away. Shenk was finally able to score and end the game off a pass from sophomore Dan Adcock.

“Overall, I was very pleased with our team’s performance,” Mounsithiraj said. “We controlled the pace of the match and maintained possession as well as we could for the first match of the season. All we can do now is keep improving.”

The drama continues for the Leafs, however, as the team will host Tri-State in its home opener Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. Goshen has defeated the Thunder in sudden death overtime games in each of the past two seasons.

JUL. 18 — Recruiting Class Gets Even Stronger With Yoder
Standout Goshen High Schooler elects to stay near home for college

Adam Yoder

Goshen, IN — Further strengthening an already strong recruiting class for the 2003 season, Goshen head coach Tavi Mounsithiraj announced the addition of Goshen High School standout Adam Yoder to his list of committed athletes on Friday. Yoder brings even more skill to a talented group of incoming freshmen, one that Mounsithiraj hopes can help better the team’s 2002 mark of 8-9-2.

“This is an exciting time for us to have Adam Yoder coming to Goshen College and to play soccer on our side,” Mounsithiraj said. “Adam is such a great all around player with good speed and instinct for the game. I am so happy that Adam decided to come to Goshen.”

Yoder, a three-year varsity starter for Goshen High School at the sweeper position, will join his older brother Kyle on the Leafs squad, a trait that Mounsithiraj is even more excited about.

“Kyle, a junior-to-be defender, is a good player for us right now,” Mounsithiraj said. “Watching both him and Adam play together will be fun for me and their parents I’m sure.”