Harrisonburg, VA — The long bus-ride back home allowed Goshen College head men’s soccer coach Tavi Mounsithiraj time to sit back and reflect on the weekend — a two-game in two-day jaunt that resulted in a 1-0 loss to arch-rival Eastern Mennonite University and a 3-1 win over Bridgewater College.

Reasonably, Mounsithiraj’s thoughts were conflicting.

“I was proud of the way our players responded to this trip,” Mounsithiraj said on Monday following the weekend. “Hopefully this type of thing helps us prepare for our conference play in a week or so. I thought we were competitive with EMU and that the match could have gone to either side. Saturday EMU was just a little bit better on the score line and did whatever it took to win a home match.”

A 10-hour bus ride on Friday was a precursor to a frenzied stage at EMU’s Turf Field Saturday night, as an estimated 1,600 fans packed the stands for the latest chapter in the sister-institution rivalry. It did not take long for those fans to be put in a greater state of furor, as Eastern Mennonite’s Jared Byler scored what would be the only goal of the evening at the game’s 10-minute mark.

“Traveling to play EMU in Harrisonburg was something we wanted to do as a team,” Mounsithiraj said. “To play a good club like EMU on their home turf, with 95 percent of the fans supporting EMU, the 10-hour trip, sleeping in a hotel bed, it all was an experience we wanted. Unfortunately, it all added up to a 1-nil score in favor of EMU.”

Goshen (4-4, 0-0) eventually settled in to play quality soccer, but the host Royals’ lone score loomed ominously on the scoreboard despite the Leafs’ improved play. Despite finishing the match with a three to two lead in corner kicks and a seven to five advantage in shots on goal, Mounsithiraj’s team struggled to come up with an equalizer.

“In the second half we really were in the attacking mode,” Mounsithiraj said. “The EMU defenders rose to the occasion. They were able to deny whatever through ball we threw their way.”

The Leafs had a pair of opportunities to tie the score, perhaps none better than senior Eric Bixler’s midway through the second period. Bixler beat several defenders on the touch line and slotted the ball back inside the six-yard box with extreme precision. Again, Eastern Mennonite’s defensive unit came through, clearing the ball over the fence setting up a Leafs’ corner kick attempt.

Goshen’s final opportunity came in the waning moments, as freshman Nick Good nearly stunned the raucous crowd in a major way: After junior Tony Janzen broke through the pack and lobbed the ball over the head of the EMU keeper, Good was there for an easy tap in. To the dismay of the entire Goshen contingent, Good misjudged the bounce on the new turf field, allowing the ball to roll harmlessly off the end line.

“As badly as we wanted to win this match, our trip here was not just to play EMU but also for our players that we recruited from the area to be able to play in front of their friends and families,” Mounsithiraj said. “That is a very important part of our recruiting philosophy.”

Sunday’s match against Bridgewater College — a team picked to finish ahead of EMU in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference pre-season poll — was another reason Goshen made the trip, and things appeared to be headed the wrong way from the match’s outset. Senior and two-time Mid-Central Conference Defensive Player of the Year Joel Miller was knocked out of the match just moments in, needing six stitches to repair a gash on the top of his head after a scary collision with a Bridgewater player. While Miller was later said to be okay following the match, Mounsithiraj had to figure out a way to win without one of – arguably – the greatest players in Goshen College soccer history on the field.

“I didn’t know what to expect from our side after playing last night against a very good EMU side, but after Joel got cut on the top of his head I really didn’t know what to think,” Mounsithiraj said. “Thankfully, (freshman) Kyle Stiffney really stepped up and did a great job in the reserve role.”

Stiffney’s job was made easier thanks to a relative offensive explosion from his teammates, as the Leafs got the scoring going early against the Eagles — the neutral game was played on EMU’s Turf Field. Janzen started the trend by heading home a beautiful cross from sophomore Cody Felton in the game’s 24th minute, allowing Goshen a 1-0 lead at the half. Using an attack by committee approach in the second period, it was senior Ashe Abebe who charted his first score of the season at the 49th minute, tapping in a sweet relay that started with junior Nate Montiel and had senior Jesse Woodworth in the middle.

“We wanted to give some of our starters a break at the start of the second half, and our reserves responded,” Mounsithiraj said. “(The first goal of the second half) was great because we had several players involved. Nate had a great pass to Jesse, who touched the ball inside the box for an easy tap-in for Ashe.”

With the Leafs now feasting on Bridgewater’s efforts to push up for needed scores, Goshen scored again, this time with Janzen heading in a Felton corner kick with just 10 minutes remaining. On the afternoon, Goshen recorded five corner kicks, out-shooting the Eagles by a 10 to seven count.

“We did a good job of keeping possession and creating chances against BC, still not perfect but better,” Mounsithiraj said. “We were able to get a lot of our young guys some valuable minutes, and I was pleased to see the first-year players come in and adjust well to the college game.”

Mounsithiraj returns his team to the Goshen College Soccer Complex for its next two games, as the squad will host Manchester College on Tuesday night and open MCC play Saturday against the University of St. Francis. Tuesday night’s contest is set for an approximate 8 p.m. start time — that match will follow a 6 p.m. women’s contest against Huntington University. The Leafs’ men will open their conference slate on Saturday at 7 p.m. for a match-up with the Cougars of St. Francis.