Grand Rapids, MI — The bottom line may not reveal it, but the Goshen College women’s soccer team is rapidly improving.

Despite the fact that the team is scoreless in its first three contests of the season, the Leafs have significantly bettered play from the season-opening 0-6 loss to Judson College – the latest example being a 0-1 overtime loss at Cornerstone University Wednesday afternoon. After holding the Golden Eagles scoreless through 90 minutes of regulation soccer and four minutes of overtime, Goshen (0-3, 0-0) could not withstand a late Cornerstone push that equated into the lone goal of the match.

“Cornerstone is a very strong and skillful team which we knew coming in,” said Thavisith Mounsithiraj, Goshen head coach. “One thing we wanted to do from the beginning was establish an organized defensive scheme and also come out intense. Our defensive unit had a good game in which they were persistent in pressuring (Cornerstone’s) attack. Cornerstone was able to get quality looks at our goal, but our pressure caused them to miss.”

The Golden Eagles, which opened 2006 receiving votes in the NAIA Top 25 pre-season poll, dominated possession from the outset Wednesday, eventually tacking 16 shots onto the Leafs’ goal. Goshen’s defense persisted, however, led by senior captain Hannah Eash and a goalie-by-committee routine of sophomore Emmy Gibson in the first half and classmate Amy Clem in the second. The Leafs maintained a scoreless tie thanks to some incredible stops by various players – the fist half’s most notable coming from Eash, who raced into the goal mouth to deflect a misplayed ball by Gibson midway through the period. For fans in attendance, it looked to be a certain Golden Eagle score.

“Our defensive unit led by Hannah Eash really stepped up tonight,” Mounsithiraj said. “That group also included Amy Clem, (freshman) Liz Nafziger, (freshman) Allison Yoder and Emmy Gibson in goal during the first half. We made a couple changes in the second half with Amy Clem moving to goalkeeper and (senior) Mary Jo Martin coming back as an outside defender.”

Gibson’s move from keeper to forward in the second half nearly paid off in the form of a goal scored, as Gibson put a nifty move after receiving a pass to get a good look at the goal midway through the stanza. An even better defensive play by Cornerstone thwarted the effort. Freshman Kaylee Pichardo provided the Leafs with perhaps their best opportunity to put a number on the board, as the Cornerstone keeper mishandled a ball that came back to Pichardo’s chest on the ricochet. With a one-on-one opportunity, Pichardo fired a rocket after settling the ball. Unfortunately it was directly back to the Cornerstone goalkeeper.

It was Clem, however, that single-handedly forced the game into overtime, as Cornerstone had another sure-fire score with 2:30 remaining in regulation. Firing from point-blank range, Clem somehow extended fully to block a laser from a Golden Eagle forward, knocking the ball to the ground and pouncing on it as some Cornerstone players began to celebrate downfield thinking the ball had certainly gone in.

Eventually the law of averages caught up with the Leafs, as in the 94th minute Cornerstone’s persistent attack finally paid off. A beautiful cross from the right side of the field put the Leafs’ defense at a severe disadvantage, and the Golden Eagles’ Jaren Soule was able to volley the ball past Clem to end the match.

“I am very proud of our effort tonight,” Mounsithiraj said. “I feel like our girls left everything on the field and competed against a very talented and well-coached team that Coach (Randy) Strawser has put together. We put some people in different places again tonight which allowed us to contain their speed for much of the game. We are improving each time out.”

In addition to firing 13 shots on goal compared to Goshen’s three, Cornerstone took an incredible 16 corner kicks to the Leafs’ one. Of the Leafs’ 12 saves in goal, four were credited to Gibson and eight to Clem. Play was halted midway through the first half due to lightning. Game officials declared conditions safe enough to resume play after a 35-minute hiatus.

Goshen will next travel to sister institution Bluffton University for a men’s-women’s double-header on Saturday. Match time for the women’s competition is set for 2 p.m. The Beavers’ and Leafs’ men’s squads will meet up immediately following that contest at approximately 4 p.m.