Bluffton, OH — If there was any question as to just how badly the Goshen College women’s soccer team wanted its first win of the season, one needed to look no further than Saturday’s post-game handshakes.

With high heat and humidity making the affair at Bluffton University tedious at best, Goshen (1-3, 0-0) willed itself to a 1-0 double-overtime win against its sister institution, with various players suffering from symptoms of heat exhaustion at the conclusion.

The win — and the lone goal — was the Leafs’ first of the season, though head coach Thavisith Mounsithiraj said it wasn’t pretty.

“Today was a tough day for us,” Mounsithiraj said. “We did not play as well as we could have and therefore put ourselves in a tough position to win the game. We did not come out and set the tone from the beginning of the game. Thankfully we were able to come away with the win late in the second overtime period.”

Goshen’s lack of resolve early allowed the host Beavers — still looking for their first win of the young season — to stay close, as the teams traded possession and shots on goal throughout the first 45 minutes of play. Sophomore Emmy Gibson and freshman Kaylee Pichardo provided Goshen’s best offensive chances up front — the pair combined for four shots on Bluffton’s goal in the first half — but none found the back of the net.

More of the same charted the beginning of the second period, as neither team could make much of a push toward the others’ 18-yard box. Sophomore Amy Clem came up with all four of Goshen’s saves on the afternoon, playing all but the overtime periods in goal. (Gibson moved to the keeper position in the overtime periods; Clem moved to a defender role.)

Saturday’s heat and humidity then began to play a factor for both teams, as players began raising their arms at a quickening rate — signals requesting substitutions. Freshman stopper Liz Nafziger had to be treated following the second period for vomiting and temporary loss of sensation in her extremities, signs of dehydration and heat exhaustion. After rehydrating and resting, Nafziger was said to be fine by Mounsithiraj and Bluffton athletic trainers.

Perhaps a less temporary blow to the Leafs’ hopes came midway through the second half, when junior Lucy Roth suffered a sprained ankle while attempting to collect a ball. She did not return to play following her injury, while Goshen College athletic trainers are calling her status “day to day.”

With the match turning into a game of attrition in the extra periods, it was the combination of Pichardo and classmate Alison Gotwals that ended the marathon. Pichardo dribbled downfield at the 107th minute-mark and found Gotwals near the goal mouth, feeding a nifty pass to the midfielder. Gotwals sent a nice shot over the Bluffton goalkeeper’s head and into the upper right hand corner of the goal, ending the match in the process.

“We know what we need to work on and we will continue to do that,” Mounsithiraj said. “I am happy with our progress at this point in the season and now we need to become more consistent game to game. Even though we did not play as well as we could have it was nice to get our first win. I hope we can build on that and continue to progress as the season goes along.”

Goshen will not have long to prepare for its next opponent, and could possibly be without Roth. That is not good news for the program, as the team will travel to 2005 NCCAA National Champion and currently-ranked 22nd Trinity Christian College on Tuesday. Match time is set for 4 p.m.

“Now we have to focus on our next game which will be a very tough one,” Mounsithiraj said. “Trinity Christian College won the NCCAA National Championship last year and returns several players from that team. We will work on some things Monday and then head there on Tuesday and see what improvements we can make.”