NOV. 16 — Magical Season Ends For Leafs In MCC Final Four
Goshen gets to conference semi-finals for first time, but can't get past #18 Indiana Wesleyan

Passing well: Freshman Anna Herdeck gets one of her 11 digs against Indiana Wesleyan Saturday morning. Herdeck led the Leafs in kills for the match, collecting nine in the 0-3 loss to the Wildcats.

Above the block: Junior Catie Froese slams one of her four kills past the attempted block of Indiana Wesleyan. Goshen found it tough to generate offense against the 18th-ranked Wildcats, as the Leafs could only garner 26 team kills on the morning.

Marion, IN — After an incredible year that saw the Goshen volleyball team combat adversity and exceed expectations for the entire season, the Leafs lost to 18th-ranked Indiana Wesleyan in the Mid-Central Collegiate Conference semi-finals Saturday morning. The Wildcats downed Goshen — making its first-ever appearance in the MCC Final Four since joining the league in 1992 — by a 24-30, 10-30, 17-30 count, ending the Leafs’ season.

“I’m very proud of our kids and what they’ve been able to accomplish this season,” said Kent Nafziger, Goshen head coach, following Saturday’s match. “We have had a lot of fun together this season. Winning has been a by-product of how well we have played together as a team.”

Goshen finishes the season with an overall record of 23-12, the best mark since the 1990 season when the Leafs finished 23-13 under coach Sue Roth. Making this season’s results even more commendable were injuries to key players: Starting sophomore middle hitter Mindy DeVito took a medical redshirt after tearing the ACL in her right knee just before the start of the season, while junior Erica Willems missed the entire year due to bi-lateral shoulder instability. Add on senior Alyssa Beck’s late-season severe ankle sprain (which caused her to miss three matches and return less than 100 percent healthy for the conference tournament), and what Nafziger’s squad was able to accomplish this year seems even more improbable.

For the MCC semi-finals, Goshen’s road was difficult before even arriving to Indiana Wesleyan. After defeating Marian in the first round on Thursday night 30-25, 24-30, 30-23, 30-28, the Leafs learned that they would not only have to play MCC number one seed Wesleyan at their campus in the semi-finals, but that the match would be at 10 a.m., forcing the squad to leave from Goshen at 6:30 a.m. Saturday morning.
Despite the early departure, the Leafs began the match in amazing fashion, playing very well according to Nafziger. Goshen actually led the first game halfway through, but Wesleyan turned it up a notch, carrying that momentum over into Games 2 and 3.

“We had a great first game and played incredible defense,” Nafziger said. “IWU got into their offense and pulled ahead at the end. We struggled to pass in the second and third games and IWU’s powerful offense got the best of us. They are a very talented team and deserve their number 18 national ranking.”

Goshen was led on the day by freshman Anna Herdeck’s nine kills and 11 digs. Junior DeeDee Martin finished with seven kills and 10 digs, to go along with two aces and a 12 for 12 serving performance. Junior Valerie Amstutz had a team-high 12 digs, while sophomore Julia Deter was five for five from the serving line. Junior Kristi Miller finished the semi-final match with 23 assists and nine digs. She also had one ace.

At the conclusion of the day, both Martin and Miller were recognized for their outstanding regular-season conference play with MCC All-Conference Awards: Martin was selected to the first team while Miller was a second-team member.

Statistically among all conference players, Martin finished second in kills per game (4.07), second in digs per game (5.35), fourth in aces per game (0.55), sixth in passing (93.14 percent), 12th in hitting percentage (22.5 percent) and 13th in serving percentage (93.47 percent). Miller finished third in assists per game (10.21), fifth in aces per game (0.54), 10th in serving percentage (94.8 percent) and 18th in digs per game (2.99) among all conference players.

“DeeDee has been a solid player for us all year, leading the team in kills, digs and service aces,” Nafziger said. “She was a unanimous choice for first team honors. Kristi has done an amazing job of running our offense and leading the team as a captain this year. So much of our success is due to her leadership.”

Indiana Wesleyan eventually took the MCC Championship, defeating second-seeded Taylor in the final round. Goshen will look to build upon its success next year, though the Leafs will lose two seniors in Beck and Kristin Rusk.

“Again, I’m so proud of our kids,” Nafziger said. “Our seniors, Alyssa Beck and Kristin Rusk, have been great leaders for us and will be missed next year.”

To view MCC Tournament scores and results, click here. To contact Goshen head coach Kent Nafziger, click here. Check back to this site for the latest in recruiting news surrounding Goshen College volleyball.

NOV. 14 — Program Gets Historic Win In MCC Tournament
Victory at Marian marks first time Leafs have advanced to semi-finals since joining MCC in 1992

Back in the lineup: Returning from what looked to be a season-ending ankle injury on Oct. 29, senior Alyssa Beck pounds one of her 10 kills out against Marian Thursday night. Goshen head coach Kent Nafziger said Beck’s play gave the team a “physical and mental lift,” as Beck also tallied 14 digs on the night.

Hang time: Freshman Anna Herdeck uncoils one of a team-high 21 kills against Marian. Herdeck flourised from the outside hitting position, also digging 12 balls and going 16 for 16 in service during Goshen’s 3-1 win over the Knights.

Indianapolis, IN — For the first time since the Goshen College volleyball team has been a member of the Mid-Central Collegiate Conference, the Leafs have advanced to the conference tournament semi-finals.

Goshen’s 30-25, 24-30, 30-23, 30-28 first-round victory over host Marian Thursday night punched the Leafs’ ticket to Indiana Wesleyan on Saturday, where the team will take on the host Wildcats at 10 a.m. The 3-1 win over the Knights marks the first time Goshen has moved to that plateau since joining the MCC in 1992.

“I was impressed with the confidence we played with tonight,” said Kent Nafziger, Goshen head coach. “Marian is a very good team and played well tonight. I was happy with the way we worked together. We kept up our communication and played with fundamentals to get us through the momentum shifts.”

Goshen (23-11), seeded fifth for the tournament with a regular-season conference record of 3-4, began playing well early Thursday night. The squad did have a scary moment midway through the first game, as junior DeeDee Martin took a hard-driven ball to her nose. Bleeding profusely, Martin had to come out of the game to receive treatment and change her blood-soaked jersey. Despite losing their season leading kill-getter momentarily, the Leafs took the first stanza by the 30-25 count.

“We could have had a let down when there was a stoppage of play when DeeDee took the shot to the nose,” Nafziger said. “We stayed up, though, as (sophomore) Ashley Sider came in and played with a lot of composure.”

With Martin returning to the mix with a gauze-packed nasal cavity, Goshen lost some of its momentum. As Marian pulled to a 17-14 lead in Game 2, Goshen couldn’t respond.

“We made some runs at them, but it wasn’t enough (in the second game),” Nafziger said. “We made too many errors and didn’t play with fundamentals.”

The Leafs answered with a better effort in the third game, picking up the defense and executing much quicker on offense. The 30-23 third game win was Goshen’s largest margin of victory over Marian for the entire season, as the Leafs split with the Knights during the regular season, losing at the Marian Tri on Sept. 21 (27-30, 26-30, 18-30) while defeating the Knights at home on Oct. 15 (30-28, 30-26, 30-32, 23-30, 15-10).

In the fourth game Thursday night, Nafziger’s squad edged out a close one, 30-28. Senior Alyssa Beck, who returned to the lineup in remarkable fashion after suffering what appeared to be a season-ending ankle injury against Bethel on Oct. 29, gave Goshen a 29-28 lead in Game 4 with a nice tip to the middle. Freshman Anna Herdeck finished the match with a well-placed roll shot, moving the Leafs into history.

The win not only gave Goshen a berth in the MCC Tournament Semifinals, but it also knocked out the regionally sixth-ranked Knights. Goshen is currently ranked ninth in the NAIA Region VIII poll.

“This was a great win for us, against a very good Marian team,” Nafziger said.

Goshen was led offensively by Martin and Herdeck, as each finished with 21 kills. Martin finished with a sick 38 digs to go along with a nine for nine serving performance that included two aces. Herdeck had 12 digs and was 16 for 16 in service. Junior Kristi Miller again ran the show flawlessly, finishing with 56 assists and 17 digs. Beck, who just two days earlier was having trouble walking on her tender right ankle, finished with an inspiring 10 kills and 14 digs.

“Alyssa Beck gave us a huge mental and physical lift,” Nafziger said. “Kristi Miller played an excellent match for us again. She made very good decisions and put the sets in perfect position for our hitters. DeeDee Martin and Anna Herdeck had fantastic games for us on the outside tonight. Both did a nice job of mixing up their hits to keep their defense guessing. (Junior) Valerie Amstutz gave us a big lift in the third game with some big defensive plays to help us keep our momentum, while (senior) Kristin Rusk had one of her best games of the season tonight. She came up with blocks at key times and in general had a solid, consistent match. (Junior) Catie Froese was solid in serve receive and gave us a lift with her backside kills. Both Catie and (sophomore) Julia Deter served well and I thought that we were able to make some point runs when they were serving. And again, Ashely Sider came in for DeeDee Martin in the first game and played with a lot of composure. It was a well-deserved team win tonight.”

Goshen will face first-seeded Wesleyan at 10 a.m. Saturday. Wesleyan is currently ranked 18th in the country and is rated second in the region. Second-seed Taylor will face third-seed St. Francis at noon Saturday, in the second semi-final contest. The two winning teams from those matches will compete for the MCC Championship at 5 p.m. Both teams competing in the championship match will automatically advance to regional competition. All games will be played at Indiana Wesleyan Saturday.

NOV. 11 — Leafs Crack Regional Rankings For First Time This Season
Team ranked as ninth-best in highly competitive NAIA Region VIII

Olate, KS — After finishing the regular season with an overall record of 22-11, the Goshen College volleyball team has been recognized for its high level of play with newly ranked status in the squad’s region.

Goshen (22-11, 3-4) has been ranked as the ninth-best team in the NAIA’s Region VIII Nov. 11 poll, becoming the sixth team out of the highly competitive eight-team Mid-Central Collegiate Conference to be ranked this season. The final poll will be announced next Monday, Nov. 18.

“We’re happy to be recognized as one of the top ten teams in our region,” said Kent Nafziger, Goshen head coach. “Certainly our kids have worked hard this year, overcoming injuries and playing a tough conference schedule.”

Goshen will begin first round action of the MCC Tournament tonight, when the Leafs will travel to regionally sixth-ranked Marian. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. To view all the rankings for all NAIA regions, click here.

NOV. 8-9 — Goshen Splits Over Final Regular Season Weekend
Squad goes 2-2 on Michigan swing; MCC Tournament begins Thursday

Ann Arbor, MI — Getting its final opportunity to prepare for the upcoming Mid-Central Collegiate Conference Tournament, the Goshen College volleyball team made the most of a weekend trip north by defeating Spring Arbor and Concordia, while falling to Aquinas and Michigan Dearborn. The final regular season matches puts the Leafs overall record at 22-11, while their 3-4 record seeds them fifth in the MCC Tournament. The Leafs will travel to Marian for first round action Thursday.

The weekend’s trip began in Grand Rapids Friday night, where the squad was slightly edged by a pesky Aquinas team 30-27, 16-30, 28-30, 30-24, 12-15. Junior DeeDee Martin paced the Goshen attack, finishing with 18 kils and 23 digs on the evening. Freshman Anna Herdeck provided 11 kills and 22 digs, while juniors Kristi Miller (21 for 21) and Catie Froese (16 for 16) and sophomore Ashley Sider (14 for 14) each were perfect from the service line.

“This match ended up being a loss by inches,” said Kent Nafziger, Goshen head coach. “We didn’t play the most fundamental match, struggling to terminate the ball and inconsistent in serve receive, but we kept working together. If a few rallies would have gone our way in the fifth game it would have been a different story.”

An overnight stay in Michigan and a short trip to Ann Arbor brought Goshen to the Concordia Collegiate Challenge on Saturday, where the Leafs disposed of Spring Arbor in the first match of the day (26-30, 30-26, 19-30, 30-21, 16-14) before losing to Michigan Dearborn in the second (19-30, 20-30, 30-22, 22-30). Goshen wrapped up its regular season in the right way, however, defeating the host Cardinals 30-19, 19-30, 30-17, 30-26.

Against Spring Arbor the Leafs again got big play from Martin, who finished the first match of the day with 21 kills and 24 digs to go with a 29 for 29 serving performance. Miller notched 47 assists and had 13 digs of her own, while Herdeck knocked in 11 kills and had 24 digs.

“This time we ended up winning by inches,” Nafziger said. “ I think this match helped us mentally for the rest of the day, as we proved to ourselves we could pull out a close match. Ashley Sider provided a huge momentum shift towards the end of the fourth game with a run of tough serves that enabled us to pull ahead for the win. We carried that momentum into the fifth game.”

Unfortunately, Goshen could not carry any of that positive momentum into its next match with Michigan Dearborn, as the Leafs dropped the first two games. Nafziger said he was pleased with his team’s defensive effort, but came up short on the offensive end.

“We played a pretty solid match (against Dearborn),” Nafziger said. “We came up with a lot of defensive plays, made good setting decisions, passed and served well. The difference in the match was our low offensive production, as we could only come up with 35 kills. UM Dearborn did a nice job of blocking and playing defense. They played a very solid match against us.”

Martin was a maniac on the defensive side of the net, tallying 34 digs while going 15 for 15 in serve receive against the Wolves. Herdeck supplied 30 digs, while junior libero Valerie Amstutz had 28 digs. Marin was the only Leaf with a double-figure kill total with 18.

Wrapping up the weekend playing the host team, Goshen got a much-needed victory, knocking off Concordia in four games. Save for a sloppy second stanza, the Leafs dominated, holding the Cardinals in the teens in games one and three. Martin and Herdeck again led the pace: Martin finished the game with 14 kills and 32 digs, while Herdeck had 16 and 20. Herdeck also provided three solo blocks.

“Overall, we put together a pretty solid match,” Nafziger said. “We didn’t play very well in the second game, where we just fell apart. However, the team responded right from the start of the third game and never gave up the lead in the 30-17 win.”

At the conclusion of the day, Martin was named to the all-tournament team as a result of her outstanding play.
Goshen was once again without starting senior middle hitter Alyssa Beck. Beck, who injured her right ankle in the Oct. 29 match against Bethel, continues to rehab the ankle in hopes to be ready to play in the MCC Tournament. Her status for that date is still questionable.

Goshen will travel to Marian for a 7:30 match Thursday. For a complete rundown of MCC Tournament pairings and venues click here.

NOV. 6 — Team Struggles At St. Francis, Falls In Three
Goshen has trouble generating offense without Beck

Freshman Anna Herdeck Junior Valerie Amstutz

Fort Wayne, IN — After reeling off nine straight wins and finishing the month of October with a 10-2 record, Goshen tasted defeat against St. Francis Wednesday night. The host Cougars eased past the Leafs in a 11-30, 13-30, 24-30 sweep, maintaining the third seed for Mid-Central Collegiate Conference Tournament play while Goshen (20-9, 3-4) dropped to the fifth seed.

“It was a disappointing loss for us tonight,” said Kent Nafziger, Goshen head coach. “St. Francis played very well. They played with very few errors, shut down our hitters and exposed our weaknesses. We struggled with intensity throughout the match. It was well into the third game until I felt like we were executing our offense and making defensive plays.”

The Leafs’ offensive struggles were apparent in the match-ending stats: For the first time this season, no Maple Leaf player achieved a double-digit kill total. As a team, Goshen only tallied 22 kills.

Freshman Anna Herdeck provided nine kills on the night, to go with 18 digs and an 11 for 12 performance from the serving line. Junior Valerie Amstutz was 11 for 11 in serve receive, and had 18 digs. Junior DeeDee Martin provided seven kills and 15 digs, while sophomore Ashley Sider was eight for eight in service.

“We did play with a lot of heart,” Nafziger said. “It would have been easy to give up, as things just didn’t seem to go our way. Instead, the team hung in there and kept trying to put it together until the very end.”

Goshen was without its starting middle hitter in senior Alyssa Beck on Wednesday night. Beck, who severely sprained her right ankle in last week’s Bethel match, is questionable for a return to MCC Tournament play. Goshen will travel to fourth-seeded Marian in the first round of the conference tournament, beginning on Nov. 14. For a complete list of tournament pairings and seedings, click here.

The Leafs will round out their regular season this weekend, playing Aquinas at 7 p.m. Friday night and playing three matches in the Concordia Collegiate Challenge on Saturday. Goshen’s first game on Saturday is slated for 10 a.m.

OCT. 29 — Leafs Beat Bethel On Senior Night In Emotionally Draining Fashion
Team effort leads to incredible 3-1 win over Pilots; Beck goes down with severe ankle sprain

Goshen, IN — A memo to all Hollywood film directors: If searching for a volleyball movie screenplay, please see the following match report:

On a night that couldn’t have been scripted with any more emotional twists and heart-pounding excitement, the Goshen College women’s volleyball team defeated Mid-Central Collegiate Conference rival Bethel 25-30, 30-21, 30-26, 30-28 in front of a raucous crowd at the Roman Gingerich Center Tuesday night. After honoring the two seniors in Alyssa Beck and Kristin Rusk before the match, Goshen head coach Kent Nafziger could not have been more proud of his squad following it.

“There is no other way to say it — this was a big win for us,” Nafziger said. “There’s no one individual who carried us. We truly played as a team tonight.”

Things began in modest fashion, as Nafziger spoke briefly over the public address system about Beck and Rusk. Beck, a three-year player for the Leafs, currently ranks seventh all-time in the Goshen record books for career digs per game (2.41) and ninth all-time in career kills (637). Rusk, a two-year player for Goshen, has stepped into a starting position this season after sophomore All-MCC middle hitter Mindy DeVito went down with a knee injury just before the season began.

“Alyssa has always approached the game with a high degree of intensity and has an extremely hard work ethic,” Nafziger said to the crowd. “Kristin has done an excellent job of elevating her play this season. Both will be extremely successful after they graduate from Goshen.”

As the actual match began, the Leafs started strong, but faded. After taking an early lead, Bethel roared back to take the first stanza by a 30-25 count.

“We let the first game get away from us, making some poor decisions after leading most of the game,” Nafziger said. “Like we have so often in the past weeks, we responded.”

Goshen (20-8, 3-3) took the next two games by 30-21 and 30-26 scores, capitalizing on Pilot mistakes in the second and getting more production from its outside hitting tandem of junior DeeDee Martin and freshman Anna Herdeck in the third.

“Bethel outplayed us in the second game, but we hung in there,” Nafziger said. “We really needed to have more offensive production from our hitters in the third and fourth games and I thought our outside hitters responded.”

The Leafs took an early lead in the fourth game, but then it happened: Beck landed awkwardly on a Bethel player’s foot after leaping up for an attack. Her right foot came down on its side, and she hobbled off the court in pain. Until that point, Beck had tallied seven kills and 11 digs on the night. Her teammates looked visibly shaken as Beck was courted off the floor in a wheel chair on her way to the emergency room. With one of Goshen’s senior leaders gone, Bethel sensed opportunity. The Pilots went on a run, jumping out to a 16-10 lead. The Leafs were able to scrape back to a 22-26 score, but Bethel was dominating play. Nafziger used his second timeout at that point.

“Alyssa Beck was having the best game of her career before her injury,” Nafziger said. “(After she left) we just couldn’t seem to get more than a point or two before giving up the serve. I told the team during the timeout that we needed to find a balance between playing with intensity and aggressiveness, while still keeping our errors low. Basically, I needed them to play perfectly for the rest of the game.”

Over the following eight points, Nafziger’s squad came pretty close to fulfilling his request. After the team’s final time out of the game, Martin and Herdeck began hitting the ball extremely hard. Goshen began winning close plays at the net. Juniors Kristi Miller and Valerie Amstutz came up with two ridiculous digs off Bethel attacks that should have been Pilot points, but Goshen converted. Martin began reeling off serves that forced Bethel to work hard just to return them. Miller began feeding an attacking Herdeck time and time again, as Goshen’s momentum grew. Before a standing crowd urging the team on, the Leafs somehow turned a 25-28 deficit into a 30-28 victory. Unable to control their collective enthusiasm following the game-winner, the team madly embraced one another, as members of the student body did the same.

“The entire team just refused to lose,” Nafziger said amidst a chaotic scene following the match. “It was an incredible comeback that couldn’t have been done without a whole team effort. I’m very happy for our kids right now.”

Martin finished with 17 kills and 22 digs. Herdeck had 12 kills as well as 22 digs. Junior Catie Froese supplied 17 digs and six kills, while Miller finished with 37 assists and 20 digs.

“DeeDee Martin and Anna Herdeck played very well tonight,” Nafziger said. “They were a lethal one-two punch at the end with DeeDee serving the comeback and Anna becoming unstoppable in the front row. Kristi Miller showed tremendous leadership from her setting position, making excellent decisions and playing incredible defense. Valerie Amstutz was big in the back row with her defense for us. Kristin Rusk was big at the net for us again, coming up with big blocks at critical times. Catie Froese and (sophomore) Julia Deter were both strong from the serving line tonight, with Catie playing her usual consistent game. Julia came up with two digs on the night, and she couldn’t have picked a better two hits to defend. It was the best defense I’ve seen Julia play. (Sophomore) Ashley Sider came off the bench when Alyssa went down and showed a lot of composure in a high-pressure situation. As I said, this was a team win.”

Enthused with the win, the Leafs were brought back down by the news that Beck will most likely miss the rest of the regular season, and is questionable for a return to the MCC Tournament. Both Goshen athletic trainer Bill Kinsey and the emergency room doctor diagnosed a fractured fibula, but x-rays showed no break.

“Alyssa has a grade two ankle sprain, but it really is closer to being a grade three,” Kinsey said. “If the rehab goes well, she could be ready to play by Nov. 14 (the MCC Tournament first-round date).”

“We were very shocked and relieved to learn that Alyssa had not broken any bones, as it looked pretty bad,” Nafziger said. “Like we have all year, we’ll have to rally around one another and continue to do things as a team to be successful.”

Goshen will have one week to catch its collective breath before traveling to conference rival St. Francis next Wednesday. Match time is set for 7:30 p.m.

OCT. 26 — Goshen Turns Black And Gold Invitational Into Purple And White
Leafs take first place at Manchester tourney, winning all four matches

North Manchester, IN — Saturday was a good day for Goshen’s overall win-loss record, as the Leafs collected an efficient four wins on their way to winning the Manchester College Black and Gold Invitational. The Leafs first defeated Earlham College (30-20, 30-11, 30-23), then took Rochester down (30-14, 30-11, 22-30, 30-15). Goshen capped off the day by beating the host Spartans in four (27-30, 30-15, 30-22, 30-23) and sweeping Tri-State (30-20, 30-28, 30-12). The wins push the Leafs’ record to 19-8 overall and 2-3 in the Mid-Central Collegiate Conference, with a Tuesday match with MCC rival Bethel looming in the near future.

“It was a solid day of volleyball for us,” Goshen head coach Kent Nafziger said of Saturday’s wins. “We were able to go to our bench quite a bit throughout the day, which was good for everyone.”

Goshen’s first match against Earlham was a quick one, as the Leafs were on fire from the serving line. Juniors Kristi Miller and Catie Froese had five and four aces, respectively, as the squad recorded 15 aces overall in the sweep. Froese had 19 digs to go with her serving expertise.

“We came right out from the start and played a very consistent game (against Earlham),” Nafziger said. “Catie Froese had a great match and was on fire from the serving line. (Freshman setter) Aubrey Helmuth did a nice job coming in off the bench to set the last half of the second game and all of the third.”

Goshen came out strong again against Rochester, winning the first two games in convincing fashion before dropping the third. With the bench taking over, Goshen cruised by Rochester in the fourth, 30-15. Senior Alyssa Beck had 11 kills and 11 digs to go with 20 for 22 in serving, while freshman Anna Herdeck finished the match with 12 kills and nine digs, including six solo blocks.

“We capitalized on strong serving against Rochester, as Alyssa Beck served 14 straight points in the second game,” Nafziger said. “With the starters out in the third game, our bench came in and earned just as many kills as the starters while committing fewer errors. The difference in that third game was defense, as the Rochester offense was able to earn more points off their hitters. The team bounced back for a convincing win in the fourth game, though.”

Goshen lost is only game one to host Manchester, who nipped the Leafs by a 30-27 count, as both teams were undefeated on the day going into the match. Nafziger’s squad rebounded quickly, however, disposing of the host Spartans in the following three straight stanzas. Herdeck led the charge offensively for the Leafs with 18 kills while going 21 for 21 in serving, while junior DeeDee Martin placed 13 kills and 13 for 13 serving. Herdeck also had 27 digs, while Martin finished with 29. Miller provided 46 assists (her high on the day) and was 25 for 26 in serving with another five aces.

“After a tough start, we responded well by stepping up our passing in the last three games, totaling 133 digs and only three errors in serve receive for the match,” Nafziger said. “Anna Herdeck was solid all the way around for us. Together with DeeDee Martin, our outside hitters accounted for over half our kills.”

With the invitational championship well within their sights, the Leafs eased past Tri-State in the final match of the day in three straight games. Despite a second game lull (where Goshen allowed 28 Thunder points) it was easy sailing for the Leafs, who took home the Black and Gold hardware with the win. Froese paced Goshen with a solid match, going seven for seven in serving with seven kills, eight digs and a perfect five for five in serve receive. Martin led the attack with 17 kills and 14 digs against the Thunder, to go with nine aces from the serving line. Beck was eight for eight in service with 14 digs and had three solo blocks. Miller finished the day with 32 assists against the Thunder, including two aces and nine digs.

“I was happy with our win over Tri-State,” Nafziger said. “We let our intensity drop in the second game and really never got it back. We were lucky to win that game, and we came back much more focused in the third, ending our day on a game played using good fundamentals and making few errors.”

In addition to winning the tournament, Goshen placed two players to the all-tournament team in Miller and Froese. The honor came on an appropriate day for Froese, as she celebrated her 21st birthday on Saturday.

“Kristi has had a fantastic season for us and deserves so much credit for the way she runs our offense,” Nafziger said. “Catie has always been a very consistent player for us, however she has been playing her best volleyball of the season in the past two weeks and definitely deserved this honor.”

Goshen now preps itself for the final home game of the season this Tuesday, where the Leafs will host conference foe Bethel. A win against the Pilots would give Goshen three straight conference wins, evening the team’s MCC record. Match time is slated for 7:30 p.m.

OCT. 23 — Leafs Get Another MCC Win; Miller NAIA Region VIII Setter Of Week
Goshen beats Huntington in five; Miller recognized nationally for incredible play last week

Junior Kristi Miller Junior DeeDee Martin

Huntington, IN — Just eight days after getting its first Mid-Central Collegiate Conference win since the 2000 season, the Goshen College volleyball team picked up another MCC victory, defeating Huntington Wednesday night by a 21-30, 30-27, 29-31, 30-25, 15-7 score. The road win came on the heels of junior setter Kristi Miller’s being named the NAIA Region VIII Setter Of The Week, an honor encompassing Goshen’s last competitive week of play where the team defeated Marian on Oct. 15.
Against the host Foresters, Goshen (15-8, 2-3) had its work cut out after dropping the first game of the match by nine points. The Leafs then traded games two and three before catching fire late, cruising by Huntington in the last two sets.

“We came out very flat in the first game and did not play well at all,” said Kent Nafziger, Goshen head coach. “We were a different team in the second game, despite a let-down at the end. We had them in the third game, but missed too many opportunities and gave up the game. Huntington certainly deserves a lot of credit for hanging in the third game and taking advantage of our mistakes.”

Nafziger said his team played well in the fourth and fifth games, and responded especially well in the fifth, when Huntington put on a run of two important points to make the score 8-6, Goshen in the fifth game. Senior Kristin Rusk then came up with huge back-to-back solo blocks to make the score 10-6, and Goshen never looked back.

Junior DeeDee Martin ended the night with an incredible stat line: 23 kills, 41 digs, 29 for 29 in serving to go with two aces. She was also 17 for 17 in passing.

“DeeDee Martin had a great game for us,” Nafziger said. “She was tough all around and was serving very well. As a team we did a great job of serving (.943 serving percentage for the night). We were very consistent and had very few errors.”

Senior Alyssa Beck finished with eight kills and 28 digs, also providing two solo blocks. Freshman Anna Herdeck brought 16 kills and 20 digs to go with 11 for 12 in serving. Junior Catie Froese finished with 23 digs and five kills, going 20 for 21 in service with an ace.

It was another solid night as well for Miller, who finished with 54 assists at Huntington. Her performance against Marian last week, however — 73 assists, 20 digs and only one service error — was enough to distinguish her as the best in the MCC for the week, as she was named the conference’s setter of the week on Oct. 21. Just a day later, her play against Marian earned her a larger honor, as the NAIA named Miller the Region VIII Setter Of The Week on Oct. 22. That award placed her as a nominee for the NAIA National Setter Of The Week. Miller, along with the other national setter of the week nominees, can be viewed by clicking here.

“Kristi deserves all of the accolades she receives, because she is about the team winning first,” Nafziger said. “I’m happy that she has been noticed with these honors and records, but I’m even more pleased in the way she leads our team.”

Miller and the Leafs will travel to Manchester for the Manchester Quad this Saturday. The team will face four teams in one day, beginning with Earlham at 10 a.m. Goshen will then play Rochester at 3 p.m., Manchester at 5 p.m. and conclude the day with a match against Tri-State. That final contest is slated to begin at 7 p.m.

OCT. 15 — Leafs Defeat Marian For Huge MCC Win
Great night all-around for Goshen as Miller recognized for eclipsing school's all-time assist record

Splitting the gap: Junior Catie Froese goes between two Marian blockers to record one of her seven kills on the evening.

New record-holder: Junior Kristi Miller, Goshen's new all-time career assist getter, poses with head coach Kent Nafziger following Tuesday's match. Including the match against Marian, Miller has 2,882 career assists. The old record of 2, 647 was held by Danielle Miller (1996).

Goshen, IN — It might as well have been a party in Goshen’s Roman Gingerich Center Tuesday evening. Not only did the Goshen College volleyball team record its first Mid-Central Collegiate Conference win since the 2000 season, but it also recognized junior Kristi Miller, who now is the school’s new career leader in assists.

Goshen’s thrilling 30-28, 30-26, 30-32, 23-30, 15-10 marathon victory over the Lady Knights was its first win against a conference opponent since defeating Huntington on Oct. 31 of 2000, and it couldn’t have occurred at a better time: Prior to Tuesday’s match, Marian was atop the conference standings with a 3-0 MCC record.

And after taking the first two games of the match with relative ease, a blowout seemed almost certain. But Marian roared back to take a nail-bighting third game 32-30, and used the momentum to take the fourth. The Leafs (14-8, 1-3) responded just in time, however, and won the deciding game by a 15-10 count.

“I was pleased with the way we played in the first two games,” said second-year head coach Kent Nafziger, who claimed his first MCC victory as the team’s head coach. “We were solid all the way around and were passing very well. We had game three, but gave up our lead to Marian. They wanted that game more than we did and then really took it to us in the fourth game. Before the fifth game, I challenged the team to make good decisions and to cut down on our errors. I was very pleased with the way the team responded.”

Goshen was led offensively by its outside hitting tandem of junior DeeDee Martin and freshman Anna Herdeck. Both finished the night with 27 kills, while Martin had a ridiculous 42 digs. Herdeck provided 21 digs to go with three solo blocks. Senior middle hitter Alyssa Beck began hitting the ball extremely hard halfway through the match, finishing the night with 17 kills and five solo blocks. She also finished with 23 digs. Junior Valerie Amstutz earned praise from her coach, finishing the night with 17 digs at her libero position.

“I thought Alyssa Beck and Valerie Amstutz both had their best night of volleyball this season,” Nafziger said. “Alyssa stepped up with more kills and blocks and just made very good decisions. Valerie was solid in serve receive and increased her amount of digs.”

Prior to the match, Miller was recognized with a game ball from the October 5th match against Tri-State, the day she overtook Danielle Miller (’96) as Goshen’s all-time career leader in assists. The former record stood at 2,647. Following Tuesday night’s match against the Lady Knights in which Miller tallied a sick 73 assists, her current mark stands at 2,882 assists, with the remainder of this season and all of next to continue to add on.

“Kristi Miller kept us in game four tonight with a lot of hustle to the ball and delivering some great sets off of some pretty poor passes,” Nafziger said of his floor general. “What can I say about her (and the record)? She has been a phenomenal player since her first year here.”

As a team, the Leafs finished with 80 kills and 153 digs, both among the highest of any match this season.
Goshen will take a few days to enjoy Tuesday’s festivities before traveling to MCC foe Huntington next Wednesday. Match time is set for 7:30 p.m.

OCT. 12 — Goshen Sweeps Up At Earlham Tri-Match
Leafs knock out Oakland City and host school in going 2-0 Saturday

Junior Valerie Amstutz Sophomore Ashley Sider Sophomore Julia Deter

Richmond, IN — Goshen made it an efficient trip to Richmond Saturday, as the squad won both its matches at the Earlham Tri. Goshen defeated Oakland City by a 24-30, 30-28, 32-30, 25-30, 15-8 count, and then turned around and defeated the host Quakers in three, 30-21, 30-17, 30-20.

The wins put the Leafs at 13-8 overall on the season, as they head for a stretch of Mid-Central Collegiate Conference matches. Four of the next five game dates are MCC contests for Goshen, which is winless in its first three conference attempts of the season.

Saturday was not a problem for head coach Kent Nafziger’s squad, however, as the team found just enough to squeak by a pesky Oakland City team before blasting by Earlham.

“We had a hard time getting into the flow of the game (against Oakland City), but we played well against Earlham,” Nafziger said.

Nafziger said that in the five-game marathon with the Mighty Oaks, his team had a difficult time getting into the flow of the game. Despite a season-high 155 team digs, the Leafs struggled early on both sides of the net.

“We seemed a bit tentative and hesitant on defense, as a lot of balls dropped that we should have been to,” Nafziger said. “Once we started playing defense we got into our rhythm, but still struggled with consistency on offense. The team did a good job of pulling together and playing through the inconsistencies.”

No one did a better job of playing through those problems than junior DeeDee Martin. Martin ended the Oakland City match with 27 kills and a season-high 40 digs. She was also 30 for 30 in serving with a pair of aces, and was perfect (28 for 28) in passing as well. Freshman Anna Herdeck was also impressive, coming through with 19 kills and 32 digs from her outside hitting position. Junior setter Kristi Miller finished with an amazing 59 assists, and was 17 for 17 in serving.

Goshen had only twenty minutes to get ready to play against Earlham following its Oakland City match, but it didn’t matter. The Leafs went out against the host school setting fire to the court, winning the match in straight games without a serious challenge from the Quakers. Along with the usual players leading the way — Martin: Nine kills, 12 digs; Herdeck: Seven kills, 14 digs; Senior Alyssa Beck: eight kills, 15 digs — other individuals stepped their games up as well. Junior libero Valerie Amstutz was two for two in service with one ace and three digs. Sophomore Ashley Sider was four for four in service and two for two in passing, and classmate Julia Deter was seven for seven in service with one ace.

“We established our defense early and then worked hard to terminate the ball against Earlham,” Nafziger said. “We jumped out to early leads in each game and then did a nice job of playing consistently and finishing the game. Our bench came in during the third game and executed very well, picking up where the starters left off.”

Goshen will have two days to rest and prepare for its next match — an MCC affair with Marian. Goshen will host the Knights Tuesday. Match time is set for 7:30 p.m.

OCT. 8 — 25th-Ranked Taylor Too Much For Leafs
Goshen executes game plan but falls to Trojans in three

Goshen, IN — Facing the 25th-ranked team in the country Tuesday night, Goshen was forced to bring its best effort to the table. And while the Leafs executed their defensive game plan to the liking of head coach Kent Nafziger, their offense struggled: Goshen finished the three game loss (20-30, 13-30, 24-30) with a paltry 33 team kills.

“We were able to slow down their outside attack, but they adjusted and went to their middles for the kills,” Nafizger said. “Defensively, I thought we executed our game plan well, however on the offensive side we made way too many errors and didn’t generate enough kills to win. Taylor is a team with a lot of talent.”

Taylor, which has been ranked as high as 10th in the nation this season, started off the first game by getting a quick lead and never looking back. After drilling Goshen (11-8, 0-3) 30-13 in the second stanza, the Leafs finally got some offense working in the third game. Goshen began going to freshman Anna Herdeck on the outside for kills — she finished with a team-high 12 — and also stepped the defense up a notch. Taylor eventually took the third game, but it wasn’t without a supreme effort from the Leafs.

Goshen was led defensively by junior DeeDee Martin, who had 14 digs on the night off the hard-hitting Taylor attackers. Martin also supplied nine kills and was 12 for 12 in service. Junior Catie Froese knocked in five kills to go along with 10 digs, and was 15 for 15 in passing. Junior Kristi Miller was 15 for 15 in serving with eight digs. Herdeck provided 10 digs for the Leafs as well.

Goshen will travel to Earlham this Saturday to participate in the Earlham Tri match. Goshen will face-off against Oakland City at 1 p.m. and host Earlham at 3 p.m.

OCT. 5 — Goshen Hammers Tri-State Over Alumni Weekend
Leafs make easy work of Thunder in four games; face college alumni in exhibition afterward

Blue crushed: Senior Alyssa Beck slams one of her nine kills against Tri-State Saturday. Save for the second game, Beck and her teammates dominated the match.

Well-rounded day: Junior Catie Froese hammers a kill against Tri-State in the third game of the match Saturday. Froese had a good outing overall, knocking in six kills and serving six aces. She also had eight digs for the day.

Goshen, IN — Playing in front of Goshen College volleyball alums, the current Maple Leaf team thumped the visiting Tri-State Thunder Saturday afternoon, winning in four games 30-13, 26-30, 30-25, 30-16. The Leafs (11-7, 0-2) were helped by particularly strong serving on the day, as the squad finished with a season-high 21 aces for the match.

“We played very well in the first game, but let one get away from us in the second,” said Kent Nafziger, Goshen head coach. “I thought we came back with more focus and a better commitment to fundamentals in the third and fourth games. We need to continue to improve on consistent play throughout the match, however.”

That inconsistency was seen in the second game on Saturday. After almost holding the Thunder to a single-digit total in the first stanza, Goshen looked apathetic in the second, falling behind early and never regaining its sharpness. That type of play came to an abrupt halt in between games two and three, however, as the Leafs made it look easy down the stretch.

Goshen was led by junior DeeDee Martin’s 20 kills and 20 digs on the day. She also supplied seven of the team’s 21 aces. Sophomore Anna Herdeck knocked in 10 kills to go along with 10 digs, while junior Catie Froese supplied six kills and eight digs to go along with six aces. Sophomore Julia Deter finished 15 for 15 in service, including a wicked serve in the third game that caught the net and dropped straight down for one of her two aces. Junior Kristi Miller was 104 for 104 in setting, finishing with 43 assists and 12 digs. Miller also had a good day serving, finishing with four aces.

After the match with Tri-State, Goshen competed in an exhibition match with various alumni players, with playing years dating back to 1989. The Leafs split with the alums, winning the first game but dropping the second in the light-hearted affair. The third game pitted the 1995-2001 alumni against the 1985-1995 alumni. Youth prevailed, as the 1995-2000 team won.

Goshen will be back to serious play again Tuesday, when the Leafs host Mid-Central Collegiate Conference rival Taylor. Match time is set for 7:30 p.m.

OCT. 1 — Leafs Not Ready To Play At Grace
Goshen drops first two games and never recovers; lose match in four

Junior Kristi Miller Freshman Anna Herdeck

Winona Lake, IN — A rough start at Mid-Central Collegiate Conference rival Grace doomed Goshen Tuesday night, as the Lancers were able to win the first two games of the match and used them to spark a 23-30, 24-30, 30-24, 26-30 defeat of the Leafs. Goshen came back to win the third game, but that success was short-lived, as the Lancers finished off the match in the fourth stanza.

“It was a tough night for us,” Goshen head coach Kent Nafziger said. “We came out very flat in the first two games and Grace really took it to us.”

Junior Kristi Miller was a big part of the Leafs regaining their focus after the first two game defeats. Miller was 156 for 156 in setting on the night, and dropped 46 assists. She also was perfect in service (15 for 15) and had one ace.

“We responded in the third game and I thought we were going to keep it going,” Nafziger said. “We played well in the fourth game, but couldn’t seem to get ahead. We just committed too many errors across the board.”

Goshen (10-7, 0-2) was paced offensively by junior DeeDee Martin, who finished the night with 19 kills. Freshman Anna Herdeck provided 16 kills, and praise from her coach in keeping her unforced errors to a minimum. Senior Alyssa Beck had 12 kills and 13 digs. Martin provided a team-high 28 digs while Herdeck scraped 20.

The Leafs will host Tri-State to a 1 p.m. match Saturday. That match is part of Alumni Weekend at Goshen College. Following the 1 p.m. match with Tri-State, Goshen’s second unit will face off against Alumni players. That match will begin 20 minutes after the Tri-State contest is completed.

OCT. 1 — Program Announces First 2003 Recruit Signing
Boen will provide Nafziger with a young, talented setter next season

Goshen, IN — The Goshen College volleyball program announced its first recruit signing of the 2003 season today, adding Central Christian High School (Wooster, OH) senior Jean Boen to its squad beginning next season.

Boen, a 5-6 setter, is quick to the ball, provides an accurate set and makes very good decisions according to Goshen head coach Kent Nafziger.

“We are very excited that Jean has chosen to continue her volleyball career at Goshen College,” Nafziger said. “We are very pleased that Jean has made her decision so early in her senior year. It is a great start to our next recruiting class.”

Boen has been a scholar athlete in each of her first three years in playing high school varsity volleyball, maintaining a 3.51 GPA while leading her team to success. Boen guided her squad to sectional and district championships in each of the last two years. She also helpeded her team to a regional runner-up finish last season.

Volleyball has been a part of Boen’s life since the sixth grade, where she was a member of the Wayne Juniors, Zero Gravity and most recently Wooster Elite club teams. In addition to her volleyball pursuits, Boen said she is interested in continuing her interests in drama and singing once at Goshen.

“I chose to play volleyball at Goshen because I love the environment that the college has to offer,” Boen said following her signing. “I felt like I was in the right place the moment I first stepped on campus. I love playing volleyball and I felt like Goshen would be a wonderful choice to continue playing.”

Nafziger sees Boen having potential to replace current junior setter Kristi Miller, who already owns school records in assists per game (9.75 career record/10.74 single season record) since starting for the Leafs her freshman year.

“Jean comes from a solid Central Christian program and has been well coached,” Nafziger said. “There's no doubt that Jean will adapt well to the college game and what we are trying to accomplish at Goshen College.”

SEPT. 27-28 — Goshen Finishes Second At Wheaton Invitational
Host school only team to beat Leafs over weekend; Miller and Martin make all-tournament team

Another trophy, another picture: The Goshen team poses after receiving their second second-place trophy on the season. The Leafs also took home a runner-up finish at the Maple Leaf Invitational on Sept. 14.

Wheaton, IL — Spending its weekend playing in a major nine-team tournament, the Goshen College volleyball team collected a second-place finish at the Wheaton Invitational. The Leafs went 3-1 over the two-day event, falling only to eventual champion Wheaton on Saturday. Goshen defeated Trinity International 28-30, 30-26, 28-30, 30-20, 15-13 and Concordia (IL) 30-16, 28-30, 24-30, 30-27, 15-12 on Friday night. The team then lost to Wheaton 28-30,, 21-30, 24-30 Saturday morning, but finished the tournament strong by defeating Judson 26-30, 30-23, 30-28, 30-23.

“It was a weekend where we played better at times and not as well at times, but we held together,” said Kent Nafziger, Goshen head coach.

In the first match against Trinity, that up and down type of play showed. Goshen (10-6, 0-1) traded games with Trinity all the way until the deciding fifth game, where the Leafs prevailed 15-13. Junior DeeDee Martin tallied 20 kills against the Warriors, while freshman Anna Herdeck had 13 kills. Junior Kristi Miller provided 42 assists and 21 digs. The team played a solid defensive game against Trininty, capturing a season-high 109 team digs for the match.

“We played a very good defensive game against Trinity, and our serving really kept them off balance with 13 aces,” Nafziger said. “Our intensity was up and down, as the game scores show. We held together for the win, though.”

Immediately following the match with Trinity was a match with Concordia, that Goshen took in a five-game marathon. Herdeck led the Leafs with an amazing 24 kills and 14 digs, while Martin supplied 18 kills and 29 digs. Miller upped her assist output to 46 against the Cougars, while senior Alyssa Beck knocked in 10 kills to go along with 13 digs. With the 2-0 start, Goshen placed itself in the championship pool for Saturday’s play.

“I thought we played with a lot more intensity and mental focus (against Concordia),” Nafziger said. “We were unlucky at some unfortunate times in the match, which allowed Concordia to stay with us. Ultimately, our steady play prevailed for a well-deserved win.”

The Leafs were pitted against Wheaton in the first match Saturday, and after losing the first game 28-30, the team could never recover. Wheaton defeated the Leafs in three straight, and Nafziger gave the Thunder credit.

“We were up 28-26 in the first game and Wheaton took the win away from us,” he said. “After that, we just couldn’t seem to put it together. Wheaton did a nice job of keeping our blockers guessing and disrupting our defense. They also put up a big block against our hitters. They were the better team today.”

Goshen was led offensively by Martin, who tallied 15 kills to go with 18 digs. Herdeck provided 10 kills. Junior Val Amstutz had a team-high 20 digs for the match, while Miller dished out 31 assists.

Playing for second place against Judson, the Leafs excelled. Judson got the first game of the match but that was all, as Goshen ran the table on the Eagles over the next three. Martin again sparked the team with 24 kills and 21 digs. Junior Catie Froese supplied 10 kills and 20 digs, while Herdeck had 16 kills and 19 digs. Miller matched her tournament-high 46 assists, while sophomore Julia Deter was 18 for 18 in serving with two aces.

Goshen was without senior middle hitter Alyssa Beck for much of the match, after she rolled her ankle in the second game. Beck is probable to play in the Leafs’ next match on Tuesday, however.

“I thought we started out really slow against Judson,” Nafziger said. “I was pleased with the way we responded in the last three games. Catie Froese elevated her game to give us a boost, and (sophomore) Ashley Sider did a nice job for us in the middle after Alyssa Beck rolled an ankle.”

Goshen had two players — Miller and Martin — selected to the all-tournament team. Goshen will prepare now for its second Mid-Central Collegiate Conference match of the season. The team will travel to Grace Tuesday for a 7:30 p.m. contest.

SEPT. 24 — Wesleyan Scrapes By Despite Valiant Goshen Effort
Team rebounds from poor weekend and practice to play best volleyball of season; comes up short

Toughest test to date: Freshman Anna Herdeck goes up for a kill against the tough front line of Indiana Wesleyan Tuesday night. Herdeck played well from her outside hitting position, collecting nine kills and 14 digs in Goshen’s first MCC contest of the season.

Goshen, IN — Playing in its first Mid-Central Collegiate Conference match of the season Tuesday, Goshen supplied a monster effort against Indiana Wesleyan, but came up just shy of a victory. Goshen was defeated 28-30, 30-28, 30-23, 14-30, 12-15 by the Wildcats, despite playing some of its best volleyball of the young season.

“Our plan was to make very few errors on offense and to work hard on defense to create second chances,” said Kent Nafziger, Goshen head coach. “IWU has some of the best hitters in the conference, but I felt our defense stepped up to the challenge.”

The Leafs (7-5, 0-1) continually got to rocketed kill-attempts from Wesleyan, passing the ball extremely well for much of the match. As a team, Goshen finished with 85 digs on the night — junior DeeDee Martin led the way with 26, classmate Catie Froese had 15, freshman Anna Herdeck provided 14 and junior Kristi Miller came away with 12.

“What a great match this was,” Nafziger said. “I am so proud of the way our kids played with so much emotion and mental focus. We struggled this weekend and didn’t practice well yesterday. I felt the entire team pulled together tonight.”

The Leafs dropped a tough first game by a 30-28 score, but rebounded to win the next two, 30-28 and 30-23. After Wesleyan got an early lead in the fourth game (and went on to win 30-14), the match came down to the final stanza. Wesleyan was able to inch ahead by two points from the start, and never looked back.

Goshen was led on the offensive end by Martin, who finished with 13 kills on the night to go along with 20 for 22 serving and two aces. Senior Alyssa Beck knocked nine kills (as did Herdeck) to compliment five solo blocks. Junior libero Val Amstutz was 13 for 13 in passing with eight digs, while Miller quarterbacked it all with 40 assists. She was also 25 for 25 in service.

“We expected a lot out of our outside hitters, and DeeDee Martin and Anna Herdeck stepped up,” Nafziger said. “I thought Catie Froese and (senior) Kristin Rusk had their best games so far this season. Alyssa Beck and (sophomre) Julia Deter were tough from the serving line for us, and Alyssa came up with some huge blocks at key times in the match.

“This was a tough one to lose,” he said. “Being up two games to one against one of the top teams in the MCC, I thought we were going to pull it out.”

Goshen will travel to Wheaton to take part in the Wheaton Invitational this weekend. Goshen will play against Concordia (IL) at 5 p.m. Friday and against Trinity International at 7 p.m. Game times for Saturday are slated for 10 a.m. and 12 noon. Opponents for that day are yet to be announced.

SEPT. 21 — Leafs Beat Hanover, Lose To Marian At Marian Tri
Goshen sees both ends of spectrum in winning 3-0 and losing 0-3

Junior Dee Dee Martin Freshman Anna Herdeck Junior Kristi Miller

Indianapolis, IN — Feeling a full swing of emotions within a few short hours, the Goshen College volleyball team disposed of Hanover 30-20, 30-18, 30-18 but lost to host Marian 27-30, 26-30, 18-30 at the Marian Tri-Match Saturday.

“We played a very disciplined and methodical match against Hanvoer,” said Kent Nafziger, Goshen head coach. “But we just couldn’t put it together against Marian, who played very solid defense.”

The Leafs (7-4, 0-0) got it rolling to start the day, however, easily taking care of Hanover in three straight. Junior DeeDee Martin led the attack for Goshen, netting 19 kills while scooping 16 digs. Freshman Anna Herdeck tallied eight kills and 11 digs, while junior Catie Froese provided six kills and 11 digs. Froese was also 13 for 13 serving with three aces. Junior Kristi Miller was 20 for 21 in serving with four aces and dished out 31 assists.

“I was happy with how the team mentally approached the games (against Hanover),” Nafziger said. “We were solid in our offensive attack due to Kristi Miller’s setting and we played good defense. (Sophomore) Ashley Sider did a nice job coming off the bench and hitting out of the middle for us.”

The offense didn’t come as easily against Mid-Central Collegiate Conference foe Marian, however. Martin again paced the Leafs with 12 kills and 17 digs, but it wasn’t enough. Senior Alyssa Beck knocked down 11 kills while Herdeck supplied eight and 14 digs, but Goshen could not finish a game off. The match against the Knights does not count toward conference standings, however, since the match was not designated as an MCC contest.

“Our hitters had to work hard for each kill (against Marian),” Nafziger said. “We struggled with serve receive and had a hard time getting into our offense. We played hard, but ended up just short in each game.”

Goshen will begin MCC play on Tuesday, when the squad hosts Indiana Wesleyan. Match time is slated for 7:30 p.m.

SEPT. 18 — Goshen Disposes Of Rochester In Three
Leafs hammer Warriors in first game but had to fight for second and third as intensity slipped

Bird's eye view: Junior DeeDee Martin slams one of her team-leading 18 kills against Rochester Wednesday night.

Goshen, IN — After drilling the visiting Rochester Warriors in the first game by a 30-12 score Wednesday night, the Goshen College Maple Leafs may have gotten a little overconfident. The Leafs did win the match in three straight games, but had to work hard to do so — the final two games finished in 30-22 and 30-24 scores.

“We had a big win in the first game and played very well,” said Kent Nafziger, Goshen head coach. “I thought our intensity dropped in the last two games, but we still pulled together for the win.”

Goshen (6-3, 0-0) was led offensively by junior DeeDee Martin. Martin finished the night with a team-high 18 kills to go with nine digs. Senior Alyssa Beck had eight kills. Freshman Anna Herdeck was 15 for 15 in serving with three aces while sophomore Ashley Sider was seven for seven in service with two aces. Junior Kristi Miller ran the show again for the Leafs, providing 32 assists.

Goshen will travel to Marian for a tri-match on Saturday. The Leafs will play matches at both 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

SEPT. 13-14 — Goshen Takes Runner-Up Trophy At Maple Leaf Invitational
Leafs walk over first three opponents, fall to Adrian in championship match

High enough to kill: Junior DeeDee Martin drills one of her 18 kills against Manchester on Friday night. Martin led the team in kills over the weekend, netting 54 kills over the four-game invite.

Posing: The team smiles after taking the runner-up trophy in its own tournament. The Leafs went 3-1 on the weekend, losing a tough four-game match to Adrian in the championship.

Goshen, IN — For the second straight weekend, the Goshen College volleyball team was immersed in two full days of competition, this time in hosting the six-team Maple Leaf Invitational. Starting with pool play on Friday and tournament action on Saturday, Goshen was able to make it to the championship match but fell short in capturing the trophy. After defeating Concordia in the semi-finals 30-28, 31-33, 35-33, 30-11, Goshen could not defeat Adrian in the championship, falling by the score of 30-27, 28-30, 15-30, 16-30.

“I was very proud of how we played over the weekend,” said Kent Nafziger, Goshen head coach. “We competed hard in all of our matches, and lost to a very deserving Adrian team in the championship. It was a great invitational to be a part of.”

Things got rolling Friday evening when Goshen eased through both of its matches in straight sets, defeating Manchester 30-19, 30-28, 30-28 in the first game of the night and IU Northwest 30-19, 30-17, 30-20 in the second. Junior DeeDee Martin paced the Leafs (5-3, 0-0) offensively, knocking 24 kills on the night to go along with 15 digs. Senior Alyssa Beck had 17 kills and eight digs, while freshman Anna Herdeck provided a huge 23 kills with 23 digs between the two opponents. Goshen also benefited from junior Catie Froese, who placed 18 kills and 14 digs to go along with three aces Friday night.

“We played very well on Friday,” Nafziger said. “Against Manchester, we came out and set the tone with a quick win in the first game. Against IU Northwest we played a very disciplined and methodical match. I thought we made good adjustments throughout the matches and put together a solid six games.”

Winning its pool on Friday put Goshen in prime position to succeed Saturday. Facing the second place team from the opposite pool in semi-final action, Goshen defeated Concordia in the most exciting match of the invitational. In a neck-and-neck match with the hard-hitting Cardinals, Goshen made sure of its win by hammering Concordia 30-11 in the fourth game, after the first three were each decided by two points. Goshen was again led offensively by it’s big three of Beck, Martin and Herdeck, who recorded 17, 15 and 13 kills, respectively. Beck came up with five big solo blocks in the last two games, while junior Kristi Miller totaled 46 assists while going 19 for 19 in service.

“We showed a lot of mental poise, keeping ourselves in the second and third games until the very end,” Nafziger said. “The turning point in the match was definitely the third game, where we battled back from a seven point deficit to win 35-33. Taking that game gave us momentum for the commanding fourth game win.”

In the championship, it was Adrian who got a week-long revenge on the Maple Leafs. Goshen had defeated the Bulldogs in five games at the Defiance Invitational one week earlier, but could not duplicate that feat Saturday. After taking the first game by three points, Goshen could not garner another. Adrian pulled away slowly, winning the last three games by a margin of four, then six, then 10 points.

“We started out well against Adrian,” Nafziger said. “The first three games went down to the wire. The team that made the fewest mistakes won. I thought our defense kept us in the games and allowed our hitters some second chances. We just came up short in a game of inches.”

Herdeck provided 12 kills and 19 digs in the championship match, while Martin had 15 kills and 22 digs. Froese drilled 10 kills and scooped 10 digs, while Miller had an invitational-high 47 assists against Adrian.

Goshen was again without its starting middle hitter in sophomore Mindy DeVito, who injured her knee two weeks ago. Following an MRI last week, it was discovered that DeVito had torn her right ACL. She will most likely be out for the remainder of the season. If that happens, DeVito will take a medical redshirt to retain three years of athletic eligibility starting next season. DeVito was the only freshman to be named All-Mid-Central Collegiate Conference last year and was the leading kill-getter returning to the squad this year.

“It obviously hurts to lose a player like Mindy when you expect to have her with you,” Nafziger said. “I think that the team has responded well, and we’ve had players step up as we look at different strategies of getting our kills per game. We’re very sad that we lost her, but so far our play has been at a pretty high level.”

Goshen will host Rochester Wednesday night. Match time is slated for 6:30 p.m. For a complete list of all Maple Leaf Invitational results and standings, click here.

SEPT. 6-7 — Leafs Get Split At Defiance Invite, Play Well According To Nafziger
Goshen competes hard over volleyball-stuffed weekend without starting middle hitter

Senior Alyssa Beck Junior Dee Dee Martin Senior Kristin Rusk

APR. 24 — Leafs Sign Three Recruits
Nafziger says threesome will have instant impact on program

Goshen, IN — Attempting to add more versatility and depth to a team that went 10-20 last season, the Goshen College volleyball program signed three athletes this week that will help that cause.

DeeDee Martin and Catie Froese, both sophomores at Hesston Junior College (Kansas) this year, and high school senior Anna Herdeck all signed national letters of intent to attend and play volleyball at Goshen for the 2002-2003 campaign.

“We are very excited to be getting three good volleyball players, but more importantly three great student-athletes,” said Kent Nafziger, Goshen head coach. “These are quality people who will be a great fit at Goshen College.”

Leading the list of signees is the 5-8 Martin, an outside hitter who was named an honorable mention National Junior College Athletic Association All-American following this season at Hesston, making her one of only 15 junior college players in the country to be awarded with All-American status. In addition to that honor, Martin was also the Newton Kansan Area Co-Female Collegiate Athlete of The Year.

While at Hesston, Martin broke the school record for kills in a season with 338, averaging 3.4 kills per game as a sophomore. She also holds the career records for kills (703) and digs (624), and was named to the Dean’s List this semester for maintaining a grade-point-average of at least a 3.9.

“DeeDee is a very intense competitor and will make an immediate impact for us,” said Nafziger. “She is a smart, well-rounded player and is very deserving of her All-American status.”

Froese, a 5-8 middle- and right-side hitter, averaged 1.3 kills per game and 2.7 digs per game this past season at Hesston. She led the team in aces per game during her sophomore year, and was named to the honor roll at Hesston for maintaining a GPA of 3.5 or better during her tenure there.

“Catie is very quick defensively, and has a very strong serve,” Nafziger said. “She could fill a number of positions for us next year, adding depth in hitting from either side or playing defense in the back row.”

The Leafs round out this recruiting swing with Herdeck, a 5-8 outside-hitting senior at Loy Norrix High School in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Herdeck was a three-year starter while at Norrix, achieving all-conference status in her junior year and was selected as the team’s MVP following this past season. She played club volleyball for USA Michigan and Courtouse Elite, finishing third in the state in 2001.

Herdeck is also an outstanding student in the classroom, maintaining a 3.85 GPA and earning membership in the National Honor Society during her junior and senior year.

“Anna is a very solid passer and plays defense well,” Nafziger said. “Offensively, she swings hard while seeing the opposing block well. She has a low-error style of play.”