MAR. 26 — Nafziger Resigns From Coaching Position
Three-year leader leaves program at pinnacle of success

Goshen, IN — The Goshen College athletic department announced the resignation of head volleyball coach Kent Nafziger on Friday, ending a seven-year coaching stint that helped yield 100 wins along with two of the most successful seasons in school history.

Nafziger leaves Goshen after serving as the head coach for the past three seasons, finishing with a career head coaching record of 57-45 (.559). His team won 24 matches in 2003 and 23 contests in 2002, the program’s best finishes since the 1990 season. Nafziger coached seven all-conference players and five NAIA All-American scholar athletes in his three-year head coaching tenure, while his team was awarded the American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award in two of his three years at the helm. Prior to becoming the head coach in 2001, Nafziger served as the Leafs’ top assistant coach for four seasons under Val Hershberger.

Nafziger cited personal reasons for stepping down, as his 2003 team finished just one win shy of tying the school record for wins in a season.

“From a coaching point of view, it really doesn’t make sense to leave now,” Nafziger said. “The past two seasons have been excellent, so this was a personal decision. The combination of getting married this past January and additional responsibilities in my other job would make it difficult for me to devote the amount of time necessary to keep the program where I would want it to be. I have many wonderful memories of the past seven years and am thankful for the opportunity to work with so many talented athletes and coaches. I will miss Goshen College tremendously.”

Goshen College athletic director Ken Pletcher said that while the decision for Nafziger to move on is a logical one, his coaching abilities and talents will be missed.

“We appreciate Kent’s commitment to the program for the past seven years, and his overall commitment to Goshen College during that time,” Pletcher said. “Kent’s recent marriage and job change make it impossible to continue with us, but he has made a valuable contribution to the volleyball program and we appreciate his efforts in providing quality leadership.”

Prior to his coaching stint at Goshen, Nafziger taught fifth grade in the Concord Community school district and was an athletic trainer at Concord High School. He also ran the Goshen College men’s volleyball club team in 1996-1997, and played for club teams for 11 years. Nafziger will continue his work as communications director for Adriel, Inc., a Mennonite agency supporting children and families by providing residential care, counseling services, victim/offender reconciliation and foster care placement.

Pletcher said the athletic department hopes to name a new head coach in the near future. Until then, assistant coaches Val Hershberger and Alyssa Beck are heading up all aspects of the program.

Check back to this website for the most up-to-date news on head coach announcements and recruiting information.

NOV. 12 — Goshen Can't Sustain Effort At Bethel
Host Pilots conclude Leafs' season in first round of MCC Tournament

Last go 'round: Senior DeeDee Martin hammers one of her ten kills in her final match as a Maple Leaf Wednesday night at Bethel.

Prepared: Goshen prepares for Bethel’s serve during Wednesday’s Game 1 win. Senior Catie Froese (middle) was perfect in serve receive on the night, going 16 for 16.

Mishawaka, IN — After grabbing home court advantage for the first round of the Mid-Central Conference Tournament with a win over the Leafs on Oct. 21, the fourth-seeded Bethel College Pilots used that advantage fully with a 22-30, 30-27, 30-24, 30-21 MCC Tournament-opening win over Goshen at the Wiekamp Center Wednesday night. Goshen — seeded fifth in the league — was able to control the first game of the match for an eight point win, but could not pull out any of the last three sets, all of which went down to the wire.

“We were very well prepared to play and executed our game incredibly well in the first game,” said Kent Nafziger, Goshen head coach. “We served and passed well, while generating kills off of defensive transition and made few errors. Bethel made good adjustments in the final three games and we just weren’t able to maintain our consistency.”

Goshen (24-13, 3-4) stayed close in both the second and third games, but fell behind 28-15 in the fourth stanza. The Leafs were able to make one last push at the Pilots, closing to within eight points before Bethel was able to close out Goshen’s season with the final point.

Nafziger’s squad was led by junior Mindy DeVito, who finished the night with 16 kills and nine digs, including two solo and four assist blocks. Sophomore Anna Herdeck notched 12 kills to go with 17 digs, going 14 for 14 in service with an ace. Senior Lindsay Reinking finished with 11 kills and two assist blocks, while classmate DeeDee Martin recorded 10 kills and a team-high 21 digs. She also had an ace, a solo block and an assist block. Senior Kristi Miller concluded her brilliant career with 50 assists and three digs, while junior Erin Eberspacher scooped 15 digs to complement five kills and a 15 for 15 serving effort. Senior Catie Froese was 16 for 16 in serve receive on the night, finishing with two aces as well.

“Throughout the entire match I thought we really stayed together as a team, pushing when we had the momentum and working even harder when we were struggling,” Nafziger said. “In the final game, we worked so hard to make a run at them. We finished strong and together, which is all I could ask for.”

Goshen’s 24 wins in the 2003 season was just one shy of the school record. Even with the tremendous season, the Leafs must now say goodbye to two of the greatest players in school history in seniors Miller — the school’s all-time assist leader — and Martin — the school’s all-time dig leader. Check back to this website for post-season awards and announcements.

NOV. 4 — Leafs Drop Last Regular Season Match At IWU
Squad struggles on road in 17-30, 30-21, 16-30, 24-30 defeat

Senior DeeDee Martin Senior Kristi Miller

Marion, IN — After a broken water pipe in Indiana Wesleyan’s gymnasium delayed the start of Tuesday night’s Mid-Central Conference match with Goshen by an hour, it was the Maple Leafs that couldn’t get flowing when the contest actually started, dropping a 17-30, 30-21, 16-30, 24-30 decision to the host Wildcats. Goshen committed five serve receive errors on the night, giving Wesleyan free opportunities for points throughout the match.

“We didn’t seem mentally ready to go in the first game,” said Kent Nafziger, Goshen head coach. “We struggled to control the ball in defense and serve receive.”

Goshen (24-12, 3-4) was able to collect itself and put together a solid Game 2 win, but the third stanza was another letdown — the Leafs came away with an attack percentage of negative .057 in the 16-30 loss.

“We followed the game plan in the second game and put together a solid win,” Nafziger said. “Just when things were looking up for us, we went right back to the way we played in the first game and struggled. The fourth game was much closer, until IWU pulled ahead at the end and took the match.”

The Leafs were led by senior DeeDee Martin’s 14 kills and 13 digs. She also had two aces to go with one solo and one assist block. Sophomore Anna Herdeck tallied 12 kills and seven digs, while helping the team’s cause with a 17 for 17 serve-receive effort. Junior Mindy DeVito notched 11 kills and nine digs, all the while playing with a heavily taped right ankle in her first action since spraining it the previous weekend. Senior Kristi Miller was perfect in setting (136 for 136), totaling 47 assists to go with 12 digs and two aces. Classmate Lindsay Reinking chipped in nine kills and an assist block. Senior Catie Froese scooped eight digs.

“I was disappointed in our level of play, however it has been difficult for the team to maintain consistency in games and practices with the recent injuries and line up changes,” Nafziger said. “While this isn’t an excuse for our play, we are looking forward to the upcoming week to get healthy and work ourselves back to playing to our potential for the first round of the MCC Tournament.”

Goshen finishes the year as the league’s fifth-place team. They will travel to fourth-seeded Bethel next Wednesday for the first round of the MCC Tournament. Match time is slated for 7:30 p.m. in the Wiekamp Center.

OCT. 31 - NOV. 1 — Goshen Overcomes Adversity At Invite
DeVito injury doesn't stop team from nabbing fourth place at Huntington

Huntington, IN — It didn’t take long for things to start going poorly for Goshen at the Huntington College Invitational this weekend, as junior middle hitter Mindy DeVito sprained her right ankle in the first game of the event. She would eventually miss the rest of the invitational, leaving a major void in the Leafs’ attack. Despite this fact, Goshen remained collected and took home a fourth-place finish in the nine-team tourney, winning two of its four matches while recording its 24th win of the season, just one shy of the school record.

“Winning the second place pool on Saturday and capturing fourth place was a monumental accomplishment when you consider the adversity we had to overcome this weekend,” said Kent Nafziger, Goshen head coach. “Add in the fact that we turned in some top performances of the season and achieved our 24th win of the season to top last year’s 23 wins, and we had a great weekend.”

Goshen (24-11, 3-3) had to rebound from a tournament-opening 22-30, 22-30, 17-30 loss to Mid-Central Conference rival Taylor University Friday evening. The Leafs led the Lady Trojans by a 15-10 lead in Game 1 when DeVito landed on a Taylor player’s foot during a block attempt. She attempted to return in the second game, but could not. Without DeVito in the lineup, the Leafs struggled with Taylor’s attack.

“Mindy tried to play in the second game, but was having a lot of trouble with lateral movement,” Nafziger said. “We went to another lineup in the third game, but Taylor was too much for us. We were disappointed after playing so well in the beginning, but felt like we did the best we could under the circumstances.”

Sophomore Anna Herdeck and senior DeeDee Martin led the Leafs with eight kills and seven digs apiece. Senior Lindsay Reinking had five kills and one solo and three assist blocks, while junior Erin Eberspacher tallied three kills to go with six digs. Senior Catie Froese notched seven digs and three kills, while classmate Kristi Miller finished 86 for 86 in setting with 26 assists. DeVito, in what would be her last match of the tournament, finished with three kills and an ace.

Forced to use a new rotation, Nafziger’s squad came back and played brilliantly against the University of Michigan Dearborn in Friday’s second match, defeating the Wolves by a 23-30, 30-24, 30-15, 30-23 count. Martin and Herdeck again led the Leafs’ attack, finishing with 16 and 15 kills, respectively. Martin also tallied 15 digs to go with two aces, while Herdeck provided eight digs and an ace. Reinking notched nine attacks and two solo blocks while Miller was 128 for 128 in setting with 44 assists. She also had three aces and six digs. Eberspacher and Froese each finished the match with 14 digs. As a team, Goshen recorded its second-highest serve-receive percentage of the season (96.4 percent) and recorded 60 digs.

“It took us a game to learn the new line up, but we didn’t panic and stayed together,” Nafziger said. “Kristi Miller did a great job of staying consistent in the match and found hitting combinations that worked.”

Taking second place from its pool on Friday, the Leafs would compete against host Huntington and Spring Arbor University for a fourth-place position Saturday. In the most heated match of the entire tournament, Goshen dropped a heart-breaking 34-36, 28-30, 30-28, 30-23, 10-15 loss to the Foresters in Saturday’s first contest.

“We couldn’t seem to get going against Huntington, but we really pulled together in the third game to find a win, which carried over into the fourth game,” Nafziger said. “We were up 5-1 in the fifth but Huntington made a nice run at us to catch up. I was frustrated with our play in the last game, but very happy with the turn around we made after the first two.”

Martin posted gaudy stats for the Leafs, finishing with 22 kills and 26 digs to complement two solo and four assist blocks. Reinking notched 17 kills and an ace. She also had five solo and eight assist blocks. Herdeck finished with 16 kills, 22 digs and six aces, while Miller tallied 36 assists to go with nine digs. Froese scooped 24 digs for the match. As a team, the Leafs recorded a season-high 101 digs. Reinking’s 13 total blocks and the team’s 21.5 blocks were also season highs.

Needing a sweep of Spring Arbor to take the fourth place ribbon at the invite, Goshen got just that. A 30-18, 30-22, 30-25 defeat of the Cougars occurred as a result of the Leafs playing their best volleyball of the tournament. Goshen served an incredible 98.4 percent in the match (a season high) and recorded 12 aces. Herdeck nailed 16 kills to go with 13 digs, while Martin tallied 13 kills with 17 digs. Reinking placed seven attacks to go with five digs and an ace, while Miller totaled a invite-high 58 assists to go with six digs and four aces.

“We really played up together up to our potential against Spring Arbor,” Nafziger said. “I thought Anna Herdeck and Lindsay Reinking’s play was solid all the way around. Kristi Miller also deserves a ton of credit for keeping the offense going during the changing lineups.”

Miller was named to the all-tournament team as a result of her play over the weekend. DeVito’s status remains questionable for Goshen’s next match, an MCC affair at Indiana Wesleyan on Tuesday. Match time is slated for 7:30 p.m.

OCT. 29 — St. Francis Outlasts Leafs On Senior Night
Goshen comes up just short in neck-and-neck match

One last time: Goshen’s senior players are honored with family before Wednesday night’s match against St. Francis.

One pass: Sophomore Anna Herdeck passes on serve receive in the second game against St. Francis.

Goshen, IN — With a packed house jamming the Roman Gingerich Center for Goshen’s final home match of the season Wednesday night, fans were treated to an amazing contest between two of the Mid-Central Conference’s best teams. In a match where every point was critical, it was league-leading St. Francis that took just enough points to garner a 27-30, 30-25, 30-27, 30-26 win over the Leafs, keeping its undefeated MCC record in tact while holding Goshen (22-9, 3-3) to fifth in the conference.

“I thought we executed our game plan very well and did the things we needed to do to put us in position to win,” said Kent Nafziger, Goshen head coach. “We went out from the start of the first game and really took it to the top team in the conference. We were right where we wanted to be at the end of the last three games, but couldn’t pull one out.”

Goshen began the night with a bittersweet tribute to its four senior players in Catie Froese, DeeDee Martin, Kristi Miller and Lindsay Reinking. After the players received flowers from their teammates and joined family and friends on the court, Nafziger spoke briefly about his senior players over the public address system, citing how much the program would miss the players’ contributions both on and off the floor.

“These four players have helped us take this program in the right direction,” Nafziger said. “They are tremendous people in addition to being very good volleyball players, and they will be sorely missed.”

Following the pre-game ceremonies, Goshen promptly handed the 27th-ranked Lady Cougars a 30-27 defeat in Game 1. And while St. Francis was able to sneak away with the second and third games, Goshen’s attack percentage was higher in its losses — the Leafs finished with a .146 percentage in the Game 1 win, but had .178 and .167 attacking clips in the second and third games.

Each of the last three stanzas could have gone either way, with late rallies and point runs keeping the large crowd in a fever pitch for the entire night. In the end, however, St. Francis was able to edge the biggest points in each game, taking the final two sets by a mere seven total points.

“Our serving was unbelievable tonight at 95 percent and six aces,” Nafziger said. “While we gave up a few too many in serve receive, I still thought we were solid there. I was very proud of the way the tam played with consistency and intensity.”

Junior Mindy DeVito led the offensive attack for the Leafs, placing 19 kills and 11 digs to go with two aces and three assist blocks. Martin came up with 12 kills and 18 digs in her last home match, going 20 for 20 in serving with an ace and 15 for 15 in serve receive. Sophomore Anna Herdeck tallied 12 kills as well, complementing 10 digs and one solo and two assist blocks. Reinking finished with eight kills and two solo and two assist blocks, while Froese scooped nine digs. Miller ended her home career with 51 assists. She also had 11 digs, three assist blocks and was a perfect 15 for 15 in serving.

“We did everything tonight but win,” Nafziger said. “I think we ultimately answered some questions for ourselves tonight by stepping up to a big challenge. The rest of the season will see some great volleyball out of this team.”

Goshen will take part in the Huntington College Invitational this weekend in a non-conference setting. The Leafs will face Taylor University to open the invite Friday at 4 p.m. Goshen will return to MCC play next Tuesday, when the team will travel to Indiana Wesleyan.

OCT. 24-25 — Goshen Wins Manchester Spartan Invite
Leafs play best volleyball of season en route to 4-0 weekend

Junior Mindy DeVito Senior DeeDee Martin

North Manchester, IN — In a display of pure dominance and team chemistry, the Goshen women’s volleyball team left no doubt as to which was the best squad at the six-team Manchester Spartan Invite this weekend, as the Leafs won all four of their matches while dropping just a single game in the process.

“This was a strong weekend for us,” said Kent Nafziger, Goshen head coach. “For the most part, we played together and remained consistent.”

Goshen (22-8, 3-2) stormed out of Friday’s pool play with straight-game wins over Tri-State University (30-20, 30-26, 30-23) and Rochester College (MI) (30-17, 30-21, 30-15) and then began tournament play with a 30-24, 30-16, 30-16 win over host Manchester Saturday morning. The Leafs’ only blemish was a 22-30 Game 1 loss to Cumbeland University (KY) in the championship match, but that slip was brief: Goshen came back for a 30-20, 30-23, 30-19 trouncing of the Patriots to claim the tournament trophy.

“We didn’t play particularly well in the last half of the first game and lost,” Nafziger said of the championship match. “The team realized that they needed to elevate their level of play and just went out and decisively won the last three games. They were fun to watch, as all areas of our game were on and the team just played together like we haven’t before.”

Friday’s sweeps over Tri-State and Rochester were just a preview of what was to come for the Leafs. In the opening match, Goshen received strong play from junior Mindy DeVito (16 kills, seven digs, two solo and three assist blocks) and senior Lindsay Reinking (10 kills, two solo and one assist block). Sophomore Anna Herdeck tallied 12 kills and 10 digs in the win over the Thunder, while senior DeeDee Martin notched 11 kills and 10 digs. Senior Kristi Miller was 128 for 128 in setting with 49 assists. She also had 10 digs.

“Mindy DeVito had a great opening match for us with 16 kills while hitting .500,” Nafziger said. “She and Lindsay Reinking were tough for them to stop out of the middle. Lindsay hit very hard and transitioned well in this match. Anna Herdeck had her best game in recent memory, while DeeDee and Kristi were both steady and provided needed leadership during less intense parts of the match.”

Naftziger was able to use a different lineup for the overmatched Rochester team in Friday’s second match, as the Leafs dominated from the start. Martin and Devito again led the way — 11 and 10 kills, respectively — but others stepped up as well. Senior Catie Froese knocked in eight kills to go with five digs and an ace, while junior Julia Deter popped off for five kills, seven digs and an ace. Classmate Erin Eberspacher notched four kills, one solo and two assist blocks to go with a crafty five aces, while freshman Jean Boen quarterbacked the team for most of the match: She finished with 25 assists to go with one solo and one assist block.

“Catie had an impressive eight kills for only playing a game and a half,” Nafziger said. “Julia Deter was more solid defensively for us than in the past and hit well tonight.”

Saturday began with even more dominant play for the Leafs, as host Manchester could not keep pace with a vaunted Goshen attack. DeVito again pasted 16 kills to go with nine digs and three solo and three assist blocks against the Spartans, while Martin tallied 12 kills to go with 12 digs and five aces. Herdeck matched Martin’s 12 attacks and scooped seven digs, while Eberspacher hit three for kills while digging seven and coming up with two aces. Miller finished with 46 assists on a 91 for 91 setting effort. Reinking again was a force in the middle, coming up with nine kills. In this match, the Leafs finished with a .373 attack percentage — the best of the season — while coming up with 55 team kills, the second best output of the year.

“Kristi Miller executed our game plan very well, and as a team we served strong and mixed up our attack between the middles and the outsides,” Nafziger said. “Mindy, DeeDee, Anna and Lindsay all attacked the ball very well to keep Manchester’s defense guessing.”

And, save for the first game, Goshen’s trend of excellent volleyball continued into the championship match against Cumberland. DeVito again knocked in 16 kills to go with seven digs and one solo and four assist blocks. Martin backed her up with 13 kills and 13 digs, while Herdeck provided 11 kills, seven digs, an ace and one solo and one assist block. Reinking placed 10 attacks to go with three solo and two assist blocks. Eberspacher notched three kills and eight digs to complement four aces, while Miller again was a pro in setting, tallying 47 assists to go with four kills and five digs. Froese scooped 10 digs in the championship as well.

“Everyone was a hitter again, which made us hard to stop,” Nafziger said. “The constant barrage of kills from Mindy, DeeDee, Anna, Lindsay and Erin was fueled by the outstanding setting of Kristi Miller. Our defense was excellent and provided many transition opportunities for us to convert points. It was a pleasure to watch the team perform like that.”

As a result of their play, both DeVito and Martin were named to the all-tournament team. For a complete list of all teams’ scores and results to the Manchester Spartan Invite, click here.

Goshen will return to the heated Mid-Central Conference race Wednesday night, when the squad will host St. Francis in the final home match of the season. The Leafs’ seniors will be recognized prior to the start of the match. Match time is slated for 7:30 p.m.

OCT. 21 — Leafs Falter In 3-0 Loss To Bethel
Team struggles in all facets; falls 28-30, 20-30, 26-30

Mishawaka, IN — Looking to move its Mid-Central Conference record to 4-1 and take a firm grasp on third place in the league, the Goshen volleyball team struggled at Bethel Tuesday night, dropping a 28-30, 20-30, 26-30 decision to the host Pilots. The loss moved Goshen to 3-2 in the conference and 18-8 overall, giving Bethel a stronghold as the third best team in the MCC while the Leafs slipped to fourth place.

“Bethel played very well defensively and earned the match,” said Kent Nafziger, Goshen head coach. “I thought we would match up against them better and we should have.”

Goshen started things off in decent fashion, as the Leafs led throughout Game 1 until a late downfall. Bethel took the last five points of the game to take a 30-28 comeback win, and that momentum carried over into Game 2. Goshen was able to bounce back with better play in Game 3, but again lost close points down the stretch.

For the night, the Leafs successfully passed on just 86.7 percent of all Bethel serves, giving the Pilots 10 points on passing errors and five points on serving errors. Goshen only served two aces for the match. As a team, the Leafs tallied 35 total kills but had 17 attack errors and two blocking errors.

“It’s hard to give a team 34 points while only generating 40 points from kills, blocks and aces and still expect to win,” Nafziger said.

Senior DeeDee Martin had the most solid individual performance for the Leafs, coming up with 15 kills and 10 digs on a 14 for 14 effort in service. Sophomore Anna Herdeck fired seven kills to go with nine digs. Junior Mindy DeVito tallied six kills to go with two solo and one assist block. Senior Kristi Miller was 105 for 105 in setting with 34 assists.

Goshen will next compete in the Manchester College Spartan Invitational this weekend, facing Tri-State University in pool play Friday. That match is slated to begin at 5 p.m.

OCT. 17 — Rochester No Match For Goshen
Team travels to Michigan and handles Warriors 30-16, 30-17, 30-21

Rochester Hills, MI — The trip to Rochester Hills, Michigan may have been a long one for the Goshen volleyball team, but Friday night’s match with the host Warriors was anything but lengthy. Goshen used a steady attack to jump ahead quickly and efficiently, knocking out Rochester by a 30-16, 30-17, 30-21 count. Goshen head coach Kent Nafziger was able to mix up his rotations a bit to give different players different opportunities throughout the match, and said he was pleased with the results.

“We jumped ahead in all three games and played a consistent match,” Nafziger said. “We used a different line up tonight that featured (junior) Erin Eberspacher hitting in the middle and (junior) Julia Deter hitting backside. Both played well in those positions. (Freshman) Jean Boen made good decisions from the setter position in the last two games in relief of (senior) Kristi Miller.”

Eberspacher finished the match with 10 kills to go with two solo and one assisted block, while Deter generated three kills and four digs. Boen finished the night perfect in setting (63 for 63) and dished out 25 assists. Boen also provided seven digs and an ace. In Game 1 Miller went 34 for 34 in setting with 13 assists and an ace.

Goshen (18-7, 3-1) also got solid play from its regulars, as junior Mindy DeVito led the team with 16 kills to go with seven digs. Sophomore Anna Herdeck knocked in nine kills to complement three aces and three solo blocks. Senior DeeDee Martin finished with seven kills and 13 digs. She also was 13 for 13 in service with an ace and was seven for seven in serve receive.

The Leafs will return to play Tuesday, when the squad will travel to Mid-Central Conference rival Bethel. Match time is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

OCT. 15 — Leafs Keep Winning Against Huntington
Goshen gets fourth straight 'W' with 30-21, 30-21, 30-26 sweep of Foresters

Goshen, IN — Putting together a surge as of late, the Goshen volleyball team captured a 30-21, 30-21, 30-26 win over Mid-Central Conference rival Huntington College Wednesday night. The win is the Leafs’ fourth straight, and the team remains tied for second place in the conference with a 3-1 league record.

“This was a good win for us tonight and keeps us in a good position in the conference,” said Kent Nafziger, Goshen head coach. “We worked hard defensively and then to transition to offense. We did a nice job of picking up their tips and then converting for points.”

Goshen (17-7, 3-1) came out on fire, taking an early lead in Game 1 before giving up a 10-5 run to the Foresters. After a Nafziger-called timeout, however, the Leafs responded: Goshen would take the next five points en route to a 30-21 win. The Leafs would use a .357 attack percentage to duplicate the Game 1 score in the second stanza, while the third game was a bit tighter — Goshen came up with big points late for the 30-26 capper.

Junior Mindy DeVito was a strong presence at the net throughout the evening, leading the team with 18 kills to go with eight digs and an ace. Senior DeeDee Martin hammered her share of attacks as well, finishing with 16 kills and 16 digs to go with an ace. Sophomore Anna Herdeck had 10 kills and 14 digs, while senior Lindsay Reinking placed seven kills. Junior Erin Eberspacher kept the Foresters guessing from the serving line, going 20 for 20 in service with two aces. She also had 11 digs. Senior Kristi Miller finished the night with 41 assists and an ace, while classmate Catie Froese came up with three kills and 10 digs.

“Mindy DeVito and DeeDee Martin were strong hitters tonight, but were also smart,” Nafziger said. “I thought Anna Herdeck and Lindsay Reinking both hit very well also. Anna and DeeDee both played very well defensively, having to continually adjust to a mix of hits and tips while covering a large portion of the backrow.”

Goshen will take a one-game break from MCC play when the team will travel to Rochester College for a Friday night match. Match time is slated for a 7:30 p.m. (EST) start. The match will be played at an alternate location from the college. For driving directions, click here.

OCT. 9 — Goshen Edges Marian In Indianapolis
Leafs take key points in 30-32, 30-21, 31-29, 30-25 conference win

Senior Catie Froese Junior Erin Eberspacher

Indianapolis, IN — On paper, Goshen’s 3-1 win over Mid-Central Conference rival Marian Thursday night looked easy enough. On the court, however, it was anything but simple. After falling in the first game 32-30, the Leafs recorded key points in the remaining stanzas to take down the host Knights 30-21, 31-29, 30-25.

“This was the kind of solid, well-played match we needed to have,” said Kent Nafziger, Goshen head coach. “We had some thrilling moments tonight and were able to come up with big plays when we needed to.”

Goshen (16-7, 2-1) couldn’t find the big play in the first game, however, as Marian was able to pull out the close Game 1 match in extra points. The Leafs’ serving heated up in the second game, setting up a cardiac Game 3. Trailing 27-29, Goshen was able to take advantage of a Marian mis-serve, followed by a combined block from senior DeeDee Martin and junior Mindy DeVito to even the score at 29. Senior Catie Froese then served an ace, and the final Knight rally landed out of bounds.

In the fourth and deciding game, senior Kristi Miller rattled off three aces to keep Marian at bay late. The win puts Goshen in a four-way tie for second place in the MCC.

DeVito led the offensive attack with 18 kills to go with 14 digs and two aces. She also had two assist blocks. Martin provided 12 kills and 17 digs, while Froese notched four aces to go with 17 digs and a 17 for 17 serving performance. Senior Lindsay Reinking hammered nine kills and had seven solo blocks, while junior Erin Eberspacher tallied eight kills with nine digs and an ace. Miller finished the match with 47 assists and 10 digs. She also had four aces. Sophomore Anna Herdeck finished with six kills, 11 digs and two aces on a 27 for 27 effort in service.

“Mindy Devito had another outstanding match for us with an impressive 18 kills,” Nafziger said. “Lindsay Reinking was really on tonight as well, recording a season-high seven solo blocks as well as a solid nine kills. Catie Froese and Erin Eberspacherboth played their best in recent matches. Catie was perfect in serve and serve receive stats. I thought her best contributions though were defensively and a hard serve at key points, most notable bringing us back in game three. Erin's hitting was on tonight, while she picked up some well-placed Marian tips at crucial times in the match.”

Goshen will attempt to separate itself from the conference field Wednesday night, when the team will host MCC foe Huntington. Match time is slated for 7:30 p.m.

OCT. 7 — Team Overcomes Slow Start To Sweep Falcons
Taylor-Fort Wayne poses little threat in Leafs' 30-25, 30-18, 30-16 win

Unloading: Sophomore Anna Herdeck slams one of her eight kills during the first game of Tuesday night’s match with Taylor-Fort Wayne.

Whoo-whoo: The squad celebrates a scored block in the second game against Taylor-Fort Wayne. Goshen recorded 10 team blocks in the match.

Goshen, IN — A lazy start out of the gates didn’t deter the Goshen volleyball team from recording its 11th sweep-win of the season Tuesday, as the Leafs defeated Taylor University-Fort Wayne by a 30-25, 30-18, 30-16 score. Goshen trailed early in Game 1, but responded with a five-point victory after a timeout from head coach Kent Nafziger woke up the squad.

“I was not happy with our play in the first game,” Nafziger said. “It was very sloppy and our passing was very poor. We picked up our intensity level and were much more crisp in the second and third games.”

Goshen (15-7, 1-1) also picked up its attack percentage considerably in the final two stanzas, starting the match off with a .200 clip in Game 1 and increasing the mark to .609 and .286 in the second and third games.

The Leafs were led by junior Mindy DeVito’s 15 kills and eight of eight serving performance, including a 10 for 10 effort in serve receive. Sophomore Anna Herdeck recorded eight kills to go with seven digs, three aces and a seven for seven serve receive effort. Senior DeeDee Martin notched six kills to go with four aces and eight digs, while providing two solo blocks. Classmate Kristi Miller dished out 37 assists before being replaced by freshman Jean Boen in the third game (four assists, one for one in service) while junior Erin Eberspacher was consistent, picking up five digs while placing five kills. Senior Catie Froese also had five kills and five digs as well as two aces. Junior Julia Deter recorded three kills and three digs while going two for two in service.

“Mindy DeVito was very consistent in all three games with 15 total kills,” Nafziger said. “I was also pleased with Julia Deter’s play, coming in for DeeDee Martin toward the end of the third game. We will need to play much better on Thursday against Marian if we expect to compete, though.”

Goshen will return to Mid-Central Conference play when the team travels to Indianapolis to hook up with the Knights Thursday. Match time is slated for 7:30 p.m.

OCT. 4 — Leafs Sweep Grace Bible; Martin Honored
Goshen knocks out Tigers in three while recognizing new dig record holder

Passing: Sophomore Anna Herdeck passes during the first game against Grace Bible College Saturday. Herdeck led the team with 14 kills for the match.

All-time dig leader: Senior DeeDee Martin — posing with Goshen head coach Kent Nafziger — was recognized Saturday for eclipsing the school’s career dig record, as Martin bypassed Jan Helmuth’s mark of 1056 career digs last weekend. Martin’s current career dig total stands at 1080.

Goshen, IN — Defeating Grace Bible College by a 30-16, 30-13, 30-18 score was just a portion of the fun had by the Goshen volleyball team Saturday morning, as the squad honored two of its seniors for various accomplishments prior to the match.

Senior Kristi Miller was saluted for an award-winning week, as she was named the NAIA Region VIII and Mid-Central Conference Setter Of The Week Monday (see related story below) to go with an All-Tournament Team selection in Iowa Wesleyan’s “Avenue of the Saints” Tournament last weekend. Goshen head coach Kent Nafziger then presented senior DeeDee Martin with a game ball, as Martin became the school’s all-time leader in career digs during that same tournament. Martin surpassed Jan Helmuth’s mark of 1056 digs in just two years as a Leaf, as she transferred from Hesston College (Hesston, Kan.) in 2001. Following Saturday’s match with Grace Bible, Martin’s dig total had reached 1080 career digs. In Saturday’s pre-game ceremony, Martin’s teammates flung volleyballs at her in unison to jokingly congratulate her on her accomplishment.

“DeeDee has been our outside hitter since last year, and (being the new career dig leader) after playing with us for just a season and a half makes her accomplishment even more impressive, especially since the previous record was set in four years,” Nafziger said. “She deserves to be congratulated on a job well done.”

As the actual match began, it was clear that Goshen (14-7, 1-1) would have no trouble with the visiting Tigers. A 30-16 Game 1 rout started the ball rolling for the Leafs, as Grace Bible could not get out of the teens in any of the three games.

Goshen was led by sophomore Anna Herdeck’s 14 kills in the short match, to go with four aces on a 14 for 14 serving performance. Junior Erin Eberspacher placed five kills to go with five digs, while junior Mindy DeVito knocked in four kills. Freshman Maria Rakochy knocked in a career-high three kills, while classmate Jean Boen ran the show for two of the three games, finishing with 16 assists on a 56 for 56 setting performance. She also had three aces.

“Jean Boen came in for Kristi Miller to set in the last two games, making good decisions and running the offense well,” Nafziger said. “Anna Herdeck had a great day, hitting with a lot of power and serving tough. We moved Erin Eberspacher into the middle in the last two games, and she did well in transition.”

As a team, Goshen finished with 18 aces and 23 digs. Martin provided five of each, seeing limited action due to the one-sided match.

“DeeDee approaches every practice and game with an intensity that is second to none,” Nafziger said. “Not only is she a team captain and a leader on the court, but she is also an outstanding representative of Goshen College and our volleyball program in the way she lives her life.”

Goshen will play one more non-conference match before heading back into MCC competition. The Leafs will host Taylor University-Fort Wayne Tuesday. Match time is slated for 7:30 p.m.

SEPT. 30 — Goshen Can't Get Things Going At Taylor
Leafs drop first conference match of the season 21-30, 12-30, 28-30

Upland, IN — Just one day after cracking the NAIA’s Region VIII Top 10 poll, the Goshen volleyball team dropped a tough 21-30, 12-30, 28-30 at Mid-Central Conference rival Taylor. The Leafs had troubles stopping the Trojans’ attack throughout the match, and also struggled offensively — Goshen could generate only 29 total kills on the evening.

“Taylor is a very talented team,” said Kent Nafziger, Goshen head coach. “We had trouble stopping their attack out of the middle. We served 93 percent, however we were only able to produce four aces, which statistically were cancelled out by our four errors.”

Goshen (13-7, 1-1) was able to stay close in Game 1 until the 20th point, when Taylor pulled away for the 30-21 win. Poor passing in the second game led to a 30-12 haymaker, but Nafziger’s squad responded in the third game: Goshen notched 14 of its 29 kills in Game 3, nearly forcing a Game 4 after tying the stanza at 28 apiece.

“I really thought we were going to force a fourth game,” Nafziger said. “We played very well in the third game with solid passing and a much better attack. We had a lot of momentum at the end before Taylor took the last two points. We didn’t play like we wanted to overall, but the team did a good job of making adjustments after things weren’t working in the second game.”

Goshen was led by junior Mindy DeVito’s 10 kills on the evening. Senior DeeDee Martin placed seven attacks, followed by classmate Lindsay Reinking’s six kills. Senior Kristi Miller was perfect in setting — 107 for 107 — with 25 assists. Martin led the team in digs with 25.

Goshen will begin a short hiatus from MCC play when the team hosts Grace Bible College Saturday. Match time is slated for 11 a.m.

SEPT. 29 — Miller Named NAIA Regional Setter Of The Week
Senior's accomplishment comes with team's ranking in NAIA Region VIII

Senior Kristi Miller

Olathe, KS — After guiding her team to a 4-1 record over the past week, senior Kristi Miller was named the NAIA Region VIII Setter Of The Week for the week ending Sept. 29. Miller averaged 12.5 assists per game during that stretch, leading her team to a 3-0 win over Grace College in Goshen’s first Mid-Central Conference match on Sept. 23 and a runner up finish at the Iowa Wesleyan College “Avenue of the Saints” Tournament last weekend.

Miller’s best performance of the week came against Judson College (IL) in the Iowa tournament, where she averaged 14.3 assists per game in the team’s 30-24, 30-25, 30-27 win over the Lady Eagles. Miller was named to the All-Tournament team as a result of her play at the conclusion of the event.

“Kristi has been our leader on the court since early in her freshman season,” said Kent Nafziger, Goshen head coach. “She has an tremendous understanding of the game and unique ability to transfer our game plan into action without error. Kristi has been a big reason for our success in recent years. She is self-motivated and constantly pushes herself to get better.”

Miller, a communications major, currently leads the MCC with 12.06 assists per game and ranks ninth in serve efficiency at 94.12%. She holds school records in career assists (4,153), career assists per game (9.73) and season assists per game (10.74). She also ranks fourth in all-time career aces (159), sixth in aces in a season (65), eighth in career aces per game (.368) and ninth in career serve efficiency (.948). In 2002, she was named NAIA All America Scholar Athlete and to the MCC All-Conference team.

Ironically, Miller’s most recent award coincides with the team being ranked seventh in the NAIA Region VIII poll, the Leafs’ first ranking of any sort in the 2003 season. Goshen currently boasts a win-loss record of 13-6 and leads the MCC in both serve efficiency (92.37%) and assists (13.06), while ranking second in kills per game (13.80) and third in serve receive efficiency (89.59%) and digs per game (17.41). The Leafs were ranked ninth at the conclusion of the 2002 season.

“We're honored to be recognized as one of the top teams in the region,” Nafziger said. “Our overall play has been much more consistent over the last couple of weeks. We have some big challenges ahead in conference play and must continue to improve on a day to day basis.”

Goshen will travel to Taylor University tonight for its second MCC contest of the season. Match time is slated to begin at 7:30 p.m.

SEPT. 26-27 — Leafs Take Runner-Up Trophy In Iowa
Team goes 3-1 in Iowa Wesleyan's "Avenue of the Saints" Tournament

Mt. Pleasant, IA — Making the long drive to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa to participate in the Iowa Wesleyan College “Avenue of the Saints” Tournament turned out to be a worthwhile trip for Goshen this weekend, as the Leafs finished 3-1 for the event and nearly won the entire thing on Saturday. Goshen defeated Park University (MO) 30-25, 25-30, 30-25, 30-24 and Mt. Mercy College (IA) 30-28, 30-19, 30-24 on Friday night, placing the team in Saturday’s championship bracket. After defeating Judson College (IL) 30-24, 30-25, 30-27 in the semi-finals, the Leafs could not capture the championship trophy in a tough 26-30, 21-30, 30-24, 28-30 loss to Grand View College (IA) Saturday afternoon.

“While we were disappointed in (not winning the tournament), we were very satisfied with our play for the weekend,” said Kent Nafziger, Goshen head coach. “We had some great team play as well as some impressive individual performances. Hopefully this weekend will help us as we continue conference play.”

Goshen (13-6, 1-0) started the tournament by fending off an athletic Park squad that hung around just enough to give the Leafs a fight. Nafziger’s squad found itself down 22-12 in the first game of the match, but used hot serving and solid passing to come back for a 30-25 win. Junior Mindy DeVito led the attack with 14 kills and 15 digs, while senior DeeDee Martin placed 11 kills to go with 22 digs. Senior Lindsay Reinking knocked in eight kills to go with two solo blocks, while sophomore Anna Herdeck notched six attacks with a 17 for 17 serving effort that included two aces. Junior Erin Eberspacher recorded four kills with an 18 for 18 serving effort (two aces) while senior Catie Froese also provided two aces and six digs. As a team, the Leafs placed 14 aces, the second-most for the season.

“Park was very athletic and hard hitting,” Nafziger said. “We were very solid in the last three games and they just couldn’t seem to handle our serve.”

The Leafs continued Friday without a problem, sweeping Mt. Mercy in the late match despite not playing up to Nafziger’s expectations. Goshen again rode DeVito offensively — 13 kills, 16 for 16 serving with an ace, five digs — but couldn’t pull away from the Mustangs when given opportunities.

“We were a bit less consistent against Mt. Mercy, playing below our normal level at times,” Nafziger said. “It seemed like we would make a run of points, but then make a string of errors to only keep our lead to about three points. We would eventually pull it out in the end, but we weren’t at the top of our game collectively.”

Herdeck was next in line for the Leafs statistically, pouring in nine kills and 13 digs with a 17 for 17 performance in serve receive. Martin also had nine kills to go with 12 digs, while Eberspacher recorded nine attacks and four aces. Senior Kristi Miller also continued super play from her setter position, going 102 for 102 in setting with 42 aces. Miller had 45 aces in the match against Park University.

Saturday began as Saturday ended for Goshen, as Nafziger’s team swept Judson in three to set up its championship match with Grand View. Four players recorded double-digit kill totals against the Lady Eagles — Martin 14, Herdeck and DeVito 12 and Reinking 10 —while the team recorded nine aces. Miller again was perfect in setting (128 for 128) with 43 assists.

In the championship match with the Vikings, Goshen started off slowly and had a difficult time making it up. The Leafs missed six serves in the first game of the match, which ended up being the difference the team would have needed to win. After a 21-30 Game 2 loss, Goshen finally got untracked in the third game, notching 17 kills while hitting .372. The Leafs nearly took Game 4 as well, but a comeback was not to be. Goshen returned from a 29-25 deficit to make the score 29-28, but the Vikings took the last rally to dash away hopes of a Game 5.

Goshen was led by Martin in the championship, who racked up a ludicrous season-high 24 kills to go with 12 digs. DeVito knocked in 16 kills and nine digs, while Herdeck placed nine attacks to complement 11 digs. Miller, who finished on the All-Tournament Team, provided 47 assists to go with a 14 for 14 serving effort. She also had 10 digs.

“We never gave up against Grand View, despite not being able to put it together in the first two games,” Nafziger said. “Game 4 was an incredible display of teamwork, as we were able to come back with aggressive serving and net play. It was disappointing not to win, but we were very satisfied with our play in the last two games.”

Goshen will return to Mid-Central Conference play Tuesday, when the team travels to Taylor. Match time is slated for a 7:30 p.m. start.

SEPT. 23 — Goshen Blanks Grace In Conference Opener
Team recovers from slow start to sweep Lancers, 30-26, 30-11, 30-15

Smarts: The Goshen College coaching staff in (from left to right) assistant Alyssa Beck, assistant Val Hershberger and head coach Kent Nafziger take in the action during Tuesday night’s match with Grace.

Splitting the gap: Senior Lindsay Reinking records one of her eight kills in the third game of Tuesday night’s Mid-Central Conference match with Grace.

Goshen, IN — It wasn’t exactly the best start to the 2003 Mid-Central Conference season for the Leafs Tuesday night against Grace College, but things improved vastly as the night went on. After a mix up left one official absent from the match and a technical problem with the sound system in the Roman Gingerich Center complicated warm up times, the Goshen team stumbled out of the blocks to an early deficit to the Lancers in the match’s first game.

“It was a little chaotic leading up to the match,” said Kent Nafziger, Goshen head coach. “I didn’t have a chance to talk with the team until about 30 seconds prior to the start of Game 1. We didn’t have much of a chance to go over the game plan with all of the confusion, and it showed.”

The Leafs took the court only to be outscored 11-3 by Grace, with nothing going right for Nafziger’s squad. Slowly, however, Goshen came back with consistent play and deft serving, tying the game at 12 en route to a shaky, yet solid 30-26 Game 1 win.

“Even when we got down eight points early, I didn’t take a time out because I had confidence in the team that they could overcome (the situation),” Nafziger said. “We were much more consistent from the start in the second and third games.”

Goshen (10-5, 1-0) roared to a 30-11 win in Game 2 and capped the night off with a 30-15 trouncing in the third game, keeping the Leafs’ perfect game record in dual-match play for the season — 15 wins, no losses — in tact.

“I can’t think of a better way to start our conference schedule than with a three to nothing win at home,” Nafziger said. “We finished the match playing very well as a team, and were able to come back from the shaky start.”

Nafziger benefited from solid play across his lineup against Grace, as was evident in the team’s .299 hitting percentage, the best of the season. Senior DeeDee Martin led the team with 13 kills and six digs, and also hit an amazing 42 percent, her best performance of the season. Junior Mindy DeVito knocked in nine kills with an ace, while senior Catie Froese delivered seven aces for the match, her top output of the season and second-best on the team. Senior Lindsay Reinking hit the ball extremely hard, finishing with eight kills and two solo blocks. Junior Erin Eberspacher placed six kills with two aces, while sophomore Anna Herdeck totaled five kills to go with eight digs. Senior Kristi Miller finished the night with 35 assists on an 85 for 85 setting performance, while being spelled by freshman Jean Boen — three assists on a nine for nine effort — late in the third game. As a team, Goshen finished the night with 12 aces, the second most this season.

“Catie Froese had a field day from the serving line with seven aces,” Nafziger said. “She and Erin Eberspacher both opened up games two and three with big serving runs. DeeDee Martin and Mindy DeVito kept their defense off track with a nice mix of power hitting and smart tipping. Lindsay Reinking, who only committed one hitting error, was a strong presence at the net tonight. It almost goes without saying that Kristi Miller was perfect in her setting tonight. On top of that, I thought she had a good defensive night too.”

Goshen will take a weekend away from MCC play when the team heads to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa to take part in the Iowa Wesleyan “Avenue of the Saints” Tournament. The team will open the event with a 4 p.m. match against Park University (MO) on Friday.

SEPT. 20 — Leafs Win One, Drop One At Marian Tri
Goshen takes out Oakland City 3-1 but can't beat Marian for second time

Senior DeeDee Martin Junior Mindy DeVito

Indianapolis, IN — Saturday’s Marian Tri Match yielded yet another split decision for Goshen, as the squad defeated Oakland City University by a 25-30, 30-24, 33-31, 30-28 in the day’s first contest but fell to host Marian 14-30, 26-30, 30-20, 27-30 in the second. The Leafs have split matches in all non-dual events of the season thus far, going 2-2 at both the Defiance Invitational on Sept. 5-6 and the Maple Leaf Invitational on Sept. 12-13.

After the long trip to Indianapolis on Saturday, Goshen (9-5, 0-0) began the day with a hard-fought win over the Lady Oaks, coming back to win in four after a 25-30 Game 1 loss. The Leafs’ hitters were tested as Oakland City continually extended points and kept its poise. As a result, the Leafs stat line displayed a very patient, unwavering attack: Senior DeeDee Martin led the team with 21 kills and 32 digs, while junior Mindy DeVito had 21 kills to go with 16 digs. Sophomore Anna Herdeck knocked in 17 kills with 21 digs and two aces.

“We really had to earn this match,” said Kent Nafziger, Goshen head coach. “Oakland City was a very scrappy team and made our hitters earn their points. Our defense did a nice job of picking up their tip and we were very consistent in serve receive (87 percent). Mindy and DeeDee were very strong for us. I also thought that (senior) Kristi Miller made sharp decisions.”

Miller was credited with a season-high 70 assists on a 209 for 209 setting performance. Senior Catie Froese knocked in five kills to go with a 24 for 24 serve receive performance. Junior Julia Deter was 16 for 16 in serving with one ace against the Lady Oaks.

Perhaps fatigued from its grueling first match and a widespread cold virus among the team, Goshen was not able to replicate its Sept. 13 win over Mid-Central Conference rival Marian, as the squad lost in four games. The Leafs, who defeated the Knights 28-30, 30-26, 32-30, 30-17 at the Maple Leaf Invitational just one week earlier, got off to a horrid start on Saturday, losing the first game 30-14 and never quite being able to recover.

“We were incredibly flat in the first game and lost terribly,” Nafziger said. “We bounced back in the next games and played with more consistency. Marian put up a nice block that took awhile for our hitters to adjust to. In the end, we just weren’t able to pull out the wins.”

DeVito again led the attack for the Leafs with 16 kills to go with 15 digs. Martin placed 13 kills and scooped 17 digs, while Herdeck knocked in nine attacks with 10 digs. Junior Erin Eberspacher was also able to work from the front row for the first time this season, after an off-season ankle injury had limited her to libero status. Eberspacher placed five kills and was 10 for 10 serving against the Knights.

“Erin did a nice job hitting on the backside during the third and fourth games when we tried a different rotation,” Nafziger said.

Goshen will begin MCC play Tuesday night when the team will host Grace. Match time is slated for 7:30 p.m.

SEPT. 16 — Squad Handles Grace Bible In Three
Goshen's 30-13, 30-12, 30-18 win consistent, strong according to Nafziger

Grand Rapids, MI — It was an efficient trip to Grand Rapids, Michigan for the Goshen College volleyball team Tuesday night, as the Leafs made quick work of host Grace Bible College in a 30-13, 30-12, 30-18 win. Goshen received production from all players in the win, while the team’s consistency pleased head coach Kent Nafziger.

“We started out strong and kept our level of play up through the entire match, which is something that we’ve struggled with lately,” Nafziger said. “Everyone contributed tonight and played well.”

Goshen (8-4, 0-0) collected a season-high 19 aces on the night, while the squad committed only one serve receive error. The team received high play from all of its players, including walk-on freshman Maria Rakochy, who was playing in her first collegiate match of her career. Rakochy was one for one in service.

“All of Maria’s transcripts finally arrived and we were able to complete the NAIA’s eligibility requirements on Tuesday,” Nafziger said. “It was great to get her playing time right away.”

The list of good play was a long one for the Leafs: Senior Lindsay Reinking and sophomore Anna Herdeck each had eight kills, with Reinking going six for six in service with three aces and Herdeck providing six digs. Junior Mindy DeVito placed six kills to go with seven digs and a 16 for 16 serving performance with one ace. Senior DeeDee Martin recorded five kills and four digs along with a ridiculous nine aces. Juniors Julia Deter and Erin Eberspacher also got into the mix offensively, placing five and three kills, respectively. Senior Kristi Miller shared time at setter with freshman Jean Boen, as Miller tallied 21 assists on the night while Boen recorded 13. Boen also was four for four in service with an ace. Senior Catie Froese was consistent in serve receive, going 13 for 13.

Goshen will return to play Saturday, as the team will travel to Indianapolis to participate in the Marian College Tri Match. They will face off against Oakland City at 12 p.m. to begin the event.

SEPT. 12-13 — Goshen Finishes Fifth In Maple Leaf Invite
Leafs go 2-2 over weekend; drop pair of five-game matches

Quarterbacking: Senior Kristi Miller calls out the sets during Friday’s match against Judson. Miller finished with 191 assists for the weekend, averaging 47.8 assists per match.

Bird's eye view: Junior Mindy DeVito records one of her team-leading 16 kills against Trinity International Friday night. The Leafs lost a tough, five-game match to the eventual champion Lady Trojans.

Goshen, IN — In a somewhat disappointing finish, the Goshen College volleyball team won a pair and lost a pair of games at its own Maple Leaf Invitational this weekend. The team’s results equaled a fifth place final standing in the six-team tournament, an outcome far less than what head coach Kent Nafziger had hoped for.

“We were disappointed a bit, and we struggled with consistency in several of our matches over the weekend,” Nafziger said. “The good news is that we ended with our most consistent, mentally strong match of the tournament.”

Goshen (7-4, 0-0) got off to a shaky 30-17, 30-21, 26-30, 30-19 win over Judson in its first match Friday night. While the Leafs were able to tally 63 kills against the Lady Eagles, the team took a large dip in attack percentage in the third game loss (-.5.7 percent). Despite this, the Leafs were able to respond with a convincing 30-19 win in the fourth.

Junior Mindy DeVito led the squad with 18 kills and 12 digs in the initial match, while senior DeeDee Martin placed 13 kills to go with nine digs. Sophomore Anna Herdeck drilled 13 attacks to go along with eight digs, while senior Catie Froese also tallied eight kills.

“We struggled to keep consistency throughout the entire match,” Nafziger said. “The team worked hard to gain points and play together. We were happy with the win, but not satisfied with our overall play.”

Facing an undefeated Trinity International team in the late match Friday night, the Leafs picked up their play considerably but couldn’t come up with a win in a heartbreaking 30-27, 19-30, 28-30, 28-30 loss.

“Trinity International is a very talented team,” Nafziger said. “I thought we played them very well, but just couldn’t seem to pull it out at the end of the game. Statistically speaking, this was about our strongest match of the tournament. It was hard to lose after such an effort.”

Nafziger’s team was again led on the offensive front by DeVito, who smashed 16 kills and scooped 10 digs for the match. Martin and Herdeck each came up with 14 kills, while Martin picked up 25 digs for the match and Herdeck 20. Senior Kristi Miller was perfect in setting (178 for 178) and had 47 assists to go with a busy day defensively — the setter picked up 13 digs in the match.

Even with the Friday night loss to Trinity in pool competition, Goshen still was in position to make a run at the invitational title as the team began tournament play Saturday morning. A very slow start cost the Leafs, however, as an early two game deficit to the University of Michigan Dearborn led to a 30-32, 26-30, 30-20, 30-21, 15-9 loss.

“We were very flat in the first two games,” Nafziger said, “but we had a remarkable turnaround in the third and fourth games. We were consistent and had a very balanced attack. We got down early in the fifth and just couldn’t make up the deficit, however.”

DeVito had 14 kills and 16 digs in the match, while Froese had 10 kills and 12 digs. With Martin and Herdeck being limited offensively, senior Lindsay Reinking stepped up and recorded eight kills. Miller finished with 45 assists and an ace in service, while Martin provided 24 digs.

The loss placed Goshen in the fifth place match against Mid-Central Conference foe Marian, and the Leafs looked determined from the start. After barely dropping the first game by a 28-30 score, Nafziger’s squad got after it and took care of business, winning the next three games 30-26, 32-30, 30-17.

“We put together a nice match against Marian,” Nafziger said. “Our offensive and defensive efforts were very good. This was a good match to end on and look to the future.”

Goshen got large production from DeVito and Martin in its final match of the tourney, as the pair combined for 31 kills and 31 digs. Herdeck scooped 13 digs to go with nine attacks, while Froese knocked in five kills to go with a 15 for 15 serving performance that included one ace.

Trinity International won the invitational, keeping its perfect record in tact throughout the weekend. For a complete list of all match scores, final standings and team records at the Maple Leaf Invitational, click here.

Goshen will next travel to Grand Rapids on Tuesday night to take on Grace Bible College. Match time is slated for 6 p.m. (EST).

SEPT. 10 — Leafs Nab 3-0 Win In Home Opener
Squad takes care of Aquinas 30-19, 30-26, 30-25

Goshen, IN — If there ever was such a thing as squeaking past an opponent in a three game sweep, the Goshen College volleyball team accomplished that feat Wednesday night. Despite taking down Aquinas 30-19, 30-26, 30-25 in its home opener, Goshen did not bring its A-game, at least according to head coach Kent Nafziger.

“We played well at times and we played inconsistent at times,” Nafziger said. “We were pretty solid during the first game, but seemed to struggle in serve receive the last two games.”

The Leafs (5-2, 0-0) came up with a combined 37 kills and a paltry .857 serve receive clip in the 3-0 win, both numbers far below the season average (the Leafs are averaging 14.2 kills per game and a serve receive average of .904). Despite not coming away with a breathtaking performance, Nafziger’s squad benefited from the fine play of senior Lindsay Reinking. The 6-0 middle hitter came up with a team-leading 10 kills and two solo blocks on the night, to go with an assisted block.

“Lindsay had a good game for us tonight, leading us in both kills and blocks,” Nafziger said. “She’s been working hard in practice the last couple of weeks and it showed tonight.”

Junior Mindy DeVito knocked in eight kills to go with seven digs and two blocks. Senior DeeDee Martin had six kills and a team-leading 14 digs. Sophomore Anna Herdeck provided six kills and nine digs, while senior Catie Froese provided five kills and five digs. Senior Kristi Miller was perfect in setting — 92 for 92 — and tallied 30 assists for the night.

“Kristi’s effort tonight was very good,” Nafziger said. “Her hustle to the ball and delivery of sets kept our offense in the game. It’s nice to open at home with a win.”

Goshen must now prep for its own Maple Leaf Invitational, beginning Friday at 5 p.m. For a complete list of teams and full invitational schedule, click here.

SEPT. 5-6 — Goshen Takes Third Place At Defiance Invite
Leafs win pool; then drop two matches Saturday in nine-team tournament

Defiance, OH — The Goshen College volleyball team got its first taste of big-time tournament atmosphere this weekend, playing in the nine-team Defiance Invitational on Friday and Saturday. Goshen defeated both Campbellsville University (KY) (30-17, 30-23, 30-27) and Spring Arbor University (30-25, 30-22, 30-27) on Friday evening, winning its pool and setting up an opportunity to possibly win the entire event. However, the Leafs found the going tougher on Saturday, losing their first matches — and invididual games — of the season in defeats to both Illinois College (28-30, 21-30, 26-30) and to host Defiance (30-23, 23-30, 25-30, 30-22, 11-15).

“We were disappointed with the two losses, but overall I was very proud of the way we played this weekend,” said Kent Nafziger, Goshen head coach. “We were able to pull together through some challenges with some disciplined play, and several players stepped up throughout the tournament.”

The Leafs (4-2, 0-0) came into the massive invite perfect on the season, not losing a single game in their first two matches. Nafziger’s squad continued that trend through Friday night, taking down both Campbellsville and Spring Arbor in three-game sweeps. Goshen’s initial match against Campbellsville was delayed nearly 40 minutes from the assigned start time, as the Tigers were late in arriving. That didn’t stop the Leafs from pouncing, however, as Goshen ran off to the 30-17, 30-23, 30-27 win. Senior DeeDee Martin led the team with 12 kills and 10 digs in the win, while junior Mindy DeVito recorded eight kills and six digs. Sophomore Anna Herdeck had seven kills and digs, while senior Kristi Miller was 103 for 103 in setting with 32 assists.

Against Spring Arbor, Goshen again used a balance attack, running the tall, hard-hitting Cougars away with offensive distribution. Martin again led the squad — 12 kills, 10 digs, three aces — but the Leafs also benefited from a huge game by senior middle-hitter Lindsay Reinking, who finished the match with 10 kills and a solo block. Herdeck added 10 attacks and 11 digs, while DeVito also placed 10 kills. Senior Catie Froese came on strong with nine kills and a good serving performance, going 16 for 16 from the line to go with three aces. Miller had a personal tournament-best 46 assists in the short match.

“Lindsay Reinking and Catie Froese both had excellent games for us tonight,” Nafziger said. “Lindsay was a strong presence at the net and hit very well. Catie did well all around for us, but was extremely efficient in attack and serving.”

Goshen’s two wins allowed the team to take its three-team pool, giving them a shot at the invitational trophy. However, the Leafs were blitzed by a tough Illinois College team early on Saturday. The Lady Blues used a tough 30-28 first game win to propel themselves to 30-21 and 30-26 wins in the sweep.

“We came out very flat in the first game, but gained momentum to make it close at the end,” Nafziger said. “We struggled to play consistently in this match. Illinois served at us very well in the second game, disrupting our serve receive and making it difficult to run our offense. I was happy with the way we pulled together in the third game, despite the loss.”

DeVito led the Goshen attack with 14 kills and eight digs, including two aces on a 12 for 12 serve performance. Martin added 10 kills and seven digs against Illinois, while Herdeck and Reinking each placed nine attacks. Miller was again perfect in setting (114 for 114) and handed out 44 assists.

In what would be the final game of the tournament for Goshen, the Leafs couldn’t convert a hard-fought, five game thriller with Defiance. After winning the fourth game by a 30-22 count, Nafziger’s team just didn’t have enough left in the 15-11 final game defeat. DeVito blasted 16 kills and 15 digs in the marathon, blocking one solo and three with teammates. Martin had 11 kills to go with an amazing 25 digs, while Herdeck had eight kills and 18 digs. Reinking was again active in the middle, placing nine attacks with one solo and three assisted blocks. Froese had 12 digs and one ace, while junior Erin Eberspacher had 15 digs. As a team, Goshen was able to dig 98 attempts from Defiance, but came up just short.

“The team responded from our first loss with Illinois by pulling together with very disciplined play in the first game,” Nafziger said. “Defiance did a nice job of blocking our outside attack of Anna Herdeck and DeeDee Martin, making us use our middle attack of Lindsay Reinking and Mindy DeVito more. Both players stepped up, as Kristi Miller did a great job of executing the change in our offense. The remainder of the match saw two evenly matched teams fight it out until the last point.”

As a result of her play over the weekend, Martin was named to the all-tournament team. She averaged 11.25 kills and 13 digs for the invitational.

Goshen will host Aquinas College on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in its final prep for this weekend’s six-team Maple Leaf Invitational. For a complete game schedule for the tournament, click here.

SEPT. 2 — Goshen Rolls Over Taylor-Fort Wayne
Squad keeps perfect season in tact heading into Defiance Invitational

Fort Wayne, IN — In its final tune up for the nine-team Defiance Invitational this weekend, the Goshen College volleyball team disposed of host Taylor-Fort Wayne in a quick three Tuesday night, 30-15, 30-20, 30-19. The sweep makes the Leafs a perfect six for six in games thus far, as the team also defeated St. Mary’s in three to open the season.

“We played very well in the first game tonight, making very few errors,” Goshen head coach Kent Nafziger said of Tuesday’s performance. “While we had a let down in the second, we recovered and finished strong.”

Goshen (2-0, 0-0) was led by the all-around play of sophomore Anna Herdeck, who dished out 13 kills to go with 11 digs on the night. The outside hitter was also a perfect 12 for 12 in both serving and serve receive.

Junior Mindy DeVito spear-headed the team’s offense with 14 kills, while senior DeeDee Martin hammered out nine attacks. Devito also defended well picking up nine digs, while Martin scooped 15. DeVito, an All-Mid-Central Conference selection in 2001, missed all of last season due to a torn ACL in her right knee.

“Anna Herdeck had a very solid match for us all the way around tonight,” said Nafziger. “She was very strong at the net and was tough defensively. Mindy DeVito also had a nice game. It’s good to have her back in the line-up after missing last season.”

The Leafs received good play all around the lineup Tuesday night, as all players contributed. Junior Erin Eberspacher churned out 12 digs and was seven for seven in serve receive, while senior Lindsay Reinking placed eight kills, two blocks and recorded two aces. Senior Kristi Miller was perfect in setting (98 for 98) and recorded 35 assists in the short match. Freshman Jean Boen came in and was also perfect in setting, going 19 for 19 with seven assists. As a team, the Leafs recorded 70 digs for the night.

“We used a different lineup in the third game that featured everyone,” Nafziger said. “We did a nice job tonight of picking up the opponent’s tips and converting them for points. I was also proud of our 70 team digs on the defensive side.”

Goshen will next travel to Defiance for the Defiance Invitational beginning this Friday. The Leafs will face off against Campbellsville at 5 p.m. (EST) Friday. They will play again against Spring Arbor at 9 p.m. that night before beginning tournament play on Saturday.

AUG. 30 — Leafs Begin Highly Anticipated 2003 Season With Win Over St. Mary's
Goshen takes down Belles in three; "good start" according to Nafziger

Notre Dame, IN — With expectations running high throughout the Goshen volleyball program this fall, the Leafs opened up the 2003 season in fitting fashion Saturday by defeating St. Mary’s in three straight, 30-24, 30-28, 30-24.

The win comes after Goshen (1-0, 0-0) ironed out some wrinkles in two scrimmages earlier in the week — the Leafs defeated Glen Oaks Community College on Wednesday and put down the University of Chicago immediately prior to their match against St. Mary’s on Saturday. Using a combination of power and quickness, the Leafs were able to sweep the Belles in three, giving head coach Kent Nafziger a sense of satisfaction as the season begins to roll.

“Our scrimmages this year have really helped us,” Nafziger said. “(The scrimmage against the University of Chicago) was a good warm up for us today, and we continued our success against St. Mary’s by coming out strong in the first game. Our defense played very well and adjusted to their hitters, although we struggled some to pick up their tips. We came out slow in the second game, but battled our way back to overcome St. Mary’s in the end. We played much stronger in the third game to seal the match. Today was a good start to our season.”

Nafziger’s senior-laden squad was led by senior DeeDee Martin’s 17 kills and 20 digs on the afternoon. Junior Mindy DeVito finished with 14 kills and 14 digs, while sophomore Anna Herdeck recorded 9 kills to go with 15 digs. Senior Kristi Miller was flawless in running the offense, going 128 for 128 in setting with 47 assists. Junior Erin Eberspacher provided 20 digs in the win, while senior Catie Froese was perfect in serving (eight for eight).

Goshen will travel to Fort Wayne on Tuesday to face-off against Taylor Fort Wayne. The match is slated to begin at 7 p.m.