Spring Arbor, MI — Competing
in its final multiple-match event of the season Saturday, the
Goshen College women’s volleyball team made it a solid
finish, knocking off Davenport University and putting up strong
numbers in losses to Spring Arbor University and Indiana Tech
at the Spring Arbor University Quad Match.
Goshen (5-21, 0-7) put up season high numbers in serving percentage
and blocks on the day, greatly pleasing head coach Jewel Lehman
as the final week of the regular season approaches.
“This was our best day yet this year,” Lehman said. “We
had eight solo blocks and 16 assist blocks on the day, and we hit
extremely well across the board. We might have had a chance to
win a couple games (against Indiana Tech and Spring Arbor), but
some mistakes at key moments cost us. Overall, though, we showed
some promise of what we can accomplish in the future.”
Those signs were apparent early on in the day’s first match,
as Goshen took an early 15-11 lead over Indiana Tech. A Lady Warriors
setter chance threw the Leafs off for a beat, however, and Indiana
Tech was able to close for a 30-25 win in the first game. Goshen
could not respond in the second and third stanzas, eventually dropping
a 25-30, 17-30, 16-30 decision.
“We opened strong in the morning against Indiana Tech,” Lehman
said. “We let it slip a little in the middle after they made
a setter change, and they went ahead by several points. Although
we battled with them up to the end we never made up the points
we gave up in the middle. Indiana Tech took control of the last
two games, though we served very well in this match.”
A balanced attack at the net — both offensively and defensively — paced
Goshen in the match, as no player recorded double-figure kills.
Junior Stephanie Kennell led the way with six attacks for points,
followed by junior Jess Buller and freshman Ashley Janssen with
five apiece. Freshman Gina Richard tallied four kills at a team-leading
.158 attack percentage, while Kennell produced two assist blocks
and one solo block at the net. As a team, Goshen recorded eight
assist blocks and served five aces — all accompanying just
three services errors.
Freshman Allison Hawkins produced 16 assists from her setter position,
while Buller came up with a team-leading 15 digs.
Perhaps riding the momentum of what might have been against Indiana
Tech, Goshen put up an impressive performance against Davenport,
eventually knocking off the Panthers by a 33-31, 30-28, 19-30,
23-30, 15-5 score. An early push was answered by Davenport in games
three and four, only for Goshen to respond with a demonstrative,
10-point win in the final column.
“Davenport wasn’t as strong as Indiana Tech, and we
didn’t
really play well in the first two games,” Lehman said. “We
were able to take those games, however, and Davenport picked up
their game later. As a result, we found ourselves in a fifth game.
We opened the fifth game with a strong attack and sealed the match
with a sizable lead from the start.”
Freshman Lindsey Nofziger was called upon for the majority of the
setting duties in the win, charting a career-high 30 assists to
go with
eight digs. Buller was a monster offensively, charting 21 kills
on a .212 attack percentage. Janssen tallied 15 kills on a .152
percentage, while Richard struck 10 attacks for points on a .214
clip. As a team, Goshen tallied a .500 hitting percentage in the
fifth game, nearly doubling the squad’s previous game-high
mark.
Buller led the team’s defensive prowess as well in the match,
scooping 23 digs to go with a solo block. Janssen provided 12 digs,
while Kennell came up with 10 digs and two solo- and two assist-blocks.
The Leafs recorded 11 service aces to 15 service errors on the
match. Hawkins tallied 17 assists in three games played in the
win.
“Lindsey Nofziger did a great job running the offense in
this match,” Lehman
said. “We hit and blocked especially well against Davenport,
with Steph, Gina and Jess all playing very well. It was a good
win considering that we let a two-game lead slip away. We didn’t
panic, and finished strong.”
Looking to upset the host school in the day’s final match — a
team that had beat Goshen by a 30-11, 30-20, 30-24 score on Sept.
13 (click here for related article) — the Leafs could not
pull the upset, dropping a 21-30, 20-30, 22-30 decision. A .214
hitting percentage in the second game could not offset a nine to
three ratio of service errors to aces, as Spring Arbor went on
to win the quad match with a match record of 3-0.
“We played Spring Arbor tough especially in the second and
third games,” Lehman said. “We are seing scores much
higher than before. We are slowly getting more and more competitive.
With
this young of a team, it is exciting for the future.”
Buller again led the way, charting nine kills to go with 11 digs.
Janssen tallied seven kills (on a .227 attack percentage) and claimed
nine digs. Kennell was able to register just three kills and four
digs, but did produce a season-high three solo blocks and two assist
blocks, leading the team to a total four and four on the match.
Hawkins returned to the setting position in the loss, charting
24 assists and four digs.
“Gina (four kills, .188 attack percentage) and Ashley had
great hitting matches and we hit very well as a team in the second
game,” Lehman
said. “Steph had an excellent blocking match as well.”
On the day, Kennell led the team with six solo- and six assist-blocks,
as well as seven service aces. Hawkins charted 57 assists while
Nofziger had 36. Buller led the team in both kills and digs, tallying
35 and 49, respectively.
Goshen will next host its final home match of the season on Tuesday,
when Mid-Central Conference rival Bethel College will visit the
Roman Gingerich Center. Match time is set for 7 p.m.
|
  Freshman
Lindsey Nofziger
|
|
|
|
|
