SEPT. 15-16 — Leafs Win, Haney Hurt At Maple Leaf Invite
Goshen picks up first win of season but loses lone senior to knee injury

Goshen, IN — Coming into this weekend’s fifth annual Maple Leaf Invitational, the Goshen College women’s volleyball program had posted an 8-8 overall record in the tournament’s history. This year, however, the good and bad were far from equal.

Goshen (1-9, 0-2) did pick up its first win of the season during the weekend but may have suffered a far worse counteraction, as senior outside/middle hitter Danielle Haney suffered what looked to be a severe knee injury in the Leafs’ match against Taylor University-Fort Wayne on Friday night. Already thin at the position, the loss of Haney was on everyone’s mind following the tournament.

“We will wait for the results of Danielle’s MRI but it looks like a serious injury,” said Jewel Lehman, Goshen head coach. “We must be prepared to continue without her presence on the court.”

Haney landed awkwardly on her right leg after leaping in the second game of Goshen’s first match of the weekend, collapsing to the floor in a heap as Goshen athletic training staff quickly moved in. Haney was then carried off the floor and taken to a local hospital, where doctors scheduled an MRI for next week. Initial speculation includes a possible torn ACL ligament — an injury Haney sustained to her left knee as a freshman during basketball season — though only the MRI will provide conclusive results.

“She said (the injury) felt similar to when she tore her other ACL as a freshman, but the feeling (on Saturday) was different,” said Linda Kaminskis, Goshen head athletic trainer. “It’s too early to tell exactly what is wrong inside the knee. All Danielle can do is go by feel and wait.”

Haney — who also is the lone senior member of the 2006-2007 Goshen College women’s basketball team — leaves big shoes to fill for the Leafs’ volleyball team, as Goshen limped to a 24-30, 29-31, 27-30 loss against the Lady Falcons following her injury. Before being carried off, Haney had recorded four assist blocks and placed seven kills at a .278 attack percentage in just a game and a half.

“We moved junior Stephanie Kennell to the middle and changed the lineup again following Danielle’s injury,” Lehman said. “The players adjusted well and we played hard but didn’t finish the second game after leading. This was a very tough match for us, given the fact we all had to watch our senior be carried off the court. A very tough match for us.”

Kennell combined with classmate Jess Buller for 11 digs apiece, as freshman Gina Richard led the team with 10 kills at a .268 attack percentage. Freshman Alli Hawkins recorded 32 assists for the match, while Kennell and Buller each recorded a solo block as well.

Reeling after Haney’s injury, Goshen could provide little resistance to eventual tournament champion Tiffin University in Friday’s late game, falling to the Dragons by a 16-30, 22-30, 28-30 score. Senior walk-on Maria Rakochy stepped in nicely according to Lehman, but Tiffin’s power was too much to overcome.

“We actually played with the Tiffin team in the third game continuing our current trend of playing stronger as matches progress,” Lehman said. “We fought hard on defense and the players adjusted well to the new lineups. Maria Rakochy did a nice job of coming off the bench. Our block suffered without the presence of Danielle.”

Goshen recorded just two blocks without Haney, as Buller found the defensive back row a busy place charting 11 digs. Freshman Ashley Janssen finished with nine digs, while Buller provided 11 kills and three services aces, also team highs.

A night’s rest looked to refuel the Goshen squad for Saturday’s matches, and with Haney cheering in a walking cast from the team’s bench, it appeared to work. Goshen shot out to its first win of the season in the day’s first match, knocking off sister-school Bluffton University by a 26-30, 30-25, 30-27, 30-28 score in front of a raucous crowd.

“The Bluffton match was a great win for us, especially without Danielle Haney in the lineup,” Lehman said. “Several players had to switch positions and Maria did an excellent job stepping up to fill in the lineup.”

Buller exploded offensively in the nip-and-tuck win, charting a season program-best 22 kills on the night. Richard finished with 12 attacks for points, while both Buller and sophomore Caitlin Helmuth recorded 16 digs. Kennell finished with 14 digs and Richard 12, while the Leafs’ blocking also improved: Richard led the way with three assist blocks, while Kennell had one solo and two assist efforts and Rakochy staking two assist blocks. Hawkings again ran the team’s offense, recording a season-best 42 assists.

Riding the emotion of the year’s first win, Goshen nearly pulled off a perfect Saturday, but could not withstand a late Anderson University push in a marathon 22-30, 30-21, 21-30, 30-25, 9-15 loss to the Ravens. In a match that literally see-sawed in a game-by-game manner, it was Anderson’s “turn” at the end, taking an early lead in the fifth game and never allowing Goshen a chance to get close.

“We fought so, so hard and played a very tough match against Anderson,” Lehman said. “We are so close in many areas of the game. Today’s match against Anderson proved that.”

Stats reaffirmed that opinion, as again the Leafs set several season-best marks across the paper trail. Buller upped her kill tally to 24 against the Ravens, while Richard scooped 18 digs in the back row. Richard and Janssen followed Buller on the offensive end, each charting 13 kills. Buller recorded 16 digs while Rakochy notched 15 and Helmuth 14.

Hawkins blew away her record for assists — she had 52 in the loss — while Kennell provided the team’s lone block, perhaps the area that eventually cost Goshen the match.

“Our defense definitely came together this weekend and we picked up a lot more digs,” Lehman said. “Our hitters are learning to work around the block and our serve receive was much more accurate.”

Buller was named to the all-tournament team via her outstanding play, joining a six-player roster headed by Tiffin’s Jessica Schult, the Maple Leaf Invitational MVP. Tiffin’s Amber Metzgar, Bluffton’s Brittany Shultz and Anderson’s Carol Weatherford and Whitney Osborn rounded off the all-tournament team.

Tiffin, which went 4-0 on the weekend, won the team championship. For a complete look at tournament scores and final standings, click here.

Goshen will now take just a few days to regroup before heading back to Mid-Central Conference play. The Leafs will host Taylor University Tuesday night. Match time is set for 7 p.m.