(Box Score) Mishawaka, IN — Attempting to duplicate a spectacular Mid-Central Conference performance from one week ago, the Goshen College volleyball team came up just short at league rival Bethel College Tuesday night, dropping a 16-30, 29-31, 30-24, 24-30 decision to the host Pilots.
The loss came on the heels of perhaps the squad’s greatest performance in the last four years, as Goshen (12-12, 2-5) defeated the University of St. Francis in an epic 3-2 win one week ago to the day (click here for related article).
Looking to use that momentum at Bethel, the Leafs found the going difficult against the Pilots’ size and strength up front.
“We knew going in that Bethel has a big block, and we struggled early on to execute our game plan,” said Jewel Lehman, Goshen head coach. “We were able to kind of put some things together after that, but we just couldn’t put the finishes together when we needed them most.”
The Pilots – featuring a front line of 6-2, 6-0, 6-0 and 5-10 players — were able to use their collective size in limiting Goshen to a .000 attack percentage in game one, running away with the 30-16 decision. Lehman’s team fought back in the second stanza, however, taking Bethel to extra points before dropping a heartbreaking 39-21 decision.
Incredibly, Goshen was able to regroup for its best performance of the night — a 30-24 game three win — charting an evening-best 17 kills on a .208 attack percentage. The Pilots were able to resolve things with a competitive game four win, as the Leafs attacked at just a .019 clip in the finale, the squad’s second-lowest percentage for the event.
“We really peaked in the middle two games tonight,” Lehman said. “It was good to see us respond in a strong third game after getting so close in the second. We might have been able to force a fifth game had it not been for a letdown midway through the fourth. Bethel was able to string together a series of points from about eight to 13, and we struggled catching back up after that.”
Sophomore Brittany Herschberger led the Goshen attack for the first time this season, knocking in 16 kills on a team-high .256 attack percentage. Freshman Peni Acayo collected 14 kills on a .111 clip, while sophomore Ashley Janssen tallied 11 and freshman Kelsey Herschberger seven.
Brittany Herschberger was also the team leader in digs — she had 14 — while Acayo scooped 12, Kelsey Herschberger 11 and senior Stephanie Kennell 10. Senior Jess Buller finished with nine digs.
Sophomore setter Alli Hawkins charted 49 of the team’s 51 assists, while Kennell provided three service aces. Acayo and Kelsey Herschberger each had two aces.
Goshen will next participate in the Calumet College Crimson Wave Invitational on Saturday. The team will take on the hosts in the event’s first match at 12 p.m. EST. For a detailed look at the Crimson Wave Invite schedule, click here.
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Sophomore Brittany Herschberger