Goshen College opened its women’s volleyball season by splitting two matches Friday at Cardinal Stritch University’s invitational in Glendale, Wisconsin.
The Maple Leafs rebounded from a two-sets-to-one deficit in their opener to top Governors State University from Illinois in five sets before dropping a three-set decision to Clarke University of Iowa.
New Prairie High School graduate Jennifer Ritchie led all players with 15 kills in the first match, setting a new career high in the process. Elizabeth Breckbill led Goshen with a career-high seven blocks, including two solos, and 13 winners to set career bests in both categories. Goshen won 40 of the last 60 points in taking the last two sets, firing off 22 kills against four errors in that span.
Ritchie also paced the Maple Leafs with 22 digs while Ally Roehr recorded 27 assists. Meghan Manley and Shelbey Younts posted three aces each. Governors State’s Dunja Tatic added 15 winners.
In the second match, Clarke never trailed and hit .429 in its first win of the season. Lindsey Steger and Kasey Davis put down nine kills apiece. Alix Talbot added three of the team’s 10 aces.
The Maple Leafs used 15 players, getting seven kills from Westview graduate Taylor Eash and four from NorthWood product Haylee Pennington.
Goshen wraps up the tournament on Saturday, facing Mount Mercy College at 11 a.m. EDT and host Cardinal Stritch at 4 p.m.