Leafs use entire roster in record-breaking win
Eighteen players record kills, aces or digs in rout
By Tony Miller
Sports Information Director
GOSHEN, Ind. — The Goshen College women’s volleyball team posted its best defensive performance of the rally-scoring era Friday night in a straight-set win over Great Lakes Christian College at Gunden Gymnasium.
The Maple Leafs (12-15) shaved eight points off their previous record by surrendering 19 points in a 25-7, 25-3, 25-9 victory, posting two runs of eight or more consecutive points in each set.
Goshen finished the match with 20 aces, its most since putting up 23 in a rout of St. Catharine’s College in 2008. That match also set the team’s rally-era record for points allowed in a set and match with a 25-5, 25-13, 25-9 result. Both of those records fell Friday: for the first time among the 553 GC matches since rally scoring was instituted in 2001, the Maple Leafs kept their opponent out of double figures in all three sets.
All 18 Maple Leafs saw action in the match with seven of the nine servers recording aces, paced by four each from Ally Roehr and Shelbey Younts. Taylor Eash made five kills, one more than the four put up by Elizabeth Breckbill, Autumn Hilton and Lindsay McQuinn. Roehr paced all players with 13 assists while Younts added nine. Goshen finished with 28 kills and five errors on 52 swings.
Great Lakes Christian (0-13) finished the match with three winners with three players putting up one apiece. Jaylla Dooley and Kelly Rundel added aces, but the Lakers went without a block. The three assists on the kills also came from three different players.
GC’s defensive numbers took a hit as the Maple Leafs mustered just 24 digs and one block, down from season averages of 48 and 5.6, respectively, per three sets. Jennifer Ritchie’s four digs paced the team, which saw a dozen contributors in that category. Breckbill and McQuinn combined for the block.
The Maple Leafs return to Crossroads League action next week with their final two road matches of the regular season leading into Senior Day at home on Saturday. While head coach Jim Routhier’s team enters the week outside of conference tournament position, GC still has a shot at hosting one of the four quarterfinals on November 4.
Goshen visits the University of Saint Francis on Wednesday in Fort Wayne. First serve is set for 7 p.m. at the Hutzell Athletic Center in Fort Wayne.
