FORT WAYNE, Ind. — If the adage is true that close only counts in horseshoes, perhaps the Goshen College men's soccer team wishes that was the sport it played as the University of Saint Francis scored the game's only goal less than two minutes after the Maple Leafs hit the post with a shot and USF claimed each team's conference opener Saturday evening.

Neither team registered a shot on frame in the first half-hour: in fact, Goshen's defense held the Cougars (4-3-1, 1-0) without one in the entire first half. The Maple Leafs (2-4-3, 0-1) put a pair of tries on target in the half's waning moments, but USF goalkeeper Braden Conn saved both en route to his second consecutive shutout.

Goshen's first shot of the second half was "on frame" a little too literally, as senior Josh Stoltzfus hit the goalpost with his attempt. Eighty seconds later, Nideo Foster scored the Cougar goal on an assist from Sam Schlegel when a USF free kick was cleared by the Goshen defense but hit another Maple Leaf and stayed in the attacking third.

"A set piece cost us again, but tonight was bad luck as much as anything when the ball hits you in the heels and goes right to their man," said Goshen coach Arron Patrick. "I was happy with our possession, I was fairly happy with our build-up, but ultimately you get points for scoring, not for pretty, and we haven't done enough scoring yet."

Following the Cougar tally, Goshen put two more shots on target sandwiched around a booking in the next three minutes.

Each team finished the game with four shots on goal in the official summary: Conn made four saves while Goshen netminder Johan Escalante had three. The Maple Leafs took five corner kicks while conceding four.

"They defended well, but we had the ball so many times that allowing one goal shouldn't have even been an issue," Patrick said. "We had the ball in the attacking third more than 50 times, which resulted in something like 28 crosses. With that many chances we have to put far more shots on target and then in the net than what we're currently doing. All we can do is regroup and get better in both boxes, because that's where we seem to find ways to lose."

Patrick's team's practice will be unfettered by travel time for the next 13 days as Goshen plays its next three matches at home. Goshen's next match Wednesday night comes against arguably its biggest rival and its coach's alma mater as Bethel visits the John Ingold Athletic Complex at 8 p.m. Wednesday.