SPRING ARBOR, Mich. — Keyaira Murff turned in the highest-scoring game of her career and Carley O'Neal posted her second-best scoring effort Wednesday night as the Goshen College women's basketball team lost 75-59 at Spring Arbor University.

The Maple Leafs (1-28, 0-17) got 15 points from Murff, who added eight assists and a pair of blocks in 30 minutes, to go along with 17 points from O'Neal and 16 from Sydney Stein: the latter duo went 6-for-9 from 3-point range with Stein a perfect 3-for-3.

Autumn Goggin recorded a double-double with 30 points and 10 assists to pace the Cougars (11-17, 5-12 Crossroads League). She went 9-for-13 from 3-point range, adding a 2-point basket and a free throw to reach the round number. Anne Marie Wright's 10 points made her the only other SAU player in double figures; Ryann Laier led the team with 11 rebounds.

The Cougars opened the game with the first six points before back-to-back Stein triples leveled the score in the first three minutes, and scores from Murff and Haley Archibeque gave the Maple Leafs a pair of first-quarter leads. Spring Arbor scored 10 points in a row to stretch its lead out to nine, however, and led 21-14 at the quarter.

While the lead never changed hands in the second stanza, SAU never led by more than six points en route to a 38-34 halftime advantage. Goggin led all scorers with 15 points in the opening 20 minutes, followed by Stein with 12 and Murff with 10. Each team made 15 baskets in the half, but the Cougars held a 5-3 lead from long range and a 3-1 edge at the foul line.

Stein and Mariah Roe scored the first three points of the third quarter to close Goshen within 38-37 after two minutes, but the tables would turn. SAU scored the next 11 points, holding GC off the scoreboard for more than five minutes, and closed the quarter on an 8-0 run to lead 57-42.

SAU's advantage remained in double figures for the entire fourth quarter, although Goshen got as close as 15, 12 and 13 points on three separate occasions. Spring Arbor cooled off to 12-for-27 (44.4 percent) -in the second half, but nevertheless outscored Goshen 37-25.

The Maple Leafs' closest approach in the final quarter offered head coach Stephanie Miller a window to reflect on Wednesday's game as a microcosm of the season.

"We're down 15 with three minutes to play," Miller said. "There's a loose ball near the free throw line, and three black jerseys dive on to the floor to fight for it. We get the save and a kick out for an O'Neal '3' to cut it to 12. Not two, 12. The bench is going wild. Playing hard isn't situational. You'll never convince me that this kind of team effort and unity will not transfer well into our future. I'm proud of who we are.

"This game tonight was a perfect snapshot of our entire season. In the first half, we shot 45 percent from the floor but needed to win the glass and 50-50 balls to get us over the hump. In the second half, we got every 50-50 ball and won the glass, but we shot only 20 percent from the field. We can never quite get everything going at the same time."

"No matter how you spin it, losing has been hard on the players, coaches, and fans," the coach continued. "I am so proud of this group of young ladies for how well they have persevered in a difficult situation. Most players and teams I've seen would pack it up, shut down, and turn to either internal dissension or negative behavior. Dealing with a difficult situation has really brought out the truth of the quality character in this locker room. I'm tired of not getting the job done in the results column and so are they, but they are fighters and this group will lead a big comeback in our not-so-distant future."

Archibeque's four assists were a Maple Leaf high, one more than Roe and two more than O'Neal, who also set a career high with five steals. The five takeaways by a single player were Goshen's most since Sophia Sears recorded seven on Jan. 4, 2017, in the team's last trip to SAU. O'Neal's 17 points also mean that the three highest-scoring games of her career have come in the last three games.

"Carley has played her best and most consistent basketball of the season in this last two-week stretch," Miller said. "She has scored efficiently, shot over 50 percent from the 3-point line and even chipped in with boards, assists and steals as well. She's just really has come so far. Sydney has been playing so punishingly hard and has hit the glass and the floor going as hard as she can. She just has a ton of heart. Keyaira Murff really stepped up her aggressiveness tonight as well and we have seen some great flashes of what she could be in the future! This was one of her most productive scoring nights and she was imposing at times.

The Cougars gave the ball up 20 times, which matches the most turnovers Goshen has forced in a conference game this year and led to 16 Goshen points. GC's 12 steals were the third-most of the season, trailing only the 16 against Great Lakes Christian in November and the 13 against SAU in January. 

Spring Arbor made 27 field goals and posted assists on 26 of them; beyond Goggin's double-figure total, Faith Johnson posted eight helpers and Laier five.

Goshen will conclude its regular season on Saturday against fifth-ranked Marian University. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m. in Gunden Gymnasium, followed by the men's game at 3.