GOSHEN, Ind. — Brandon Watkins set a new career high with 12 kills and Alexander Rabadzhiev led all players with 18 as the Goshen College men's volleyball team lost a three-set decision to Aquinas College on Friday in Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference action. The Saints prevailed 25-19, 25-21, 25-21.

Ruben Lopez added 14 kills for Aquinas (27-2, 6-2), the sixth-ranked team in the NAIA, which registered 42 kills to Goshen's 35. Colby Elder contributed 31 assists and 11 digs, leading all players in both categories.

The Maple Leafs (8-21, 0-8) got 8 digs apiece from Rabadzhiev and Nick Yutzy. Michael Wahl assisted on all but 6 of the winners and Andy Bennett led the team with 2 blocks.

After Aquinas opened a 10-6 lead in the first set, Goshen reeled off five straight points on Lucas Sauder's serve, only for the Saints to retaliate with a 6-0 run of their own. Aquinas never trailed in the second set.

The Maple Leafs took one-point leads at the first three opportunities of the third set before three Jacob Grygo kills sparked a 5-0 Aquinas run and prompted Goshen coach Jim Daugherty to call for timeout. GC responded with four in a row to trail 10-9 and hung around within 3 points until 17-15. There, a pair of kills from Watkins were part of a 4-0 run to take a 19-17 lead, but Aquinas took eight of the last 10 points and sealed the match.

Goshen's two seniors, Isaac Longenecker and Nahshon Lora, were recognized prior to first serve of their final match in Gunden Gymnasium.

The match was the final contest of the regular season for the Maple Leafs, who finish 8-21. All-conference awards in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference are slated to be announced next month in conjunction with the conference tournament.