FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Janara Flowers, Graysen Cockerham, and Kyla Foster each hit a critical three-pointer in the final minutes on the road at Saint Francis (Ind.), but the Cougars narrowly held on for a 62-61 win.
 
The Maple Leafs showed a lot of fight – staying in the game on multiple occasions. Saint Francis led 16-9 early on, but Goshen didn't let the lead get too far out of hand in the first half. The Cougars never led by more than seven in the first half, and they held a 30-24 advantage as the teams went to the locker rooms.
 
The lead went to eight in the third quarter, but the Leafs went on a 15-6 run – a stretch that included eight points by Cockerham. Goshen led 41-40, their first lead of the game since it was 3-2. At the end of the third, they were tied 46-all.
 
USF began the first six minutes and eight seconds of the fourth quarter on a 12-4 run and had an eight point lead again. And when the Leafs needed some clutch baskets, they got them. Kyla Foster hit two free throw attempts to cut the lead to six. Janara Flowers had a huge three that brought Goshen to within three. Reganne Pate responded with a three for the Cougars, but Cockerham answered back to keep GC within three. After a Goshen foul, Emily Parrett made one of her two attempts at the charity stripe. Down four, it was Foster this time that hit a Goshen three to put them within one with 38 seconds remaining. However, that would end the scoring for either team, and the Cougars escaped with a 62-61 victory.
 
Goshen shot a season-high 56% from behind the arc and tied a season-best with ten made threes. The Leafs were 11-14 at the free-throw line, and the Cougars were just 9-17.

"We would get punched on a run they were on, but we would have the toughness and focus to punch back," head coach Stephanie Miller said. "I was proud of the kids for their gritty fight today."
 
Cockerham was the leading scorer on the court with 16 points. She made five of her seven attempts, including four of her six three-point attempts. She also had four rebounds, three assists, a steal, and was 2-2 from the free-throw line. Taniece Chapman had ten points, four rebounds, and five assists. Foster and Kiarah Copeland each had nine points with a couple three-pointers made. Janara Flowers added eight points – her best performance since Christmas.

"We had some stretches where we lost our focus in the offensive execution, but down the stretch, we were able to get back in it by just making some big time plays and shots," Miller shared. "You're obviously disappointed in the result when you fall by one, but we made winning plays in a close road game and even gave ourselves a chance to win on the final possession!"
 
The Cougars (11-6, 5-3 CL) had four double-digit scorers – Elise Scaggs, Meleah Kunkel, Cassidy Crawford, and Sidney Crowe. USF was coming off a 25-point win over Bethel on Wednesday.

"We may not have gotten a win today," Miller said, "but we did get better."
 
The next game for the Maple Leafs (9-12, 3-6 CL) is Wednesday, January 26 at 6:00 pm in Goshen. GC will take on Taylor with the men's matchup to follow at 8:00 pm.