MOUNT VERNON, Ohio – "This was a big girl game today."
 
The Goshen women's basketball team went on the road and knocked off #24 Mount Vernon Nazarene 69-61 – a team that was one of just two remaining teams undefeated in Crossroads League play. Taniece Chapman had a monster performance with 27 points and 20 rebounds.
 
"I am so proud of my squad for handling the ups and downs of the game, as well as the adversity we have had to face the last two weeks, with true toughness," head coach Stephanie Miller continued.
 
Goshen came into the match with a 2-3 league record, and MVNU was 4-0. The Cougars scored the first ten points of the game, and Goshen had to use a timeout early on. Down seven after quarter one, the Leafs kept chipping away at the early deficit and tied it with two minutes to go in the second quarter, and had their first lead of the game at halftime, 33-32.
 
After the break, Goshen continued the momentum and led by seven thanks to layups from seniors Chapman and Graysen Cockerham. Yet, Mount Vernon responded with a 13-2 run in the quarter and had a four-point lead going into the final frame.
 
"We had an important timeout at the beginning of the fourth," said Miller, "and when we calmed down and found the proper openings, we started to climb right back." The Cougars had advanced their lead to 11, but then it was all Goshen. For the last 5:31 of the game, the Maple Leafs had a 22-3 run and didn't allow MVNU's three-pointer until there were just ten seconds left in the game.
 
Zoe Zellers had a big rebound and putback to bring Goshen within four. Sa'drea Rougeau had a major three-pointer in transition that brought Goshen within one. And Kyla Foster had a bucket that provided some padding for the Leafs once they took the lead – extending it to five.
 
The two senior captains made the biggest difference on the court though. Cockerham scored 20 and had eight rebounds. She hit a couple of free throws with five seconds to go to seal the deal and had several clutch buckets. Chapman was something else. "A warrior and a beast in the paint tonight," Miller boasted. "She was just unstoppable!" Along with her 27 points and 20 rebounds, Chapman shot 69% and added a block and a steal. Five of her boards were on the offensive end. Her points and rebounds are both career-highs for her, and to have them both on the same night, on the road, against a ranked opponent, is quite the performance.
 
Goshen (9-9, 3-3 CL) has now won three of their last four games and picked up their first win in Mount Vernon since 2015. Mount Vernon (10-7, 4-1 CL) beat #2 Thomas More earlier in the season, 82-76, and they were 4-1 at home this year. GC won the rebound margin 50-37 and held MVNU to shooting just 35% from the field.
 
"I'm proud of the team for a gutsy Crossroads League road win tonight and very proud of the experience and leadership we showed to help seal the win," Miller added. "We are growing a little at a time and it's fun to be a part of."
 
The next home game for GC is Wednesday, January 12, at 6:00 pm against Grace. This doubleheader with the men's team will be the Destiny Rescue Blackout Game – where fans can assist in the rescue of children who are victims of human trafficking by pledging to donate per assist in the two games. Goshen is pleased to partner with Destiny Rescue and the Grace Lancers for this game. For more information, send a direct message to either the men's or women's basketball Twitter accounts - @GCMapleLeafs_MB and @GCMapleLeafs_WB.