GOSHEN, Ind. – The atmosphere in Gunden Gymnasium was electric. The Maple Leafs were down two sets to the number five team in the NAIA but came roaring back to send it to a fifth set. However, the Gray Wolves held on, winning 25-19, 26-24, 29-31, 20-25, 15-11.
 
Goshen led early in the first set, scoring the first three points and eight of the first twelve. But a stretch of six points with Jeff Lam serving for Lourdes gave the visitors a 19-14 advantage that they would carry to the end of the set.
 
Goshen scored five in a row in the next set with a couple of service aces from Brayton Yoder to lead 8-3. Lourdes would make it tight again, and they went back and forth until tied at 23. A couple of kills by Lam led to a second set victory for the Gray Wolves.
 
It wasn't looking good for Goshen when they were down 23-17 in the third set. However, the Leafs scored six straight, sending Gunden Gymnasium into a frenzy. Four were kills by Alexander Rabadzhiev, and one was a kill by Ian Fox. Michael Wahl assisted on all of them. The two teams went back and forth for a long while until a service error and attack error by Lourdes helped Goshen get the win.
 
GC found itself down 16-15 in the fourth, trailing two sets to one. Then another 6-0 run led to a 21-16 lead, which became a 25-20 win, tying the match at two sets apiece. In the fifth and final set, the Maple Leafs led 8-6 at the start. However, Lourdes would score nine of the next 12 and won the last set 15-11 and the match 3-2.
 
"There was lots of heart and lots of fight," said head coach Lauren Ford. "I'm so proud of how they didn't give up. It hurts to lose that way, but it sure was fun to watch them compete, and that's all I can ask."
 
Alexander Rabadzhiev led Goshen with 20 kills and a career-high 17 digs. Lucas Sauder had 15 kills, and Andy Bennett tied a career-high with ten. Brayton Yoder had 15 digs, Christian Rodriguez had a career-high 14 digs, and Michael Wahl added 11. Wahl also tied a career-high with 49 assists.
 
But the most impressive area for the Leafs was the blocking. Ian Fox had eight total blocks, Bennett had six, and Sauder had four. "An outstanding performance by my middles," Ford shared. "I love this for them."
 
Heading into the third set, Goshen had lost 11 straight sets against Lourdes (4-1, 3-1 WHAC) before winning two in a row. The last time they had won a set before tonight against the Gray Wolves was on February 12, 2020, when the Leafs won the match 3-2.
 
Goshen (5-3, 1-3 WHAC) is back at home on Wednesday, February 9, at 7:00 pm. They will host Mount Vernon Nazarene in another WHAC matchup.