GOSHEN, Ind. – The Maple Leafs neared a set win over (RV) Mount Vernon Nazarene on Friday evening, but the Cougars won in three, 25-22, 28-26, 25-15. MVNU improves to 16-3 this season.
 
The Maple Leafs had a 16-13 lead in the first set and were only down one near the end before the Cougars won three of the final four points. The teams traded runs for most of the second set before the Cougars had established a 22-18 lead. Then, Goshen responded with a kill by Emily Lynch and four more points with Kennedy Land serving. Kills from Kia Knox-Dawkins and Lynch and an ace from Land gave Goshen a 23-22 lead.
 
Mount Vernon won the next two to go up 24-23, but Goshen answered with two of their own. They traded points again, but MVNU scored three after Goshen held a 26-25 lead to win the second set 28-26. The Cougars started the third set with a 5-1 lead as they left with a 25-15 win.
 
Amy Baca had three block assists and two solo blocks for the Leafs. Goshen had seven blocks in the match, whereas MVNU had only two. However, the visitors had more kills (54-37), assists (51-36), and digs (57-43). Lynch and Knox-Dawkins combined for 25 kills, and Sydney Stutsman had 35 assists. Kennedy Land scooped up 13 digs. Goshen's team hitting percentage was their third best in a match this season. The two most recent matches have produced two of the most efficient hitting performances for the team this year.
 
Goshen (2-18, 0-6 CL) wraps up the marathon of three home games in four days by facing Huntington on Saturday, September 24, at 3:00 pm in Gunden Gymnasium.