MOUNT VERNON, Ohio - With some late game heroics from Zion Neat, the Goshen women's basketball team ended an 11-game losing streak and picked up their fourth conference win of the season with a 73-70 victory at Mount Vernon Nazarene on Saturday. Goshen swept the season series against the Cougars and have won five of the last six games in the series including three straight at Mount Vernon.

"I was proud of our GRIT today," said head coach Stephanie Miller after the game. "They gave one heck of an effort and I'm really proud of them. They deserved this one."

MVNU led 3-0 before Goshen went on an 8-0 run and took the driver's seat. The Leafs had a seven point lead at halftime, and it ballooned to a 17 point lead at 48-31 with six minuted to go in the third. However, the Cougars rallied all the way back and took the lead at 60-58 with 6:15 to go in the game - their first lead since it was 3-0.

With Syanne Mohamed taken out of the game due to an injury and not playing at all in the fourth quarter, and Zoe Zellers picking up her fourth foul early in the fourth, Paula Ferrer Nolla came in to play center. "I loved the way Paula came in and gave us four clutch minutes, as well as how Zion, Montasia and Kiana handled the center duties until we could get Zoe back in the game," said Miller. "We were rattled for a few minutes with Syanne going out, but we gathered ourselves and finished really strong by making big plays when it mattered most."

The Leafs were down 68-67 when Mount Vernon Nazarene had the ball with 41 seconds to go. Angela Roshak missed a three, but Grace Vermilya grabbed the offensive rebound. But Neat came up with a steal and drove the ball the other way, hitting a layup while being fouled with 13 seconds to go to give the Leafs a one-point edge. She hit the free-throw to go up two. 

"She pulled a rebound right out of her opponent's arms and then went the distance of the court to power through the contact and make a really tough basket," said Miller. "It was a really clutch play for us."

Kiana Oelling hit three free throws later on as Goshen came away with a 73-70 win.

Neat finished with 18 points and five rebounds. Mohamed had 17 points and nine rebounds in 23 minutes of play. Kyla Foster had 11 points and 13 rebounds for a double-double. The 13 rebounds ties her career-high. "Kyla left her whole heart on the floor tonight and helped will this team to a win," Miller shared. "She had 13 guard rebounds, took charges and did all the little things a leader does to help us find a way."

Kiana Oelling scored 13 points off the bench and Ava Lickliter had ten points with a season-high five steals. She has nine steals in the last two games after having nine steals in the 11 games before that.

With the win, Goshen is 4-8 in the Crossroads League and tied for seventh in the conference. Currently the Leafs would hold the #8 seed in the league tournament since Taylor has won the head-to-head matchup, but the Leafs can neutralize that when they face the Trojans on February 17. Goshen's next game is at home on Wednesday, February 7, at 6:00 pm against #2 Marian. The pep band will be in attendance and the game will be taking place on National Girls & Women in Sports Day. Photos from Goshen's women's teams past and present will be available for viewing.