BLUFFTON, Ind. and MARION, Ind. - The Goshen bowling teams competed in their first two Crossroads League tournaments of the season over the weekend at EZ Bowl and Crest Lanes. The women came in fourth of eight teams on Friday and third on Saturday, while the men finished fifth on both days.

The fifth-place finishes for the men ties the best finish they ever had in a Crossroads League tournament. The women tied their best finish on Friday, but then set a new record on Saturday with the third-place result. Nik Bressert made the varsity all-tournament team on Friday and Brendan Riley on Saturday. For the women, Rebekah Muzyk made the all-tournament team on Saturday.

Women - 4th of 8, 3rd of 8
On Friday, the Goshen women totaled 4,522 pins, trailing Spring Arbor, Huntington and Marian. The Leafs placed ahead of Indiana Wesleyan, Grace, Mount Vernon Nazarene and Bethel. 

Guliana Castiglione was Goshen's top finisher, coming in 17th of 87. She had 519 pins over three regular games for a 173 average. She saved her best game for last, with a 189 in game three.

On Saturday, Goshen came in third, setting a new record for the highest team finish they have had in a Crossroads League tournament. Goshen was behind Spring Arbor and Marian but placed ahead of Huntington this time. The Leafs finished with 4,226 pins. Last season, Spring Arbor was the regular season champion and Marian was the tournament champion for the Crossroads League. After the regular games, Goshen was even leading Marian 2,392 to 2,387.

Rebekah Muzyk came in third overall out of 87 bowlers and made the all-tournament team. Her total of 562 pins was 12 away from the leader - Ella Steinke of Spring Arbor. Muzyk had a 187.3 average with an impressive 215 score in game two. Muzyk improved her season average after the weekend's results to a 165.2. There are currently seven GC women that have an average score between 163 and 167 this season.

The JV team placed fourth of seven on Friday and second of seven on Saturday. Lily Kelley was the top JV performer on Friday with a 160.33 average while Samantha Bean led the team on Saturday, also with a 160.33 average. Kelley was 33rd of 87 and Bean came in 14th of 87.

Men - 5th of 8, 5th of 8
On both days, the men finished behind Spring Arbor, Marian, Indiana Wesleyan and Huntington and ahead of Mount Vernon Nazarene, Grace and Bethel. The Leafs totaled 4,689 pins on Friday and 4,836 on Saturday. On Friday, they were 54 pins away from being in third place - as all the teams between third and seventh place were within 129 pins of each other.

Nik Bressert placed fourth of 104 bowlers on Friday with 595 pins and a 198.3 average. After a score of 150 in game one, he had scores of 233 and 212 in the next two games. On Saturday, Brendan Riley placed second overall out of 100. He had 689 total pins and a 229.7 average - bowling consistently with scores of 230, 223 and 236.

Bressert, Cameron Fedenis, Blake Fisher, Nash Morgan, Danek Szajner and DaVeon Welch all saw improvements to their season averages. Last season in Crossroads League tournaments, the men finished 6th of 7, 6th of 7, 5th of 8 and 7th of 8.

The JV team placed seventh of nine on Friday and fourth of ten on Saturday. DaVeon Welch was the top JV scorer on the first day with a 188.3 average, finishing 15th of 104. He led the group again on Saturday, coming in 35th of 100 with a 181 average.

Goshen is at the Lehigh Valley Collegiate Classic on December 19 and 20 in Whitehall, Pennsylvania. Then on December 21 and 22 they are at the Roto Grip Keystone Quaker Classic in Allentown, Pennsylvania.