GOSHEN, Ind. - For the fifth time this season, the Goshen men's volleyball team won the third set after losing the first two sets to their opponent. This time, the visitors won in four. Indiana Tech, who is receiving votes in the NAIA coaches poll, won 25-22, 25-17, 23-25, 25-23.
The Warriors led by six in the middle of the first set but Goshen was only down one by the time the score was 22-21 after a
Ben Koop ace. Indiana Tech proceeded to score three of the next four points to win by three. Goshen never had a lead in the second set as the Warriors went on to win by eight.
Indiana Tech had a .545 hitting percentage in the second set and Goshen had a strong .467 hitting percentage in the third. Goshen was down 13-16 at one point, but a 5-0 run with
Ishmail Bangura serving gave Goshen a 22-18 lead. Bangura had two kills and an ace during that stretch. The Warriors came within one a couple of times but Goshen won by two.
In the fourth set, Indiana Tech scored five of the first six points and the Leafs scored the next five due to numerous errors from Indiana Tech.
Ben Koop had a dominant stretch when the Maple Leafs went on a 4-0 run to take a three-point lead. He was instrumental in all four points with two aces and two kills. Goshen led late at 22-19, but Indiana Tech scored three straight to tie it up. Goshen took the lead at 23-22 before the Warriors scored the next three to win 25-23.
The team stats were incredibly balanced. Both teams had 66 points and seven aces. Indiana Tech led in assists 48-47, digs 52-50 and kills 52-50. Goshen had a 9-7 edge in blocks.
Ben Koop had 19 kills and a .417 hitting percentage for Goshen, moving to ninth all-time in program history for kills. Koop tied for the fewest errors (four) that he has had in a match with 15+ kills. He added three aces and three block assists. Also putting down double-digit kills were
Bruno Barac with 12 and
Ishmail Bangura with ten. Avery LaForce had 23 assists and
Igor Sapucaia had 16. Barac and
Andrea Biffi had four block assists each. Six players had three or more digs for Goshen.
Biffi has had four or more blocks in four of the last six matches. Barac had had four or more blocks in three of the last four matches.
Indiana Tech moves to 5-1 in the WHAC and the Leafs are now 1-5 in conference play. Goshen is at Lawrence Tech on Saturday, March 8, at 3:00 pm.
