GC WEEKLY: Goshen pushes win streak to seven over Bethel
Apr. 7—Last Tuesday's contest against Bethel College in a men's volleyball match marked the seventh straight athletic competition that the Goshen College Maple Leafs defeated the Pilots in.
This streak spans across three sports — three wins from the baseball team, two wins from the softball team and two men's volleyball games.
All three teams have swept the Bethel Pilots and for the men's volleyball team, these wins have given them a better shot at the Highway 20 Cup. The competition started before the 2019-20 season.
With the Pilots being the long-time rivals of the Maple Leafs, these wins and the ongoing streak is a motivator for the team to continue to play the way they have been.
Junior softball player, Alyssa McDonald, shares her piece on the morale boost these wins give the athletes.
"Losses are great motivators, but wins are even better motivators. When you win, it proves that all the long hours training that you've put in have been worth it," said McDonald. " Nobody wants to be the team that loses, so that pushes everyone to become better and have a refuse to lose mentality."
The Maple Leafs have continued to prove their strength against Bethel, especially this year. Goshen has never beat Bethel in the U.S. Highway 20 Cup, so these last seven wins have been a huge achievement.
"These wins mean a ton. I think it's showing people that Goshen College athletics are legit and that we can compete with anyone." said junior baseball player, Collin Echols.
The rivalry ignites a fire that continues to push the Maple Leaf athletic teams to keep up the success, even if it isn't against the Pilots.
" It's one thing to say that we can hang with any team but it's another thing to actually see it," said Echols. "Once you do it's like "okay this is what that feels like." It's a feeling you want to have all the time so you strive to feel that more through winning."
The Maple Leaf softball team is set to face Bethel once more on Tuesday afternoon. If Goshen wins both games in this contest, it'll mark the eighth and ninth game of the win streak against the Pilots.
"Rivalries in college always make things more interesting and more exciting for both players and fans," said McDonald. "As athletes we're all coming together and trying to win not just for our individual teams and our standings, but for the school and our school pride."
Reach Matt Lucas at 574-533-2151, ext. 240325, or at matt.lucas@goshennews.com.
