Last week in Cougar Athletics brought all sorts of emotions, from homecoming wins to heart-wrenching losses, our Cougar athletes gave all they had and gave the fans plenty to cheer about. 
 
Here is an in-depth look at those highlights from the last week:
 
Men's Soccer
 
Results: 
Win vs. Huntington, 2-1; Win vs. Taylor; 2-1
 
Top Performers:
Caleb Swartzendruber, 1 Goal, 2 Points
Alex Murphy, 1 Goal, 2 Points
Will Kuiphof, 1 Goal, 2 Points
Jack Cristini, 7 Saves, 2 Wins
 
The Spring Arbor Men's Soccer team entered the week looking to rebound, as they were winless in their last four contests, with their last victory coming against Michigan-Dearborn on September 10^th. They would have two chances to do so, with Crossroads League foes Huntington and Taylor on the docket. 
 
On Wednesday, Huntington came to town and gave the Cougars all they could handle. Spring Arbor opened the scoring in the 19^th minute, as Caleb Swartzendruber knocked home his fourth goal of the season. Both teams would get a few more opportunities before the end of the half, but could not cash in, and Spring Arbor took a 1-0 lead into the break. 
 
The second half began much how the first half finished, with both teams coming up empty on multiple offensive opportunities before the Foresters would cash in, as Henry Heaney found the net in the 64^th minute, tying the score at 1 apiece. The Cougars would respond quickly though, as Will Kuiphof scored his first career goal at a very opportune time, giving Spring Arbor the 2-1 lead, which they would hold for the final 19 minutes to claim their first Crossroads League victory of the season. 
 
On Saturday, the Cougars made the trek to Upland, Indiana to take on Taylor in another crucial league matchup. The Cougars got things started early, as a corner kick from Ian Lama in the 10^th minute got deflected into the net by a Trojan defender, giving Spring Arbor an early 1-0 lead. Just under 20 minutes later, the Cougars would double that advantage, as Alex Murphy knocked one in off of an Ian Lama assist for his fourth goal of the campaign, giving Spring Arbor a 2-0 lead that they would take into the break. 
 
In the second half, the Cougars were content to hold serve and drain the clock, which they did quite effectively for most of the half. Taylor was able to break through once and light up the scoreboard on a Caleb Van Dop goal in the 66^th minute, but that was all the Trojans could muster, and the Cougars came away with the 2-1 win.  
 
The Cougars have only one contest this week, getting Wednesday off, before traveling to Mount Vernon Nazarene to take on their fellow Cougars at 7:00 PM on Saturday. 
 
Women's Soccer
 
Results: 
Win vs. Huntington, 2-0; Win vs. (19) Taylor, 1-0
 
Top Performers:
Karly Miller - 1 Goal, 1 Assist, 3 Points
Kayla Baar - 2 Goals, 4 Points
Reagan Kohler – 7 Saves, 2 Shutouts, 2 Wins
 
The Spring Arbor Women's Soccer team rolled into this week looking to stay hot, taking on two Crossroads League opponents in Huntington and Taylor. 
 
On Wednesday, the girls traveled to Huntington and had control of the game from the jump, outshooting the Foresters 25-5 and controlling the ball for the majority of the game. Despite the shot advantage, the Cougars only found the net twice, once in each half, but that proved to be more than enough. Karly Miller opened the scoring in the 28^th minute, as the Sophomore Forward continued her breakout campaign with her team-leading 6^th goal of the year. Miller would later add an assist as well, with fellow Sophomore Kayla Baar knocking her pass in for a goal of her own, her 4^th of the campaign, punctuating the 2-0 victory. 
 
On Saturday, the Cougars returned home to an electric atmosphere for the Spring Arbor homecoming game. The matchup would live up to the hype as the 19^th ranked Taylor Trojans came to town for a top-20 clash. 
 
The two teams would have a good old-fashioned heavyweight fight in the first half, with both teams trading punches but neither able to land one. The Trojans actually had the shot advantage in the first half, marking only the fourth time this season that the Cougars have been outshot in a period, but Reagan Kohler responded to the challenge. The senior goalkeeper made three crucial saves, keeping the Trojans off the board, and sending the contest into the break 0-0. 
 
In half number two, the Cougars came out with much more energy, creating more pressure on the offensive end, but still could not put one home. Taylor had their share of chances as well, but Kohler continued to hold strong, and the contest looked destined to finish in a 0-0 deadlock. However, Kayla Baar had other plans. The sophomore got a breakaway opportunity in the 85^th minute and did not let it go to waste, knocking it past the keeper for her fourth goal of the year, setting off a frenzy among the capacity Cougar crowd. The Cougars would finish the final four minutes and claim the emotional 1-0 victory. 
 
The Lady Cougars will also only have one contest this week, returning to the Cougar Soccer Complex to take on Mount Vernon Nazarene at 1:00 PM on Saturday. 
 
 
Volleyball:
 
Results: 
Loss vs. (RV) Huntington, 2-3
 
Top Performers:
Kelsie Lilly – 17 Kills, 3 Blocks
Kendall Bollenbacher – 15 Kills, 23 Digs, 4 Blocks
Keely Hinzman – 13 Kills, 8 Blocks
Julia Mitchell – 9 Kills, 3 Blocks, 5 Digs
Camy Wedge – 36 Assists, 22 Digs, 5 Aces
Gabby Bryja – 26 Assists, 9 Digs
Palmer Fortress – 33 Digs, 1 Ace
 
 
The Spring Arbor Volleyball team traveled to Huntington on Wednesday to take on the Foresters in another tough matchup as a part of the relentless Crossroads League slate. 
 
While both teams expected a tough matchup, no one quite expected the instant classic that unfolded. The margins were razor thin throughout, but early on Huntington would take advantage of some crucial Spring Arbor mistakes, and despite the Cougars best efforts, won the first two sets 27-25 and 25-22 to take complete control of the match.
 
However, the Cougars did not lay down. After a roller-coaster third set that saw Huntington take a 20-19 lead late, Spring Arbor found a dash of momentum and rattled off a 6-2 run to take the set 25-22 and stay alive. In set four, Spring Arbor continued their momentum into an early 4-0 lead, and would only surrender that lead once in the set, as they once again won 25-22, and forced a deciding fifth set. 
 
The fifth and final set proved to be a true battle of wills, as the two squads played a true back and forth match, each trying to land the knockout punch. The set would go all the way to 42 combined points, before Huntington finally landed the dagger, taking the set 22-20, and match 3-2. 
 
 
The Crossroads slate does not get any easier for the Cougars this week, as the second round begins. (22) Marian comes to town on Wednesday at 7:00 PM, and then the Cougars will travel to Marion, Indiana to take on (6) Indiana Wesleyan on Saturday at 3:00 PM. 
 
 
Cross Country
 
Results: 
Men:
17th/21  at the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invite, Team Score of 393 | 34-64-74-108-113 (114, 115)
Women:
21st/22 at the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invite, Team Score of 607 | 107-110-111-139-140(141, 144)
Top Performers: 
Men:
Camden Khon – 25:05, 34^th  Place
Dean Reynolds – 25:41, 64^th Place
Jacob Singleton – 25:52, 74^th Place
Women:
Madyson Oudbier – 19:27, 112^th Place
Jynessa Larsen – 19:30, 115^th  Place
Alexis Brown – 19:31, 116^th Place
 
Both the Men's and Women's Cross Country teams traveled to the University of Notre Dame on Friday to compete in the Joe Piane Notre Dame invite. Both teams competed in the Gold division, which was made up of a majority of NCAA Division 1 squads, resulting in some stiff competition. Camden Khon led the way for the Men, posting a season-best mark at 25:06, and finishing 34^th, the second-best NAIA mark of the entire competition. 
 
Madyson Oudbier led the way for the Women, finishing in 112^th place with a time of 19:37 in the 5k course. Jynessa Larsen and Alexis Brown were just behind her, in 115^th and 116^th place respectively.
 
Golf
 
Results:
Men:
4^th of 9 teams at Battle at Stonehenge, Team Score of 615 | 308-307
Women:
9^th of 10 teams at Battle at Stonehenge, Team Score of 761 | 390-371
Top Performers:
Men:
Andrew Veldman – 72-75– 147 – (5^th Place)
Keldon Koshorek – 79-72 – 151 – (t-12^th Place)
Women:
Elle Bolkema – 82-82 – 164 – (18^th Place)
Emalynn Benham – 87-92 – 179 – (t-38^th Place)
 
The Spring Arbor Men's and Women's Golf teams continued their fall season this past weekend at the Battle at Stonehenge tournament hosted by Grace College in Winona Lake, Indiana
The Men's team finished in 4^th place as a team, with Andrew Veldman leading the way in 5^th place, with a two round 147, marking his 3^rd top-10 finish of the fall season. Keldon Koshorek also shot well, finishing tied for 12^th with a two round 151. 
The Women's team once again struggled early, dropping them to a 9^th place finish out of 10 teams, but they improved in a big way on day two, bettering their score by 19 strokes. Elle Bolkema led the way once again for the Cougars, finishing in 18^th with two round 164.
 
Both teams completed their fall seasons early this week, with the Men competing at the Egypt Valley Intercollegiate tournament hosted by Taylor, and the Women competing at the Cleary Cougar Invite. Results for those tournaments will be in next weeks article.


Home Events This Week:
Monday:
Women's Reserve Volleyball vs. Madonna, Time TBA
Tuesday:
Women's Reserve Soccer vs. Siena Heights, Time TBA
Wednesday:
Volleyball vs. (22) Marian, 7:00 PM
Friday: 
Women's Reserve Soccer vs. Cornerstone, 7:00 PM
Saturday: 
Women's Soccer vs. Mount Vernon Nazarene, 1:00 PM
Women's Soccer vs. Saint Francis, 3:00 PM