For the second week in a row HC was upended by an MCC rival in sudden death overtime.  This time it was Goshen College that edged the Foresters 1-0 for the double overtime win. HC pressured the Goshen defense for much of the game and held a significant advantage in shots on goal (11-2) and corner kicks (8-3), but couldn’t find the net. Goshen finally got the winner with 3:37 to go in the second overtime on a counter attack.  "I was pleased with how active we were on the ball tonight," said Coach Datema.  "In addition to the shots on goal we also had a lot of shots that were just off frame, so we really had a lot of chances to win this game.  Goshen’s defense would bend but just wouldn’t break. You have to give them credit for hanging in there the way they did.”  HC now stands at 7-7 overall and 3-4 in the MCC. 

Despite owning the lead on three occasions, the Foresters couldn't put away Bethel College and fell 4-3 in overtime.  HC got on the board in just the third minute when Heather O’Keefe finished a Mindy Sincler assist. It looked like HC would take the one goal lead into the half, but Bethel's Lisa Franke got the equalizer in the 43rd minute. The Foresters struck early again in the second half when Beth Padilla got on the end of an O’Keefe cross and shot a lofted ball toward goal which the Pilot keeper couldn’t handle. The lead held up until the 70th minute when the Pilots once again equalized. HC appeared to get the game winner in the 84th minute when O’Keefe played a great ball in to Sarah Kaufman who slotted it home. But Bethel again fought back to knot the score at 3-3 with just 1:47 remaining in the game. The late heroics continued for Bethel as they found the game winner in the final minute of the first overtime period. "Despite the fact that several of our players were a little off on their touch today, I thought we were going to pull it out," said Coach Datema. "We played hard and had a lot of good scoring chances, but Bethel is a dangerous team and they deserved the win today. They showed a lot of heart coming back the way they did.”  HC stands at 7-6 on the season and 3-3 in the MCC with the loss.

Heather O'Keefe put HC ahead with a goal in the third minute of play and the Foresters cruised to their fourth consecutive win with the 3-0 shutout over Taylor University.  Beth Padilla gave HC a 2-0 lead in the 28^th minute when she won a challenge on a Trojan defender and beat the keeper. Fifteen minutes into the second half Mindy Sincler fed Sarah Kaufman who completed the scoring for the Foresters. Solid defending the rest of the way kept Taylor at bay and preserved the 3-0 win. Robyn Althoff and Katie Stiffler combined in goal for the shutout with nine saves. “This was a great effort from front to back," said Coach Datema. "Kristyn Bollig had a strong game in the midfield and the Hannah Kaufman-led defense was stellar. Hannah plays with a lot of confidence and composure and I think the rest of the team feeds off of that. This was Taylor’s first conference loss (4-1) this year, so this was a big win for us.”  HC now stands at 7-5 overall and 3-2 in the MCC.

Sarah Kaufman, a freshman from Ada, Michigan (Forest Hills Central High School), was named MCC Player of the Week for the week of September 27 - October 2.  During the week, Kaufman helped lead the Forester soccer team to a 2-0 record in conference play with her four goals and two assists. In the Foresters’ 3-0 win over Grace College, Kaufman completed the hat trick netting all three of Huntington’s goals.  In their 4-3 victory over Marian College, she scored the Foresters’ first goal of the game and set up teammate Heather O’Keefe with assists on two of her three goals. 

The Foresters celebrated Homecoming with a 4-3 win over MCC rival Marian College. This time it was Heather O’Keefe who provided the scoring punch as she completed the first hat trick of her career. Sarah Kaufman opened the scoring in the 21st minute with a goal and then assisted O’Keefe less than two minutes later to give HC a 2-0 lead. Marian got back into the game in the 35th minute when they jumped on a loose ball and put it away. O’Keefe added her second score in the final minute of the half as she finished a pass from Amanda Borders to restore the two goal margin at the half. In the second half HC turned up the pressure, but Marian countered with a goal in the 57th minute. O’Keefe again restored the two goal lead with an assist from Kaufman in the 70th minute only to have Marian draw back within one just two minutes later. The Forester defense tightened up from there and held the Knights scoreless the rest of the way. “I was pleased with the way we took the initiative today," said Coach Datema. "Our midfielders worked hard and made a lot of good runs. Heather and Sarah also were outstanding. They combined well and put a lot of pressure on the Marian defense."  The women now stand at 6-5 on the year and even their conference record at 2-2.

A cool rainy afternoon provided great soccer weather for the Foresters to pick up their first conference win of the season, a 3-0 shutout over visiting Grace College . Grace started the game possessing the ball and putting pressure on the HC defense, but it was HC’s Sarah Kaufman who took a feed from Heather O’Keefe and scored in the 7^th minute to put HC in front 1-0.  The Foresters rode the momentum and three minutes later Beth Padilla put a through ball into the path of Kaufman who netted her second of the match. HC continued to control the game and took the 2-0 lead into the break. The second half got off to a wild start as O’Keefe was brought down in the box in the first minute but no call was made. Grace responded with a counterattack and had a shot off the post. A minute later Kara Fultz threaded a pass through the Grace defense and Kaufman scored her third goal of the game to complete the hat-trick. The Foresters were able to contain the Lancers the rest of the way to notch their second shutout in a row.  "We've had a hard time getting our passing game going in the last couple of games, but today we made some great strides in the right direction,” said Coach Datema.  “Our back line of Jennifer Stern, Ashley Gonterman and Hannah Kaufman is really starting to play well together.  Hannah has especially shown great leadership and composure back there. Up front, Sarah has had two great games in a row now so we are pleased with the progress we are making.”  The win brings the Foresters’ overall record back even at 5-5, and 1-2 in the MCC.

The Foresters scored their first goal three minutes into the game and never looked back as they shut out St. Mary of the Woods 6-0.  Mindy Sincler was the first to find the back of the net for HC and Heather O’Keefe followed suit seven minutes later off a pass from Sarah Kaufman.  In the 19^th minute, Kaufman drove home her first of two goals in the game and Melissa McFadden added back-to-back goals in the 26^th and 28^th minutes to give the Foresters a commanding 5-0 lead at the half.  Kaufman scored HC’s lone goal of the second half off an assist from Laura Perry to complete the scoring.  “Melissa made the most of her opportunities today and it was good to see her put two in the back of the net,” said Coach Datema.  “I was also pleased with the play of Sarah Kaufman.  She had a big impact on the game in limited minutes.”  The win moves the Foresters to 4-5 on the season and 1-2 in the MCC.

The Foresters battled the NAIA 25th-ranked Cougars of St. Francis, but couldn't find the back of the net and fell 2-0. The Cougars carried most of the play and finally went ahead with a goal in the 43rd minute. HC looked to step it up it up in the second half, but St. Francis continued their high level of play and increased their lead to 2-0 in the 61st minute. The Foresters had a breakaway opportunity in the second half, but the Cougar keeper was able to push Heather O'Keefe's shot off the crossbar.  "We were disappointed in how we played today, said Coach Datema.  "It has been a hard week and it just seemed like we didn't have much energy out there today. St. Francis is a good team and their possession game took its toll on our players. We've made it through the toughest part of our schedule though so we are looking to finish strong in the second half of the season."  With the loss Huntington now stands at 3-5 on the season and 0-2 in the MCC. 

The Foresters opened MCC play with a 4-1 loss to Spring Arbor University.  Although HC struck first when Heather O'Keefe took a pass from Sarah Kaufman and scored just 18 seconds into the match, the NAIA Region VIII #3-ranked Cougars proved to be too much for HC over the long haul. With the Foresters up 1-0, Spring Arbor responded quickly with the equalizer in the 8^th minute and then took the lead in the 23^rd minute. In the last twenty minutes of the first half HC gambled and tried to rest six starters for the second half, but the Cougars took advantage with just 30 seconds to go to take a 3-1 half time lead. In the second half, the Foresters  were unable to mount much of an attack and Spring Arbor added its fourth goal at the 52^nd minute mark to complete the scoring. "We gave a lot of effort out there today, but SAU is such a quality team from top to bottom," said Coach Datema. "I was pleased with how some of our players competed today though. Freshmen Jennifer Stern had her hands full at right back all day long but she never quit. That’s the kind of effort we need.”  HC drops to 3-4 on the season and 0-1 in the MCC.