Despite a double-digit, season-ending loss to Elba in the first round of the area tournament, Goshen head coach Johnny Mitchell couldn’t help but smile.

The Lady Eagles fell to Elba 64-41 in Elba on Thursday in what Mitchell called a “weird” game.

“There were a pile of whistles tonight, and neither team could get in a rhythm,” said Mitchell. “I don’t know if that helped us or hurt us, but we were without one of our leading scorers, and had another in foul trouble. Elba had some trouble with fouls as well. It was a weird game, but we had chances. We just are good enough to convert those chances.”

Elba controlled the game from the opening tip, and got the Lady Eagles in foul trouble early. However, Goshen chipped away at the double-digit lead the rest of the game, cutting it to 12 early in the fourth quarter.

The hard play late in games is something Mitchell likes to see.

“We have come so far since the start of the season,” Mitchell said. “It doesn’t show in the win column, but it sure does on the scoreboard. We went from getting beat by 40 or 50 and the game being over in the first half, to playing deep in games. We are going to keep grinding, and we will be winners because we are not going to quit.”