(MacMurray Game Notes)   (Rust Game Notes)

Coming off a tough road defeat to Westminster, the Gorloks hope to avoid an 0-2 SLIAC start when the MacMurray comes-a-calling on Saturday. Following Saturday's SLIAC game with the Highlanders, the Gorloks will step out of conference action to host Rust Sunday.

"We wanna come out firing on all cylinders, push the ball and dictate tempo," said acting head coach Jordan Olufson. "We need to get high energy and score 80-plus points; a great team effort.

"It gonna be how we start (the game) and react to the different looks MacMurray will throw at us," Olufson continued. "It's going to be about us being consistent and each person leaving everything on the floor."

Olufson says the Highlanders are a good winless team, and could get a boost from their new head coach. After playing the first part of the season with the men’s coach on the sidelines, MacMurray hired Anna Ewing to take over the women’s program. It is expected that she will be patrolling the sidelines for the first time on Saturday.

“I think they will come out and play hard as a unified group with the coaching change,” said Webster’s acting head coach. “It’s a fresh start for them.”

MacMurray features two of the conference top scorers in Abby Lowe and Taylor Vollmer, the latter of which is the lone SLIAC player averaging a double-double. Lowe is averaging a league-best 17.3 points, and has been MacMurray's leading scorer in three of their four games. However, despite having two of the SLIAC's most prolific scorers - the Highlanders are last with 51.5 points per contest.

"Abby Lowe might be the best guard in the conference," said Olufson. "She is a hard-nosed kid and a player I expect to have one heck of a game."

For the Gorloks to come out on the winning side of the scoreboard, the continued maturation of junior Julie McGirl and freshman Courtney Brown will serve the home team well.

McGirl has begun to take control of the team as the leader both in games and practice. She is coming off her third career double-double in the loss to Westminster when she scored 15 points with 12 rebounds. Brown, who started her career with 27 points and eight assists, added 16 points to reach double digits for the first time since the opener.

“Julie has really matured in the last month,” said Olufson. “The way she leads by example and actions, you can see it rubbing off on her teammates.”

Freshman Blaire Underwood is still one of the Gorloks' primary offensive backcourt weapons - leading the team with 12.8 points per game. She is second in the SLIAC with 13 made three-pointers, helping Webster lead the league with 35 three-pointers.

It's the post play of McGirl, sophomore Katy Meyer, freshman Tori Fenemor and freshman Ayrica Lockett that has allowed the Gorloks to hit so many long range shots.

"When we spread the floor and isolate the post, we make teams pick their poison," said Olufson. "We have four quality post players and its tough not to double them. That leaves our shooters open and we have players that can knock them down."