Box Score The Webster University women's basketball team took on first place Westminster College at home on January 30, and came out on the short end of a 56-47 final. The Blue Jays entered the contest 9-1 in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference with the Gorloks coming in at 7-3 and tied for second place. Webster battled throughout the contest, down by three with six minutes remaining in the contest, but never could regain the lead after taking a short-lived one in the second half.
The Gorloks were up 31-30 in the second after the Blue Jays went five minutes without scoring to open the half. Westminster outscored Webster, 11-4, over the next five minutes to pull back in front, 41-35. The Gorloks were only down 45-42 with 6:00 left, but Webster's shooting went cold for the remainder of the game as it only could muster four more points. The Gorloks dug themselves in a deeper hole when starters Cassie Endicott (SO, Civic Memorial HS,IL) and Kaliann Rikard (JR, Cuba HS, MO) both fouled out within a minute of each other with 4:00 minutes still on the clock.
Webster had fallen behind at the intermission after the Gorloks and Blue Jays exchanged baskets for the majority of the half. Gwen Willams (SR, Ft. Zumwalt West HS, MO) disrupted the Blue Jays with constant harassment on defense early on and would up with three baskets, all off turnovers, for the half. Webster took a 23-19 lead with 4:00 remaining, only to see Westminster go on a 11-0 run to put them up 30-23 with 1:00. A Brittany Harris-Conway (FR, John F. Hodge HS, MO) layup with 1:00 left broke the drought and Webster entered the locker room down, 30-25. The Gorloks were just 2-4 from the free throw line in the half as the Blue Jays shot a perfect 9-9.
Maggie Zehner (SR, Oakville HS, MO) had 12 points and eight rebounds for the game. Williams wound up with 11 points and team-highs with four assists and six steals. Courtney Pursley (JR, St. Clair HS, MO) led Webster with 12 rebounds and added seven points.
Webster is 7-4 in the SLIAC, and slips into third place with the loss. The Gorloks are 10-10 overall on the season.
This was the second contest of a five-game home stand for the Gorloks. Webster hosts Greenville College (IL) on February 2, Hall of Fame Day at Grant Gymnasium. The Gorloks were nipped in overtime, 74-72, at Greenville on December 1. Three new members of the Webster Athletics Hall of Fame will be inducted at half time of the men's game the afternoon of the 2nd, including former women's basketball player Angie Carr.
