Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 The Webster University volleyball team settled for a split at Grant Gym, on October 10, losing to Westminster College (MO), 3-1, and defeating Principia College (IL), 3-0.  The win over Principia was head coach Merry Graf's 300th career win at Webster.

Graf improved to 300-160 in her 15th season guiding the Gorloks.  Graf coached previously at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy for five years and with her 54 wins there, has 354 total for her coaching career.

In the first match, the Gorloks and Blue Jays went toe to toe, with Westminster proving it is in the mix for the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title.  The first set was an extremely tightly played one.  When Westminster took a 21-18 lead, it was the first time in the set a team led by more than two points.  The Blue Jays extended the lead to 23-19, and though the Gorloks cut the deficit to 23-24 after a time out, Westminster still prevailed, 25-23.

Set two was a different story as the Blue Jays took a 7-0 lead before the Gorloks got on the board.  Down, 8-1, it was Webster's turn to rally as it scored nine straight points to tie the set at 10-10.  Tthe teams traded several points before the Blue Jays went on another run, 5-0, taking an 18-13 lead, then extending it to 21-15.  Webster closed within 22-19 before falling, 25-21.

Webster jumped out to a 6-1 advantage in the third, maintaining its lead throughout the set, at 16-10 and 19-13, before taking its first set, 25-19.  Torie Grassi, (FR, St. Louis, MO/Rosati-Kain HS) had five kills to lead Webster. 

The fourth set saw back and forth action, with the score tied at 9-9 before Westminster took a 12-9 lead.  The Gorloks tied it at, 13-13, but the Blue Jays pulled back on top, 18-15, prompting a Webster timeout.  Westminster extended the lead to 20-15 coming out of the timeout and would win the set, 25-22, and the match.
 
Grassi finished with a team-high 19 kills, hitting at a .308 percent, and had three block assists.  Kelsey Hamann (FR, Waterloo, IL/Waterloo HS) had 21 assists and Katie O'Toole (JR, St. Louis, MO/Lutheran South HS) had 20 digs to lead Webster in those categories.

Versus Principia, the going was much easier for Webster.  The Gorloks sprinted to a 18-5 lead before winning, 25-14, in the first set.  Rachel Nelson (SR, Papillion, NE/LaVista South HS) had six kills and a block solo and assist in the set.  Hamann had 10 assists and O'Toole 12 digs. 

Webster took a 5-1 lead to start the second set, but the Panthers clawed their way back to 9-7, before the Gorloks extended it to 14-7.  Principia made a go of it, closing to within 23-21 before Webster could close out the set, 25-22.  Jory Siebenmorgen (JR, Eureka, MO/Eureka HS) led Webster with five kills.

Principia got off to its best start in the third set, trading points as the teams were tied at 6-6, then 9-9.  After a Principia timeout, Webster pulled in front, 16-10, but the Panthers reeled off six straight points to make it 16-16.  Principia still was threatening, tied at 22-22, and down 24-23, before the Gorloks got the set winner, 25-23, and took the match.

Siebenmorgen wound up with 18 kills and a .500 attack percent for the match.  Hamann had 26 assists, finishing with 47 on the afternoon, and O'Toole had 27 digs for 47 on the day, with both leading the Gorloks. 

Webster is 11-3 now in the SLIAC and 13-10 overall.  Westminster, who also defeated Fontbonne College in the quad match, improves to 11-2 in the SLIAC and 15-5 overall.

Webster has 11 days off before its next match, at Eureka College (IL).  The Gorloks travel to Wisconsin on October 23-24 to compete in the University of Wisconsin-Whiteside tournament.