In a possible exciting preview of the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference women's tennis tournament, Webster defeated Principia, 5-4, in Elsah, IL, on April 11.  The Gorloks finished a perfect 5-0 in SLIAC regular season play, giving them the #1 seed entering into the conference tournament.  It was Webster's eight straight match win overall.

The Gorloks fell behind, 2-1, after doubles play, getting a win from the #2 tandem of Monica Behrle (FR, Atlanta, GA/East Paulding HS) and Jesse Steffens-Willis (FR, St. Louis, MO/Rockwood Summit HS).  But Webster came back to win four of the six singles matches for the victory, highlighted by an epic win at #5 by Stephanie Lass (FR, Lake Villa, IL/Lakes Community HS).  Lass and opponent Lena Carlson went to tie-breakers in all three sets, with Lass prevailing in the third set for the win.

Also winning in singles were Kaylen Kress (JR, Bartlett, IL/Bartlett HS) at #3, 6-0, 6-2, Chelsea Foster (SO, St. Louis, MO/McCluer North HS) at #6, 6-3, 6-3, and Behrle at #2, 6-2, 7-5.  For Kress, it was her seventh straight singles win, Lass' streak reached five, and for Foster, it was her third straight win.

Behrle kept her singles and doubles win streaks alive, now winning 12 straight singles and eight doubles matches in a row.  With her win at #2 singles, Behrle tied the school record for singles wins in a season, with her 18th.  She tied teammate Marissa Lewis (SR, Owasso, OK/Owasso HS) who won 18 in 2012, and Allison Tungate (2009-2012) who won 18 in 2012 also.  Behrle is 18-1 on the season in singles play.

Later that afternoon, the team travelled to Godfrey, IL, to complete a suspended exhbition match with Lewis and Clark Community College.  The Gorloks won the match, 8-1.  With #1 singles player Lewis sitting it out, Behrle, Kress, Steffens-Willis, Foster, and Brianna Pagan (FR, St. Louis, MO/Washington HS) all had victories in singles.  Pagan won 7-6, 6-4 at #6 singles.

Lewis did partner with Kress to win, 8-4, at #1 doubles, while Behrle and Stephens-Willis eaked out a 9-8 win at #2.  Lass and Foster won, 8-3, at #3 doubles.

With the win over Principia, Webster is 12-4 on the season.  The 12 victories ties for the third most in a single season in the team's history.  Up next for the Gorloks is the SLIAC Tournament, which takes place on April 17-18 at the Dwight Davis Tennis Center in Forest Park.  The winner advances to the NCAA III national tournament.

The complete Webster/Principia results:

Webster University 5 Principia College 4

Singles competition
1. Hanne Andersen (PCWT) def. Marissa Lewis (WUWT) 6-2, 6-2
2. Monica Behrle (WUWT) def. Kelly Adams (PCWT) 6-2, 7-5
3. Kaylen Kress (WUWT) def. Caitlin Carney (PCWT) 6-0, 6-2
4. Claire Horton (PCWT) def. J. Steffens-Willis (WUWT) 6-4, 6-3
5. Stephanie Lass (WUWT) def. Lena Carlson (PCWT) 7-6, 6-7, 7-6
6. Chelsea Foster (WUWT) def. Nathalie Deloach (PCWT) 6-3, 6-3

Doubles competition
1. Hanne Andersen/Kelly Adams (PCWT) def. Marissa Lewis/Kaylen Kress (WUWT) 8-3
2. Monica Behrle/J. Steffens-Willis (WUWT) def. Caitlin Carney/Nathalie Deloach (PCWT) 8-3
3. Lily Richards/Lena Carlson (PCWT) def. Stephanie Lass/Chelsea Foster (WUWT) 8-5