The Webster University women's basketball team saw its five-game win streak come to an end as the Gorloks lost at home to Westminster College, 68-58, on January 13. Westminster took an early lead and never relinquished its advantage for the duration of the contest.
The Blue Jays took off to a 19-6 lead over the Gorloks after one period. Westminster shot 41% (7-17) to Webster's 17% (3-18) for the period and outrebounded the Gorloks, 16-9. Webster slowed up Westminster in the second period, but still had a cold shooting hand at 27% (4-15) and trailed, 31-17 at halftime.
Still down 48-31, entering the fourth period, Webster made a brief run to pull within 11 at 56-45, with 6:17 remaining. A trio of Westminster three-pointers helped end the run and put the Blue Jays back up by 16. Webster would trim the lead to nine with 2:25 left, but that's as close as the Gorloks would get as Westminster took the win.
Webster would wind up shooting 8-15 (53%) in the fourth period and outscoring Westminster, 27-20, but it was too little too late. The Gorloks also forced 26 Blue Jays turnovers and had 14 steals compared to 16 Webster turnovers for the game.
Freshman Megan Brandt (Sullivan, MO/Sullivan HS) had a game-high, and personal season-high, 17 points in the game on 6-8 shooting from the field and 4-4 from the free throw line. Brandt also tied for the team-high with three assists. Nadine Vaughn (JR, Pana, IL/Pana HS) had eight points and a team-high six rebounds.
Ashley Brooks (SR, Hermann, MO/Hermann HS) had eight points and four rebounds before fouling out and Kennedy Hartman (JR, Sidney, IL/Unity HS) had nine points, and a team-high three assists, with both coming off the bench.
Webster falls to 5-2 in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and 8-6 overall. Westminster, winners of five of its last six games, improves to 5-2 in the SLIAC and 9-4 overall.
The Gorloks now travel to Louisville, KY, after playing four straight at home, to take on Spalding University on January 16. Webster then heads to Mt. Pleasant, IA, on January 20 to face Iowa Wesleyan University.
