Something had to give in the volleyball match between Webster University and Spalding University. The Gorloks were coming off a huge win at Greenville College and the Golden Eagles were coming off a big victory over Westminster College, handing the Blue Jays their first conference loss. A determined Golden Eagle squad downed the Gorloks, 3-0, on October 7 at Grant Gymnasium.
In set one, Webster fell behind,3-6, then tied it at 6-6. The Gorlok deficit increased to 12-16, and 13-18, before a Webster timeout. The Golden Eagles were unfazed as they increased their lead to 23-14, including a Gorlok service error. After another Webster timeout, the Gorloks cut the lead to 17-23, but could get no closer as they lost, 17-25.
The Gorloks found themselves in a 4-9 hole to start set two, prompting another Webster timeout. Each time Webster scored a point, Spalding seemed to have an answer, increasing its lead to 13-7. Webster had an 8-2 run to close within 13-15, but Spalding regained control, pulling back out in front, 21-15. One more Webster timeout couldn't stem the tide as Spalding went on to win the set, 25-17, and the Gorloks were in a 2-0 hole.
Set three found Webster up 11-9 after the teams traded points throughout the early going. Spalding tied it at, 13-13, took a 16-13 lead, and was still leading, at 20-16, before a Webster timeout. A Samantha Budrovich (SO, St. Louis, MO/Lutheran South) kill gave the Gorloks a glimmer of hope, making it 17-20, but the Golden Eagles increased their lead to 23-17. Three straight Spalding errrors and a Budrovich service ace made it 21-23, this time prompting a Spalding timeout. Two more Golden Eagle errors out of the timeout tied the set at 23-23. The teams were tied at 24-24, 25-25, 26-26, and 27-27, before a Golden Eagle kill and a Gorlok attack error gave Spalding a 29-27 set win, and the match.
The Gorloks finished the night with a .177 attack percent, due mostly to a .345 pct in set three, going 16-37 with only four errors. But Webster hit.100 and .111 in the first two sets while Spalding was at .394 and .200, finishing the night at .254 overall.
Jory Siebenmorgen (SR, Eureka, MO/Eureka), fresh off a SLIAC Player of the Week nod, led with 12 kills and a .375 attack pct. Kelsey Hamann (SO, Waterloo, IL/Waterloo) had a team-high 19 assists and with Katie O'Toole (SR, St. Louis, MO/Lutheran South) led with 20 assists.
O'Toole moved into second place on Webster's all-time career digs list. With 386 on the season, she now has 1656, surpassing Webster Hall of Famer Crystal Shelton's (2004-07) 1649 total. O'Toole now only trails Jordan Vehlewald (2011-14) at 1690.
It is 'Dig Pink' weekend for the volleyball team, with silent auction items, raffles and contests to raise money all weekend long. All proceeds from the weekend's activities will go to the Side-Out Foundation, a volleyball-themed organization devoted to the battle against breast cancer.
Webster is now 8-3 in the SLIAC and in third place. The Gorloks are 12-6 overall. Spalding improves to 6-3 in the SLIAC and 12-7 overall.
'Dig Pink' weekend will continue with the Gorloks at Grant Gymnasium at 10:00 a.m. on October 8 to face Principia College (IL). Webster plays Iowa Wesleyan University at 2:00 p.m., with Principia and Wesleyan playing a match in between.
