In a battle of unbeatens, something had to give...and it was the Webster University women's basketball team that suffered its first loss in a 82-69 defeat to Augustana College (IL). The Gorloks battled the taller Vikings throughout the contest, only succumbing in the game's final minutes of play.
In a scrappy first period, Augustana took a 19-11 lead. The Vikings, with a distinct height advantage, grabbed 20 rebounds in the period alone. But the Gorloks forced the Vikings into nine turnovers to stay close. In the early going of the second period, Webster went toe to toe with Augustana, trailing 28-21 after four minutes of play. The Gorloks hung tough throughout the period, and were down, 34-28, with 2:40 left till half and went into the locker room down, 42-34.
The Vikings had six more baskets than the Gorloks in the half, but Webster was 10-12 from the charity stripe and had 10 steals, forcing 16 Augustana turnovers. Kelsey Miller (JR, Elizabeth, IN/South Central) had 13 points on 4-5 shooting, including 2-3 from the three-point line and 3-3 from the free throw line.
The Gorloks flew out of the starting blocks to start the third period to erase the eight-point deficit, with a three-pointer by Miller tying the game at 44-44 at the 7:10 mark. A pair of free throws by Miller tied the game again, at 51-51, at 1:40, but a three-point play by the Vikings put them right back on top, 54-51, at 1:20. A steal and fast break from Paige Buechele (SR, Lebanon, IL/Lebanon) to Miller for a layup gave Webster the lead, 55-54, to end the period.
A three-pointer by Aley Lucas (JR, Sullivan, MO/Sullivan) from the top of the key at 7:20 in the fourth period gave Webster a 62-59 lead. A pair of free throws by Megan Brandt (SO, Sullivan, MO) at 6:14 made it a five-point bulge for Webster, 64-59. The Vikings answered with a pair of threes to wrestle the lead back, 65-64, at 5:30. A couple key turnovers and missed layups down the stretch by the Gorloks put them in a 75-66 hole with 2:18 left in the game. Webster would get no closer as Augustana won, 82-69.
Miller finished with a team-high 19 points, shooting 6-8 from the field and 5-5 from the free throw line. Taylor Lucas (JR, Sullivan, MO/Sullivan) had 12 points, four rebounds and three steals in the game. Buechele finished with six points, five rebounds, and four assists.
Webster made 27-32 free throws as a team, with the 27 made the sixth highest in a single game in team history.
Webster is now 3-1 on the year. Augustana, a member of the competitive College Conference of Iowa and Wisconsin, improved to 4-0 on the season.
The Gorloks open play in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference as they host Greenville College (IL) on November 30 at Grant Gymnasium. Webster then travels to Principia College (IL) on December 3.
