The Webster University women's basketball team served notice in its St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference opener, defeating Greenville College (IL), 80-69, on November 30 at Grant Gymnasiium. The Gorloks, picked fifth in the SLIAC coaches' pre-season poll, pressured the Panthers, picked second in the poll, into submission as they improved to 4-1 overall and 1-0 in the SLIAC.
The Gorloks had 30 steals and forced 47 Panther turnovers in the contest. The 30 steals in the game was the second highest single game total in team history, surpassed only by 32 it had in a game vs. Dominican University in 2004. The 47 turnovers by Greenville surpassed the 42 Webster forced against Dominican in a game earlier this season.
Webster led, 19-18, after the first period. The Gorloks' pressure defense gave the Panthers fits in the period, forcing 13 turnovers that resulted in seven steals. But Greenville kept pace with its efficiency from the three-point line, hitting five of six. The Gorloks continued to force Panther miscues early in the second period, building their lead to 27-21 midway through. A steal and a layup by Ebony Bailey (JR, Dolton, IL/Seton Academy) at 2:00 kept the Webster lead at six, 31-25, but a late Greenville charge cut the Gorloks' halftime lead to one, 33-32.
Webster had 13 steals in the half and forced a total of 26 Greenville turnovers. The Gorlok defense made up for a tough shooting half for Webster (31%), and the Gorloks getting beat on the boards, 25-15.
Once again, in the third period, the suffocating Webster defense forced another 13 Greenville turnovers as the Gorloks took a comfortable, 59-45, lead entering the fourth. Aided by a pair of three-pointers, Greenville actually was tied with Webster, 45-45, with 3:46 left in the third. A flurry of Gorlok steals and Panther turnovers led to a 14-0 run by Webster to finish the period. The Panthers closed to within seven with 1:00 remaining in the contest, but the Gorloks made their free throws to seal the contest.
The Gorloks rebounded, shooting-wise, in the second half as they shot 57% (17-30) for the half, including 6-9 (75%) from beyond the arc. Kelsey Miller (JR, Elizabeth, IN/South Central) and Jade Sawyer (FR, Republic, MO/Springfield Republic) each had 16 points in the game, with Sawyer coming off the bench. Aley Lucas (JR, Sullivan, MO/Sullivan) and Bailey had 12 points each in the win. Megan Brandt (SO, Sullivan, MO/Sullivan) had eight steals for the evening, and Jaysea Morgan (FR, Fisk, MO/Twin Rivers) had six.
Webster rebounded nicely after coming off its first loss of the season, to Augustana College, after starting 3-0. Webster is averaging 80 points a game while giving up just 61 per game.
The Gorloks will be seeing a lot of Robert Morris College (IL) next week as they play its Springfield campus team on December 5 and its Peoria campus team on December 7 at Grant Gymnasium.
