The Webster University volleyball team dropped a match to preseason favorite, Greenville College, then beat host MacMurray College on September 17, in Jacksonville, IL. The Gorloks slugged it out with the Panthers before falling 3-1, and then had a much easier go as they swept the Highlanders.
Against Greenville, Webster hung in there for the first set before losing 22-25. The Panthers had an easier time as the Gorloks fell in set two, 12-25, but Webster got into the match with a 25-17 win in the third set. Battling to send the match to a tie-breaker, the Gorloks lost 23-25 in set four, giving Greenville the match, 3-1.
Webster and Greenville came into the match tied for first at 3-0 in the SLIAC. Greenville, which has won or tied for the SLIAC regular season title the last six seasons, is off to a hot start and improved to 9-1 for the season by day's end. Torie Grassi (SO, St. Louis, MO/Rosati-Kain) and Jory Siebenmorgen (SR, Eureka, MO/Eureka) each led Webster with eight kills.
Kelsey Hamann (SO, Waterloo, IL/Waterloo) led Webster in assists (15) and digs (25). Ashley Robinson (JR, Bloomington, IL/Bloomington) had 12 assists and 12 digs in the match. Katie O'Toole (SR, St. Louis, MO/Lutheran South) had 20 digs.
The Gorloks continued their dominance over MacMurray, sweeping the host Highlanders, 25-11, 25-17, and 25-20. Webster has not lost to MacMurray in volleyball since 1996. Siebenmorgen had 12 kills and Macee Owen (SO, Tucson, AZ/Empire) had 11 in the match. The Gorloks had a .318 attack percent as a team for the contest. Hamann had 23 assists and O'Toole had 17 digs to lead the Gorloks. Rachel Mencel (JR, Colchester, IL/West Prairie) and Siebenmorgen each had four block assists in the match.
Hamann has 508 career assists, moving her into 16th place on the Gorloks all-time career list in just a season and a half of play at Webster.
Webster is 4-1 in the SLIAC and 8-4 overall with the split.
The Gorloks are back home on September 20 as they host Eureka College before heading up Big Bend Blvd on September 22 to take on #19 ranked Washington University.