The Webster University volleyball team ran into a tough Washington University squad, ranked 20th nationally, and lost 3-0 on October 17, at Grant Gymnasium. The Bears', a traditional NCAA III powerhouse, attack was too much for the Gorloks to overcome as they lost in straight sets.
Washington U raced to an 8-0 lead in the
first set. A Torie Grassi (JR, St. Louis, MO/Rosati-Kain) dump got the Gorloks on the board at 8-1. Another Grassi kill and Wash U error made it 10-3. Back to back kills by Samantha Kruse (FR, Waterloo, IL/Waterloo) and Ashley Robinson (SR, Bloomington, IL/Bloomington) cut the deficit to 13-6. Webster reeled off three straight to make it 14-9, but Wash U answered with four straight of its own to take an 18-9 lead.
After a Webster timeout, the Bears continued to roll, extending their lead to 21-9. A kill by Robinson and a pair by Taylor Kissel (SO, St. Louis, MO/Lutheran South) contributed to a 6-0 Webster run to cut the deficit to 21-15, but Wash U would take the next four points for a 25-15 set win.
The Bears opened the
second set with a 5-0 lead. Webster would make it 5-2, then 7-5, but the Bears continued the attack and built the lead to 12-6, prompting a Webster timeout. The Gorloks slowed the Bears, closing to 14-9, but Wash U extended it to 17-9. A Wash U error and Kruse kill made it 17-11, and a Grassi kill, 18-12. At 20-12, Webster called another timeout and a Wash U error and Macee Owen (JR, Tucson, AZ/Empire) kill cut the deficit to six at 20-14. Another Owen kill made it a 22-16 Wash U lead. Wash U would close out the set at 25-17.
The Gorloks took a 4-2 lead to start
set three. A timeout to clean the court slowed their momentum some, but the Gorloks still led at 8-6 on a kill by Kruse, and a dump by Samantha Budrovich (JR, St. Louis, MO/Lutheran South) made it 10-7. The Bears took their first lead of the set at 12-11, but a service error tied the match up at 12-12. Falling behind, 14-12, kills by Grassi and Owen tied it back up at 14-14, but Wash U would take the next three points to go up, 17-14, as Webster expended a timeout. Wash U led, 19-14, when a Budrovich dump broke the Bear run, but they would run out the string for a 25-19 set win, and the match, 3-0.
The Bears outhit the Gorloks, with a .386 attack pct. to .086, as Wash U only committed 10 attack errors to Webster's 23. Grassi led Webster with eight kills as Budrovich chipped in with six. Robinson had a team-high 11 assists, with Kelsey Hamann (JR, Waterloo, IL/Waterloo), who had to leave the match early after a cut over her eye, finishing with 10. Kristen Farrah (FR, St. Charles, MO/Francis Howell) led with 10 digs and Hamann had nine on the night.
Webster is now 16-8 overall and 14-2 in the SLIAC. Washington U is now 19-6 on the year. The Bears defeated Webster earlier this season 3-0 as well.
It was the Gorloks' annual 'Dig Pink' night as the team donned sharp new pink detailed jerseys. Funds were raised through a silent auction, 50/50 raffle, 'heads and tails' game and it's not too late to help fight the battle against breast cancer. The Gorloks have a website through the Sideout Foundation, where you can donate in the name of the volleyball. Please visit the site
HERE and give to the cause.
The Gorloks travel to Jacksonville, IL, on October 19 to play MacMurray College. They will then take an eight-day break before playing in the very competitive Emory University Tourney on October 27-28. Host Emory is ranked #4 nationally and Berry College (GA) is 20-3, while Washington & Lee University (VA) is 15-6.
