The Webster University women's soccer team advanced to the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament championship with a 2-1 win over Westminster College, on November 2 at the Soccer Park. A second half goal by Kelsey Hausmann for the lead held up as the Gorloks improved to 18-1 and will now play in the championship against Fontbonne University at the Soccer Park.
The Gorlok offense got in gear after a slow start in the first half. The teams each had three shots about halfway through when Webster picked up the pace. The Gorloks had five shots in a row culminating with a goal by Nicole Bascio (JR, St. Louis, MO/Timberland) at the 32:00 mark.
Kasper (SO,Chicago, IL/Oswego) had a shot deflect off the Blue Jay keeper that Bascio fired in for her third goal of the year. It was Kasper's team-leading 13th assist, tying her for the eighth highest single season total in team history.
Westminster would tie the game at 38:30 when the Blue Jays had a shot off the crossbar that an open forward slipped past Webster goalie Aly Miller (SO, Middleville, MI/Thornapple) to tie the game at 1-1. As the final seconds of the first half clicked off, Kasper beat the last defender to a ball to get off a shot that was snagged by the Blue Jay keeper. Webster had a 10-5 edge in shots for the half and 4-0 in corner kicks.
The Gorloks regained the lead just five minutes into the second half when Chelsea Noser (SR, Collinsville, IL/Collinsville) got off a shot that deflected up off the crossbar and fell in front of the goal line. Hausmann (SR, St. Louis, MO/Mehlville) headed it in for her ninth goal as Webster led, 2-1.
Webster had another great chance to score when Noser had a point blank shot from the middle of the Westminster goal box, but right into the Blue Jay keeper at the 61:00 mark, The Gorloks finished with a 22-6 edge in shots and 9-1 in corner kicks. Miller picked up the win and in now 8-0 on the season.
The Gorloks are coming off a sixth straight regular season title and a perfect 9-0 SLIAC season for the fourth time in the last five years. The Gorloks knocked the Blue Jays out of last year's tournament with a first round, 4-2 win. Two years ago, Westminster and Webster tied 0-0 in the SLIAC Championship game but the Blue Jays advanced to the NCAAs on a 5-4 win in PKs. Webster is now 28-0-1 in the series between the two schools.
Webster is 18-1 overall as Westminster ends the season at 10-7. Fontbonne beat Greenville University in OT to advance to the championship game vs. Webster at 7:30 pm on November 4 at the Soccer Park.
