The Webster University women's soccer team won the 2017 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament Championship with a 1-0 win over Fontbonne University, on November 4 at the Soccer Park. The Gorloks now have nine tournament championships and 13 championships overall. (The SLIAC did not have a tournament from 2000-03). Webster advances to its 13th NCAA III Championships.
Melissa Kasper (SO, Chicago, IL/Oswego) scored at 22:05 to give Webster a 1-0 lead. Brianna Pagan (SR, St. Louis, MO/Washington) fed a pass to Kasper to right of the Fontbonne goal box. Kasper sliced a shot into the far left corner of the net for her team-leading 11th goal of the season. Kasper has nine goals and eight assists in the Gorloks' last nine games.
Webster took the 1-0 lead into the locker room and that would wind up being the final. The Gorloks had nine shots to the Griffins seven, and the teams each had five corner kicks for the half. Aly Miller (SO, Middleville, MI/Thornapple) got the start in goal for Webster and had one save in the half.
Both teams battled back and forth in the second half as Webster had eight shots with five on goal being saved and Miller wound up with four saves as the Griffins got off seven shots. Miller got the win and is 9-0, with the shutout being her third of the season. Her nine wins ties for 8th most in a single season for Webster.
Kasper was named the MVP of the Tournament and earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team with Kelsey Hausmann (SR, St. Louis, MO/Mehlville), Elena Bloma (SR, St. Louis, MO/Eureka) and Lauren Nuelle (SR, St. Louis MO/St. Joseph's Academy).
Webster has won nine straight vs. Fontbonne and holds a 24-3 series edge against the Griffins.
Webster is 19-1 overall on the season, breaking the team record for victories in a season (18 in 2001). The Gorloks won a sixth straight regular season title and were a perfect 9-0 SLIAC season for the fourth time in the last five years.
The Gorloks will now wait to see their NCAA tournament destination on Monday, November 6.
