The Webster University volleyball team remained undefeated in St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play with a 3-0 win over Blackburn College, on September 12, at Grant Gymnasium.  The Gorloks and Beavers battled two sets before Webster coasted in the third for a sweep and its fourth straight win.

In set one, Webster took early leads of 4-1, 8-5, and still led, 10-8, before the Beavers gnawed away at the Gorlok lead.  Blackburn would pull ahead 16-15, prompting a Webster timeout.  A dump at the net by Sarah Jacobs (SO, Carbondale, IL/Murphysboro) gave Webster a 20-18 lead ,and Blackburn called a timeout at 22-19.

The Beavers took the first point out of the TO, and edged within 22-21, but the Gorloks would close out the set on a kill by Kelsey Hamann (JR, Waterloo, IL/Waterloo), 25-23.  Webster had 15 kills for a .233 attack pct, led by Samantha Kruse's five kills and .444 pct. for the set.

In set two, the teams traded points early with the scored tied at 3-3.  Webster went on a 5-1 run, including kills by Maria Soffner (SR, Creve Coeur, MO/Incarnate Word Academy) and Rachel Mencel (SO, Colchester, IL/West Prairie), and two by Kristen Farrah (FR, St. Charles, MO/Francis Howell), to lead, 8-4.  The Gorloks extended the lead to 14-7 but the Beavers chipped away, closing to 14-11.  Back to back kills by Mencel and Kruse opened up a 19-13 lead.

After a Blackburn timeout, the Beavers made it 19-17 before a service error broke their run.  A point off a block by Emi Beining (SR, Festus, MO/Lutheran South) and Soffner gave Webster a 23-19 lead as they closed out the set, 25-19.  Jacobs had three block assists in the set.

Webster took control early in set three.  The Gorloks built an 7-3 lead with kills by Hamann,  Kruse, and two by Torie Grassi (JR, St. Louis, MO/Rosati-Kain).  The resilient Beavers made it 8-6 before a kill by Jacobs swung the momentum back to the Gorloks as their lead jumped to 15-8.  Webster padded the lead to 21-9 before winning, 25-10.

Webster had a season high nine total blocks, including two solo and 14 block assists, with Jacobs having for four block assists and Grassi three.  Kruse led the team with 8 kills and Ashley Robinson (SR, Bloomington, IL/Bloomington) had a team-high 18 assists. Soffner led with 15 digs.

The Gorloks are 4-0 in the SLIAC and 4-3 overall.  Webster has a 33-match streak vs Blackburn, dating back to 2000.  Webster is home on September 15 vs. Spalding University.