WEBSTER GROVES – Webster University used long range shooting and a defense that forced 29 turnovers to post an impressive 97-77 victory here Wednesday evening over Eureka College in St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference action at Grant Gymnasium.
 
With the victory, Webster extends its win streak to three straight games and moves to 14-5 overall and 8-3 in the SLIAC, while Eureka drops to 14-6 overall and 10-2 in the SLIAC.
 
On the night, the Gorloks hit nine 3-pointers, shot 49 percent from the field and forced 29 turnovers that led to 37 points, including scoring 19 points on 15 second half Eureka turnovers.
 
Along with hitting nine treys, shooting 49 percent from the field and forcing 29 turnovers, Webster also put five players in double figures led by senior forward Taylor Lucas (Sullivan, Mo./Sullivan), who tallied 21 points, including 16 of them coming after halftime. In addition to Lucas, sophomore guard Jaysea Morgan (Fisk, Mo./Twin Rivers) had 15 points off the bench, while senior guard Kelsey Miller (Elizabeth, Ind./Maryville Univ.) added 13 points and freshman guard Kylie Shoot (Ashland, Mo./Southern Boone) had 12 points.
 
The final double-digit scorer was senior forward Aley Lucas (Sullivan, Mo./Sullivan) as she finished with 10 points, had six rebounds and six assists.  
 
Webster scored 20-plus points in the first three periods of Wednesday's game, including tallying 29 points in the third period to turn a 52-43 halftime advantage into an 81-55 lead.
 
In the third period, WU scored the first six points to out to a 58-43 lead. Following a basket by EU's Samantha Sames that dropped WU's lead to 58-45, the Gorloks used a 9-0 run to push out to a 67-45 lead. The run was keyed by five straight points from Miller.
 
After the Red Devils, who were paced offensively on the night by 22 points from Samantha Sames, stopped WU's run with three free throws and a basket by Abby Hahn, the Gorloks closed out the period on a 14-5 run to push its lead to 81-55. The Gorloks' run was paced by by six points from Taylor Lucas, who scored 12 points in the period.
 
Eureka opened the final period by scoring eight of the period's first 12 points to drop WU's lead to 85-63. The Red Devils' run was capped by a trey from Ashley Harfst.
 
The Gorloks, though, would once again answer with a 12-4 scoring run keyed by seven points from Morgan to push its lead to 97-67 with 2:33 left in the game. The 30-point lead was the largest of the game for the Gorloks. Eureka would close the game scoring the final 10 points to set the final margin.
 
Along with Sarnes' 22 points, Hayley Reneau finished with 19 points, while Lexi Dooley added 12 points and 14 boards and Harfst had 10 points and six boards.

Webster jumped in front 9-0 in the opening two-plus minutes of the contest and led 11-3 when Eureka used a 9-0 run to tie the game at 11-all with a little over five minutes left in the opening period.
 
The Gorloks, though, would retake the lead on a 3-pointer by Miller with 4:52 left in the period and that 3-pointer would jump start a 12-0 run to push out to a 23-11 lead with 2:14 left in the first period. The run was keyed by three made treys, including junior forward Natalie Busscher (Mundelein, Ill./Mundelein) capping the run with a trey.
 
EU, though, would close out the period by scoring five of the final nine points to drop WU's lead to 27-16 after the opening 10 minutes of action.
 
In the period, the Gorloks forced nine Red Devil turnovers that led to 13 points. WU played a turnover-free period.
 
Much like the first period, Webster got off to a strong start in the second period by scoring eight of the first 11 points to jump out to a 35-19 lead with 7:30 left in the second period. The run was capped by back-to-back triples from Sawyer and senior forward Megan Brandt (Sullivan, Mo./Sullivan).
 
The Gorloks lead eventually grew to 18 points at following a basket by Morgan with 4:53 left in the first half. Morgan's score gave WU a 42-24 lead.
 
 Eureka would battle back as they outscored the Gorloks, 19-10, over the final four-and-half minutes to pull within 52-43 at the half. In the opening half, WU forced 14 turnovers that led to 18 points and hit eight 3-pointers.
 
In fact, both teams each hit eight 3-pointers in the first period combined to shoot 16-for-31 (51.6 percent) from long distance. For the game, each team hit nine 3-pointers as WU was 9-for-23 (39.1 percent) and EU was 9-for-22 (40.9 percent) from long distance.
 
While Webster shot 49 percent from the field, Eureka connected on 42 percent of its field goals, but held a 44-37 edge on the boards.
 
The Gorloks dished out a season high 31 assists in the win as senior guard Ebony Bailey (Dolton, Ill./John Wood CC) dished out a career-high seven assists and Aley Lucas had a career-high six assists. Bailey also added a career-high six steals and Taylor Lucas finished with a career-high five steals.
 
Webster returns to the road this weekend as they travel to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa for a 1 p.m. SLIAC contest against Iowa Wesleyan. WU earned an 83-45 win at home over Iowa Wesleyan on Jan. 3.