WEBSTER GROVES - Webster University posted its fifth consecutive victory here Wednesday evening as the Gorloks posted a three-set sweep over Fontbonne (25-12, 26-24, 25-21) in St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference action on Pink Out Night at Grant Gymnasium.
The sweep marked Webster's fifth consecutive three-set win as the Gorloks have now won 15 straight sets since being swept at 10th-ranked WashU on Sept. 20. WU's 15 consecutive set wins are the most since winning 18 straight sets during the 2013 season.
With the win, Webster improves to 9-7 overall and 7-2 in the SLIAC and remains in third place in the league standings, while Fontbonne falls to 3-10 overall and 3-7 in the SLIAC.
Along with winning its fifth straight match, the Gorloks also remained perfect at home this season as they are now 6-0 on its home court, including winning four of those six matches in straight sets.
In Wednesday's match, Webster hit .234 and recorded a season high 50 kills in a three-set match and on defense, the Gorloks held Fontbonne to an .090 attack percentage and recorded 96 digs, including 20-plus digs from both sophomore outside hitter
Samantha Kruse (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo) and sophomore libero
Kristen Farrah (St. Charles, Mo./Francis Howell). Kruse had 21 digs and Farrah added 37 digs and has now had 30 or more digs in eight of WU's 15 matches this year.
Webster's offense was paced by junior outside hitter
Sarah Jacobs (Carbondale, Ill./Murphysboro) as she tallied a career high 13 kills, added three assisted blocks and hit a season high .500. On the night, Jacobs had 24 attack attempts and recorded just one error.
In addition to Jacobs' career night, senior right side hitter
Samantha Budrovich (St. Louis, Mo./Lutheran South) had 10 kills, added nine digs and hit .242. Senior outside hitter
Torie Grassi (St. Louis, Mo./Rosati-Kain) had nine kills and hit .333, while Kruse had eight kills to go with her 21 digs.
Senior setter
Kelsey Hamann (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo) and junior setter
Jenna Rodriguez (Smithton, Ill./Freeburg) combined for 45 assists, 14 digs and four aces in directing Webster's offensive attack. Hamann had 25 assists, seven digs and two aces, while Rodriguez finished with 20 assists, seven digs and two aces.
The first set belonged to the Gorloks as they outhit the Griffins, .271 to .019 as they recorded 18 kills, 38 digs and two aces in the set to post its 25-12 win. Fontbonne had just five kills and 23 digs in the set.
Unlike the first set, the second set was a back-and-forth affair as it featured 11 ties and two lead changes. The teams took turns with the lead in the early going until the Gorloks used a 5-2 run to turn a 7-6 deficit into an 11-9 lead. WU's lead would eventually grow to 19-15, before Fontbonne responded with a 9-5 run to tie the set at 24. A kill from Kruse and an attack error by Fontbonne's Kristina Eason sealed WU's 26-24 set win to take a 2-0 lead in the match. In the set, Kruse had five of her eight kills and the Gorloks outhit Fontbonne, .245 to .136.
Much like the second set, the third set was another back-and-forth tilt as the set featured 10 ties and six lead changes. Webster held an early lead, before the Griffins used a 5-2 run to turn a 4-3 deficit into an 8-6 lead. The Gorloks answered with a 6-1 flurry to push in front 12-9. The run was capped by an ace from Rodriguez and kills from Grassi and Jacobs. Fontbonne would respond with 5-0 run to take a 14-12 lead. WU would then use an 8-2 run to take a 20-16 lead. The Gorloks run was keyed by four Fontbonne errors and capped by a Hamann ace. Webster would eventually grow its lead to 24-19, before the Griffins scored two straight points to pull within 24-21. Jacobs would seal the set and match win with her 13th and final kill to give WU a 25-21 win. In the set, Jacobs had four kills and .572 as the Gorloks hit .182 for the set, while Fontbonne hit .116.
Maura Rabun and Eason each had seven kills to pace Fontbonne's offense, while Victoria Curtice added six kills and 14 digs. Megan Schaller and Eason each also had 14 digs, while Saran Borgerding had 11 digs.
Both teams combined for 11 aces in the match as Webster had six and Fontbonne recorded five.
Webster will look to keep its home record perfect on the season as they welcome three SLIAC teams to Grant Gymnasium for the Webster Quadrangle on Saturday, Oct. 6. The Gorloks will face MacMurray and Blackburn at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. respectively, while Greenville will be the other team participating as they will face both Blackburn and MacMurray at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
