WEBSTER GROVES - Webster University Women's Basketball showed some rust in its game here Saturday evening as the Gorloks returned to the court after nearly a week off from action and suffered a heartbreaking 63-59 setback at the hands of Augustana College in non-conference action at Grant Gymnasium.
The rust was evident as the Gorloks, who suffered its first loss of the season, committed 28 turnovers and connected on just 27 of its 40 (67.5 percent) free throw attempts, including going 12-for-18 at the line in the second half. The 28 turnovers helped Augustana (3-2) overcome Webster's 49-29 edge on the glass, including collecting a season high 24 offensive boards.
Through three games this season, Webster is outrebounding its foes by +11.3 boards per game, but are averaging 22.7 turnovers per game and has had 20 or more turnovers in all three games.
Leading the way for the Gorloks was freshman forward
Addison Beussink (Jackson, Mo./Saxony Lutheran) as she recorded her second straight double-double as she had 16 points and pulled down 14 rebounds. That performance came one week after Beussink had 16 points and 16 rebounds in Webster's 73-44 win over Concordia (Chicago) to conclude the Webster Tip-Off Classic.
In addition to Beussink, junior guard
Jaysea Morgan (Fisk, Mo./Twin Rivers) added 11 points, six rebounds, five assists, but committed seven of her team's 28 turnovers.
After holding a 35-33 lead at the half, Webster struggled to score in the third period as the Vikings outscored the Gorloks, 15-8 in the period to take a 48-43 lead heading into the final stanza. In the period, WU made just two of its 17 shots and was 0-for-3 from downtown. In addition, WU was 4-for-8 at the line, including Beussink going 2-for-6 at the charity stripe in the period.
In the fourth period, the Gorloks used an 8-1 run over a span of four-plus minutes to turn a 52-47 deficit into a 55-53 lead. The run began with a lay-up by freshman forward
Brylee Manes (Republic, Mo./Repubilc) and was capped by two free throws from freshman guard
Hannah Cottrell (Steelville, Mo./Steelville) with 4:01 left in the game.
The lead, though, would be short lived as Augie's Alexis Jones tied the game at 55 on a lay-up with 3:34 left. Jones' lay-up sparked a 7-0 run by the Vikings that pushed its lead to 61-55 with 1:55 remaining in the contest.
Webster would have several chances to cut into Augie's lead but they missed two free throws, committed a turnover and missed a shot in a span of nearly 60 seconds before Beussink made two free throws with 37 seconds left to pull the Gorloks within four at 61-57.
On Augie's next trip down the court, Morgan took the ball from Sadie Roberts and as she drove the ball down the court, she was fouled and stepped to the line and hit two free throws to drop the Vikings lead to 61-59 with 35 seconds remaining.
Jones drew a foul on Augie's next possession and hit 1-of-2 free throws with 19 seconds left to make the score, 62-59 and after a missed shot and back-to-back turnovers, Augie sealed the win after Mia Lambert made 1-of-2 free throws with about two seconds left in the contest.
The Vikings jumped out to an 18-6 lead in the opening six minutes of the game, before the Gorloks closed the first period on a 15-7 run to cut Augie's lead to 25-21 after the first 10 minutes of the game. In the period, Beussink and Cottrell combined for 16 of WU's 21 points as Beussink had 10 and Cottrell added six points.
Webster would use the strong second period to turn its four-point first period deficit into a 35-33 lead at the half. In the second period, Webster held Augie to 22 percent shooting from the field, while the Gorloks were 4-for-10 from the field and 6-for-9 at the free throw line. WU outscored the Vikings, 14-8 in the period.
Jones paced the Vikings with a game high 28 points, while Izzy Anderson added 16 points in the win.
Webster finished the game shooting 29 percent from the field and was 0-for-6 from the 3-point line, while Augie shot 39 percent from the floor and 17 percent (2-for-12) from long distance. Augie also went 19-for-27 (70.4 percent) the line as a combined 55 fouls were called in the game.
With its 0-for-6 effort from the 3-point line, its marked the first time in a span of 25 consecutive games dating to last season's game at Westminster on Nov. 29 that the Gorloks had hit at least one 3-pointer in a game. In that game against Westminster, Webster went 0-for-9 from the 3-point line.
While Webster had 28 turnovers, the Vikings committed 21 turnovers and collected 16 steals in the win. Augie held a 19-17 edge in points off turnovers.
Webster will look to get back on track this coming Wednesday, Nov. 28 as they open St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play with a 5:30 p.m. game at Fontbonne University in a battle of Big Bend Avenue.
