WEBSTER GROVES – Webster University Women's Basketball honored its 2017-18 seniors prior to the beginning of its St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference game Saturday afternoon at Grant Gymnasium with MacMurray College and its was the play of those seniors that led the Gorloks to an 83-53 victory over MacMurray.
 
With the victory, Webster secured one of four spots in the SLIAC Tournament, extended its win streak to six consecutive games and improved to 17-5 overall and 11-3 in the SLIAC. MacMurray fell to 4-20 overall and 2-12 in the league.
 
Prior to Saturday's game, Webster honored its eight-member senior class in a pregame ceremony. This year's eight Gorlok seniors are guard Ebony Bailey (Dolton, Ill./John Wood CC), forward Megan Brandt (Sullivan, Mo./Sullivan), guard Terri Dearth (Lemont, Ill./Southwestern Illinois), forward Aley Lucas (Sullivan, Mo./Sullivan), forward Taylor Lucas (Sullivan, Mo./Sullivan), guard Kelsey Miller (Elizabeth, Ind./Maryville University), forward Hannah Rowold (Piedmont, Mo./Clearwater) and guard Brittney Zipprich (Bethalto, Ill./Civic Memorial).
 
For the game, 56 of the Gorloks 83 points were scored by seniors, including the Lucas sisters combining for 25 of those 56 points as Aley Lucas led the way with a game-high 15 points, while Taylor Lucas added 10 points. 17 of the Lucas' 25 points were scored in the first half.
 
In addition to the Lucas sisters, Miller finished with nine points, while Brandt added eight points and Zipprich had six points for the game. Bailey and Rowold each had four points and Dearth didn't score, but did record a rebound in her final home game.
 
The play of the seniors helped the Gorloks get off to a fast start as Webster scored five points in the opening 90 seconds and eventually grew its advantage to 11-0 just three minutes into the contest. The opening run was keyed by five points from Miller and capped by a basket from Brandt.
 
MacMurray, who was held scoreless for a little over three minutes, would score its first points of the game with 6:40 left in the first period on a jumper from Sheyanne Glorfield. After Glorfield's basket, the Gorloks lead grew to 19-5 with a little over four minutes remaining in the opening half.
 
Following Webster's run, the Highlanders answered with a 7-0 run capped by a 25-foot 3-pointer from Shelby Fink to pull within 19-12 with 2:36 left in the period.
 
That would be as close as MacMurray would get in the contest as following Fink's trey, the Gorloks closed the opening period on a 10-0 run to hold a 29-12 lead after the first 10 minutes.
 
In the period, the Gorloks used its defense to score 16 of the 29 points as they forced MacMurray into 11 turnovers. For the game, the Highlanders committed 35 turnovers that led to 43 points by the Gorloks.
 
After holding a 29-12 lead after the first period, the Gorloks would open the second period on a 19-6 run to push its lead to 48-18 following two free throws by Zipprich with 2:17 left in the opening half. The Highlanders would close the half by scoring the final eight points to drop Webster's lead to 48-26 at the half.
 
Webster opened the third period by scoring the first six points to extend its lead to 54-26, before MacMurray used a 6-2 run to pull within 56-32 with 7:11 left in the period. Following the Highlanders run, the Gorloks used a 14-4 spurt to push its lead to 70-36 following two free throws from sophomore guard Jaysea Morgan (Fisk, Mo./Twin Rivers) with 1:13 left in the third period. The Gorloks led 70-40 heading into the final period.
 
Morgan, who tallied 12 points off the bench in the victory, scored eight of those points third period.
 
In the fourth period, MacMurray scored the first seven points to drop WU's lead to 70-47, before the Gorloks used a 9-2 run keyed by a combined six points from Zipprich and Rowold and a trey from sophomore guard Jade Sawyer (Republic, Mo./Republic) to push out to a 79-49 lead with 3:29 left in the game.
 
Following a 3-pointer by Liz Kruemmelbein dropped Webster's lead to 79-52, the Gorloks would score four of the game's final five points to set the final margin.
 
Kaylie Stowe led the way for MacMurray with 12 points, while Fink and Emily Kolo each had eight points in the setback.
 
For the game, Webster shot 48 percent from the field, but struggled from the 3-point line as they connected on just four of their 17 attempts (23.5 percent). Meanwhile, MacMurray finished the game shooting 35 percent from the floor and 31 percent from long distance.
 
Webster was outrebounded, 38-37, but dished out 24 assists on its 27 made baskets as Bailey finished with five assists and Aley Lucas added four. In addition to the four assists, Aley Lucas also had six boards and three steals.
 
The Gorloks also had 21 steals for the game as four players had three and two others picked up two.
 
Webster will return to the road next week to close out the regular season as they travel to Carlinville, Ill., for a 6 p.m. game on Wednesday, Feb. 14 against Blackburn, before facing Greenville College in a 3 p.m. game on Saturday, Feb. 17 in Greenville, Ill.