FENTON, Mo. - Webster University continued its three-match homestand to open the 2018 season here Labor Day afternoon by posting an impressive 3-1 victory over Dominican (Ill.) University at World Wide Technology Soccer Park.
Monday's match featured two teams that advanced to the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Tournament last season and combined to post a 36-3-4 record in 2017.
With Monday's win, Webster moves to 2-0-0 on the season, while Dominican falls to 0-2-0 on the young season. The Gorloks have now started the season 2-0 for the second consecutive year.
The Gorloks jumped in front 1-0 in the 11th minute of the contest as junior forward
Melissa Kasper (Oswego, Ill./Oswego) took a pass from junior midfielder
Savannah Page (Sandy, Utah/Sandy) in the middle of the box for her first goal of the season. The goal was the 18th of Kasper's Gorlok career.
Holli Cochran got the Stars on the scoreboard in the 21st minute as she was able to score from three yards out on a ball that was deflected into the box. The goal was the first allowed by the Gorloks this season as they earned a 3-0 win in Friday's season opener against Concordia-Chicago.
The Stars did put three shots on goal in a span of five minutes midway through the first half, but Webster senior goalkeeper
Alisa Coralic (St. Louis, Mo./Mehlville) saved all three shots to keep it tied.
Junior midfielder
Payton Williams (St. Louis, Mo./Fort Zumwalt East) gave the Gorloks a 2-1 lead in the 34th minute as she took a cross pass from junior midfielder
Olivia Osterhage (Eureka, Mo./Eureka) and scored from 10 yards out for her first goal as a Gorlok. Williams is playing her first season at Webster after transferring from Lindenwood (Mo.) University.
Coralic (2-0-0) had a busy time in goal in Monday's match as she tied a career high with 10 saves, including five saves in each half and allowed just that one goal. Dominican recorded 18 shots on the day, including 10 of those shots coming in the opening half.
Webster completed the scoring in the 65th minute of the contest as sophomore forward
Joi Wilson (Tracy, Calif./Tracy) took a pass from Bascio from eight yards out and found the back of the net for her second goal of the season to give the Gorloks a 3-1 lead in the match.
After tying a career-high with two goals in Friday's opener against Concordia-Chicago, Bascio recorded two assists in Monday's win and leads the team with six points on the year. Bascio and Osterhage are tied for team lead in assists with two apiece.
While Domincan had 18 shots for the match, Webster finished with day with 14 shots, including three shots apiece from both Williams and Kasper. The Gorloks had eight shots in the first half and tallied six shots in the second half.
The Stars also held an 11-7 edge in shots on goal.
Webster's defense, though, held DU's Josseline Williams without a goal on five shots. Williams was second in NCAA Division III in scoring last season as she recorded 31 goals and scored the Stars lone goal in its 2-1 overtime loss on Friday in its season opener against Elmhurst.
Along with Williams' six shots, Tania Paez led the way with six shots, while three other Stars had two shots in the loss.
Brown (0-2-0) took the loss in goal for the Stars as she allowed three goals and made four saves in 90 minutes of action.
The Gorloks will close out its three-match season opening homestand on Wednesday, Sept. 5 as they host Millikin (Ill.) University in a 7 p.m. match at WWT Soccer Park. Millikin is 0-2-0 on the year as they opened the season with a 1-0 loss on Friday at Wisconsin-Whitewater and then fell 2-1 at home on Sunday against Hanover College.
