DECATUR, Ill. – Playing its first road game of the 2019-20 season here Tuesday evening, Webster University Women's Basketball struggled offensively as the Gorloks shot 32 percent from the field and 25 percent from the 3-point line en route to suffering a 78-56 setback to Millikin University at the Griswold P.E. Buiilding on the Millikin campus.

The Gorloks, who trailed 20-15 after the first period, were outscored 58-41 over the final three periods of the contest, including being outscored 40-29 in the second half by the Big Blue to suffer its second loss of the season and drop its record to 2-2 on the season. Millikin improved to 6-0 on the season and is now 4-0 this season against teams from the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. 

Sophomore forward Addison Beussink (Jackson, Mo./Saxony Lutheran) paced the Gorloks with 22 points and also pulled down seven rebounds. Beussink has now scored in double figures in all four of Webster's games this season and has been the scoring leader in three of the four games. 

In addition to Beussink, freshman guard Tiffany Sakamoto (St. Louis, Mo./Saint Joseph Academy) added a career high nine points, while senior guard Jaysea Morgan (Fisk, Mo./Twin Rivers) had seven points, four boards and three steals before fouling out and freshman Julie Baudendistel (St. Louis, Mo./Lindbergh) had seven points and a career high eight rebounds in her first career start. 

The Gorloks trailed 11-2 just four minutes into the game, but used a 10-2 run over a nearly three minute span to pull within 13-12. The run began with a lay-up by Sakamoto (St. Louis, Mo./Saint Joseph Academy) and was capped by a lay-up from sophomore guard Lauryn Freeman (Fort Worth, Texas/Timber Creek). Millikin, though, responded with a 7-3 run over the final two-plus minutes of the first period to take a 20-15 lead after the opening 10 minutes.

Webster, though, would open the second period on an 8-6 run to pull within 26-23 following a 3-point play by Beussink with 6:10 left in the period. The Big Blue would close the period on a 12-4 run to take 38-27 lead at the half. 

In the first half, Webster shot 32 percent from the field and 25 percent from the 3-point line and committed 16 turnovers that led to 17 points for Millikin. Millikin shot 47 percent from the floor and 29 percent from long distance in the opening half. 

The Gorloks would outscore the Big Blue 16-14 in the third period to cut Millikin's lead to 52-43 after three periods. In the period, Millikin scored 10 of the first 15 points to open the period, before Webster would score 11 of the next 15 points, including Beussink scoring nine of WU's final 11 points of the period. 

Millikin shot 67 percent from the field, outrebounded the Gorloks, 14-4 and outscored the Gorloks, 26-13 in the final period to set the final margin. 

Briana Anthony paced Millikin offensively with 23 points off the bench, while Bailey Coffman added a double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Jordan Hildebrand had 11 points, six boards and five steals in the win. 

Millikin finished the game with a 49-32 edge on the boards and scored 30 points off of Webster's 24 turnovers.

Meanwhile, Webster forced Millikin into 29 turnovers, including 17 of those turnovers coming in the second half. Through four games this season, the Gorloks have forced 109 turnovers and are forcing 27.3 turnovers per game and have a +8.8 turnover margin.

The Big Blue closed the game shooting 47 percent from the field and 29 percent from the 3-point line. 

Additionally, the teams combined to shoot 44 free throws as Webster was 16-for-24 (67 percent) at the line, while Millikin was 15-for-20 (75 percent) from the charity stripe on the night. 

Webster will look to rebound this coming Saturday, Nov. 30 as the Gorloks will travel to Rock Island, Ill., for a 1 p.m. non-conference match-up against Augustana (Ill.) College. Last season, Augustana picked up a 63-59 win over the Gorloks at Grant Gymnasium.