WHITTIER, Calif. – Webster University Women's Basketball began its two game road swing in the Golden State here Saturday afternoon by suffering a 74-59 defeat to Whittier College in non-conference action at the Graham Athletic Center on the Whittier campus.
With the setback, Webster snaps its season high two game win streak and drops its record to 4-5 overall on the season, while Whittier improves to 6-6 on the year.
The first period was the difference in Saturday's contest as the Gorloks were held to a season low tying nine points in the opening 10 minutes as the Poets scored 23 points and led 23-9 after the opening 10 minutes.
In the first period, Webster missed their first nine field goal attempts and scored its first field goal of the game on a lay-up by sophomore forward
Addison Beussink (Jackson, Mo./Saxony Lutheran) with one second left in the period. In the period, the first seven Webster points came at the free throw line as they were 7-for-8 from the line in the opening period.
After outscoring the Gorloks by 14 points in the opening period, the Poets would score one more point than Webster the rest of the contest as Whittier outscored Webster, 51-50 over the final three periods of the game.
Along with making just one field goal in the opening period, Webster also committed six turnovers that led to eight points by the Poets, who won its first-ever game against Webster as the Gorloks entered the game holding a 2-0 lead all-time in the series.
Freshman forward
Julie Baudendistel (St. Louis, Mo./Lindbergh) paced the Gorloks offense with 17 points, including scoring eight of those points in the third period. In addition to Baudendistel, who has now scored in double figures in three of her last four games, sophomore guard
Hannah Cottrell (Steelville, Mo./Steelville) added 13 points and five boards, including scoring nine of those 13 points in the final period.
Another bright spot offensively for Webster was the production of sophomore guard
Lauryn Freeman (Fort Worth, Texas/Timber Creek) as she scored a season high nine points and added five boards and three steals in the loss.
Whittier's defense held Beussink to a season low six points in the game. Beussink, who had missed the last two games due to a concussion suffered against Spalding and came into the game averaging 16.7 points per game on the season, had reached double digits in scoring in eight consecutive games dating to last season. Beussink led the Gorloks in rebounds with six as Whitter outrebounded Webster, 42-29, including a 21-7 edge on the offensive boards.
The Poets finished the game with a 24-1 advantage in second chance points, including 19-0 edge in second chance points in the first half as Whittier led 40-26 at the half.
After being outscored 23-9 in the opening period, the Gorlok opened the second period by scoring six of the first eight points of the period to pull within 25-15 with 7:47 left in the period. The Poets, though, would score five straight points to push its lead to 15 at 30-15 with 6:36 left in the period.
Following Whittier's run, the Gorloks would outscore the Poets, 11-10 to cut the deficit to 40-26 at the half.
Senior guard
Jaysea Morgan (Fisk, Mo./Twin Rivers) drilled a trey just a little over two minutes into the third period to pull the Gorloks within 11 at 42-31, but the Poets responded with a 9-2 run over the next two-plus minutes to push out to a 49-33 lead. The Poets' run was capped by five straight points from Teani White, who scored a game high 30 points and added 12 rebounds.
After Baudendistel hit a trey with 4:10 left in the period to stop Whittier's run, the Poets would score nine of the next 12 points to push out to a 58-39 lead with 1:03 left in the period. Morgan, who tallied seven points in the game to push her career total to 784 points, would cap the scoring in the period on a lay-up with 22 seconds left to cut Whittier's lead to 58-41 after three periods.
Whittier would open the fourth period by scoring the first five points to push out to a 22 point advantage at 63-41, but Webster would cut into that deficit by outscoring the Poets, 18-11 over the final eight-plus minutes of the period to set the final margin.
Along with White's double-double of 30 points and 12 rebounds, Cali Cubel added 13 points and Emily Guerena chipped in 10 points and five boards off the bench as Whittier held a 19-14 edge in bench points for the game.
The Gorloks finished the game shooting 41 percent from the field and 29 percent from the 3-point line and was 15-for-22 (68 percent) from the free throw line. Webster also had 15 turnovers, but just nine assists on 20 made field goals.
Meanwhile, Whittier shot 42 percent from the field and 21 percent from the 3-point line and collected 11 steals and blocked five shots. The Poets also were 10-for-13 (77 percent) from the free throw line.
Webster will look to rebound from Saturday's loss in less than 48 hours as they conclude its two game California trip with a 3 p.m. CT on Monday, Dec. 30 at Pomona-Pitzer Colleges. The Sagehens are 4-4 on the season and host Lewis & Clark on Sunday before facing the Gorloks.
