CLAYTON, Mo. - Webster University Volleyball concluded play here Saturday in the season opening WashU Bear Invitational by falling in another five-set thriller to Hendrix College (25-18, 25-20, 20-25, 25-19, 9-15) in the Varsity Gym on the WashU campus.

With the setback, Webster falls to 1-2 on the season with both of its losses coming in five sets as they fell on Friday afternoon in five sets its season opener to North Park University. Hendrix improved to 2-0 on the season with the victory.

Unlike Friday's opener against North Park when Webster won the first two sets, before watching the Vikings rally to win the next three sets, Webster lost the first two sets, before rallying to win the next two set to force a fifth and deciding set. In the fifth set, Hendrix hit .292 and held the Gorloks to an .000 attack percentage to post the win and seal the match win.

Against Hendrix, Webster's offense finished with 43 kills, including junior outside hitter Samantha Kruse (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo) recording a season high 11 kills and added five aces and nine digs. In addition to Kruse, sophomore outside hitter Peyton Eikel (Dardenne Prairie, Mo./Liberty) added a career high seven kills, while sophomore right side hitter Natasha Norris (Elgin, Texas/Carol Morgan) tallied a career high six kills and hit .333 in the setback. 

Much like Friday's two matches, Webster serving game was strong as they recorded nine aces and have now had 31 aces in three matches this season. Along with Kruse's five aces, sophomore defensive specialist Kyra Gensel (Clarkton, N.C./Harrells Christian) added two aces. Hendrix also had nine aces, but committed eight service errors, while Webster had just four service errors. 

Defensively, Webster recorded 90 digs, including junior Kristen Farrah (St. Charles, Mo./Francis Howell) had a season high 30 digs and has now had 30 or more digs 12 times since the beginning of last season and pushed her career total to 1,358 digs, which is 10th on the school's all-time list. Along with Farrah, Gensel added 16 digs and junior setter Emma Larson (Bellevue, Neb./Bellevue West) had 10 digs and 22 assists for her first career double-double. 

In the opening set, Webster jumped out to an 8-1 lead and led 9-2 when the Warriors scored nine of the next 10 points to take an 11-10 lead. Six of the 10 points came as a result of WU errors. From that point, the teams traded points until Hendrix used a 7-1 run to push in front 21-14. The Gorloks, though, responded with a 4-2 run capped by a kill from sophomore middle hitter Kylie Burke (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West) to pull within 23-18. That would be as close as WU would get as Hendrix closed out the set by scoring the final two points to earn a 25-18 win. 

The second set belonged to Hendrix as they jumped in front 12-2, before WU used an 8-3 run to pull within 15-10. After Hendrix scored two straight points to push in front 17-10, the Gorloks used a 10-7 run to drop Hendrix's lead to 24-20. The Warriors would score the next point on a set error by Burke to seal its 25-20 win and take a 2-0 lead in the match.

In the third set, Hendrix got off to a strong start again as they led 9-7 early in the set. Following that opening run by the Warriors, WU responded with a 9-3 run to take a 16-12 lead. The run was capped by back-to-back kills from Norris and Burke. Norris had five of her six kills in the set. After WU's run, Hendrix scored three of the next four point to pull within 17-15. That would be as close as the Warriors would get as the Gorloks scored eight of the set's final 13 points to earn a 25-20 win. In the set, Webster hit .225 and had four aces, while Hendrix hit .175. 

Trailing 2-1 in the match, Webster trailed early again in the fourth set as Hendrix scored eight of the first 14 points to take an 8-6 lead. The Gorloks, though, used a 6-2 run keyed by three straight errors by Hendrix to take a 12-10 lead. WU's lead grew to 21-16, when the Warriors scored three of the next four points to drop WU's lead to 22-19. WU would hang on as a kill from Kruse and then back-to-back errors by the Warriors sealed WU's 25-19 set win that forced a fifth set. In the set, WU hit .250 and held Hendrix to an .031 hitting percentage. 

The fifth set was all Hendrix as the Warriors jumped in front 4-0 and led 11-3, before the Gorloks mounted a comeback as they scored five fo the next six points to pull within 11-8. That would be as close as the Gorloks would get as Hendrix rebounded to score four of the final five points to seal the 15-9 win in the fifth set. 

Hendrix was paced by 15 kills and 17 digs by Lauren Dwyer, while Sadie Walker added 12 kills in the win. In addition, Molly Kingston paced the Warriors defense with 20 digs, while Sesalie Satterwhite added 18 digs and 15 assists. 

Webster will look to get back into the win column this coming Wednesday, Sept. 4 as the Gorloks play a 7 p.m. non-conference match at St. Louis Pharmacy.