WEBSTER GROVES - The No. 15 Webster volleyball team extended its win streak to five consecutive matches here Tuesday evening as the Gorloks swept Blackburn College (25-18, 25-18, 25-15) in St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference action at Grant Gymnasium.

Playing its second match of the season as the nationally 15th-ranked team in Division III volleyball, the Gorloks had 40 kills and hit .277 and also recorded eight aces en route to earning its second straight sweep and improving to 8-2 overall and 8-2 in the league. 

While Webster's offense was efficient in the match, the Gorloks defense also played a role in in the win as they held Blackburn (5-6 overall, 5-6 SLIAC) to an .093 attack percentage and outblocked the Beavers, 8-2. 

Sophomore outside hitter Lauren Borik (Belleville, Ill./Althoff) paced the Gorloks with 15 kills on .393 hitting and she chipped in with 10 digs and two blocks. The double-double was the third consecutive and fourth overall double-double on the year for Borik. 

In addition to Borik, freshman right side hitter Alexis Wolf (Quincy, Ill./Quincy) added 10 kills on .333 hitting, while junior middle hitter Kylie Burke (Belleville, Ill./Belleville West) had six kills on .308 hitting and added six digs and four blocks and sophomore middle hitter Julia Frey (Teutpolis, Ill./Teutpolis) had five kills on .400 hitting and added three blocks.

Webster's strong serving was paced by a career-high three ace from sophomore setter Mary Nelson (St. Louis, Mo./Bishop DuBourg), while junior libero Kyra Gensel (Clarkton, N.C./Harrells Christian) and sophomore defensive specialist Tori Cichelero (St. Louis, Mo./Ursuline) each had two aces in the win. 

Nelson set the table for Webster's offense as she had a match and career-high 21 assists and added nine digs, while freshman setter Delaney Demman (Omaha, Neb./Central) tallied 14 assists, an ace and five digs. 

Another strong performance was turned in by freshman right side/middle hitter Katie Eskildson (Klamath Falls, Ore./Triad) recorded a career-high four blocks and posted two kills in the win. 

Blackburn, who has now lost 36 straight games in the series to Webster, was led by nine kills from Emilie King. Elizabeth Bowyer added seven kills in the loss. Amanda Swedberg and Lucy Magnussen each had seven digs for the Beavers. 

Webster will look to win its sixth straight match as they close the home portion of its 2020-21 regular season schedule with a 7 p.m. match Thursday, March 18 against Eureka. Prior to the match, the Gorloks will recognize its two seniors and one junior that is graduating in May for Senior Night. The two seniors are setter/right side hitter Emma Larson (Bellevue, Neb./Bellevue West) and middle hitter Hayley Taylor (Highland, Ill./Highland) and the junior graduating in three years is Burke. 

Set 2: Webster never trailed in the second set as they scored the first three points and pushed out to an early 10-5 lead. The Gorloks would eventually push its lead to 16-8 following a kill by Frey, the Beavers would mount a rally as they scored seven of the next nine points to cut Webster's lead to 18-15. Following Blackburn's run, the Gorloks would reel off four straight points to push in front, 22-15. The Beavers would score three fo the next four points to pull drop WU's lead to 24-18, but a service error by Magnussen sealed Webster's 25-18 set win. Webster hit .219 in the set as Borik had five kills and two blocks. Blackburn was held to an .027 attack percentage. 

Set 3: After Blackburn took an early 2-1 lead in the third set, the Gorloks used an 11-4 scoring run to push in front 12-6. The run was capped by two kills from Wolf and a kill from sophomore middle/outside hitter Jordan Mueller (Naperville, Ill./Naperville Central). The Gorloks lead eventually pushed to 17-7 following two kills by Burke sandwiched around two aces by Cichelero. The Beavers, though, would respond with an 8-5 run to cut Webster's lead to 22-15. Two attack errors by Blackburn and an ace by Nelson capped Webster's sweep, 25-15. Webster hit .286 in the set as Wolf and Borik combined for eight kills, while Blackburn hit .051.