LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Webster University volleyball continued conference play with two matches against Lyon College and Spalding University at the Spalding University Tri-Match on Saturday. The Gorloks opened the day with a hard fought 3-2 victory over Lyon and followed up with a 3-2 gritty win over Spalding. WU's Megan Zablonski set a new two-game career-high of 32 kills that included a single-game career-high 17 kills against Spalding. With the victories, Webster improves to 5-9 overall and 3-2 in conference play. 

Match 1: Webster 3, Lyon 2
Webster opened the match in a 3-8 early deficit that included kills by Grace White and Delaney Fullenkamp. Both teams continued the set with back-and-forth play as the Fighting Scots remained on top at 14-7. The Gorloks chipped back with a 4-0 run that started on a kill by Zablonski. Following a service ace by Fullenkamp, Zablonski and Eva Tarlos added an assisted block. Fullenkamp capped off the run and cut the deficit to 11-14 with a solo block. However, Lyon closed out the opening set with a 11-3 run that took the set but featured another solo block by Fullenkamp and a kill by Lauren Brown.

The Gorloks and Fighting Scots opened the second set with back-and-forth play as a kill by Zablonski tied the set at three apiece. Following consecutive points by Lyon, Webster responded with a 4-0 run that took the 7-5 advantage. In the run, Zablonski added two kills as Carley Hersberger added one. This duo also paired up for an assisted block in the run. Following kills by Fullenkamp and Lauren Harms, Lyon countered with a 6-0 run that took the 9-13 advantage. 

With a four-point deficit, the Gorloks erupted for a 14-1 run that took the 23-14 lead. In the run, Tyler Ramstack and Tarlos contributed two kills each while Harms and Zablonski added one each. In addition, Tarlos and Zablonski recorded a solo block each while Ramstack and Tarlos paired up for an assisted block. The run was capped off with a service ace by Harms. The Gorloks closed out the set with kills by Zablonski and Ramstack that won the set by the score of 25-17.

The Fighting Scots opened the third set with the 8-4 early advantage but featured two kills by Ramstack and one by Tarlos. The set continued with back-and-forth action that pushed the set score to 8-12. With a four-point deficit, the Gorloks responded with a 9-1 run that took the 17-13 lead. In the run, Tarlos recorded three kills while Ramstack contributed two kills as Harms had one. In addition, Riley Watson and Harms both contributed a service ace. Following a point by both teams, Lyon answered with a 5-0 run which regained the lead at 19-18. The Gorloks battled the Fighting Scots to a tie at 20 apiece that included a solo block by Zablonski but Lyon closed out the set with a 5-1 run that generated a one-set deficit. 

Webster opened the fourth set with the 4-1 advantage that included two points by Harms (kill and service ace) and Zablonski (solo block and kill). Moments later, Lyon added three consecutive points that tied the set at four apiece. The set continued with back-and-forth play and rallied the score to a tie at nine apiece that included kills by Maddie Bock, Zablonski, and Tarlos. Following consecutive points by the Fighting Scots, the Gorloks responded with a 5-1 run with kills by Tarlos, Harms, and Ramstack while Harms added a service ace that took the 14-12 advantage. 

Both teams continued the set with back-and-forth play that evened the set at 15 apiece. Following a kill by Zablonski and a service ace by Delaney Morio, Lyon responded with consecutive points that tied the set at 17 all. With the set tied, the Gorloks answered with a 5-0 run and stretched the lead to 22-17 that included kills by Zablonski, Brown, and White. The Gorloks and Fighting Scots traded the final three points of the set which included an assisted block by Brown and White as Brown added two kills for the 25-20 victory that forced a fifth set.

Lyon opened the fifth set with back-to-back points but Webster responded with a 5-0 run that took the 5-2 lead which included two service aces by Harms. Moments later, the Fighting Scots added a 3-1 run that cut the lead to one at 6-5. Following the LC run, WU added a 4-2 run that increased the lead to 10-7 that included kills by Zablonski and Fullenkamp. Immediately following the Webster run, Lyon countered with a 6-2 run and regained the 12-13 advantage. With a one point deficit, the Gorloks responded with a 3-0 run that included two kills by Zablonski that won the match. 

For the match, Zablonski led the attack with 15 kills (tied career-high) while Tarlos contributed 10 as Ramstack added eight. In addition, Harms achieved a career-high six service aces while Watson led with 24 assists. Defensively, Zablonski and Ramstack recorded three solo blocks each. 


Match 2: Webster 3, Spalding 2
Webster opened the second match of the day in an early 5-3 deficit that included a kill by Tarlos. Moments later, the Gorloks responded with a 4-1 run and took the 7-6 lead that included two kills by White, a service ace by Morio, and a kill by Zablonski. Shortly later, Webster stretched their lead to 11-8 with a 4-1 run that featured kills by Morio, Tarlos, and Brown. 

The opening set continued with back-and-forth play as the Golden Eagles cut the lead down to one 14-13. With a one-point lead, the Gorloks stretched their lead to 18-15 with a 4-2 run that included two kills by Zablonski while White and Brown added one each. Moments later, Spalding scored four consecutive points that took the 19-18 lead. Immediately following the Golden Eagles run, the Gorloks closed out the set with a 7-2 run that included two kills and an assisted block by Ramstack and a kill by Brown for the set victory of 25-21.

The Gorloks opened the second set with the 6-2 advantage that included two kills by Zablonski, and a kill and solo block by Ramstack. With the 6-3 lead, Webster erupted for a 10-1 run that featured four kills; two by Fullenkamp and one each by Brown and White. In addition, Lauren Peterson contributed a service ace while Fullenkamp and White added an assisted block. Bock capped off the run with three consecutive service aces for the 16-4 advantage. Shortly later, the Gorloks added a 6-2 run to the set score of 22-8 that included kills by Tarlos and Brown while Harms and Tarlos added a service ace each. The Golden Eagles added a 7-2 run before White closed out the set with a kill that took a 2-0 set lead.

Webster and Spalding opened the third set with back-and-forth action to tie a nine apiece. During that stretch of points, five different Gorloks recorded a kill as Zablonski added a service ace. Moments later, Webster responded with a 5-1 run and took the 14-10 advantage that included a kill by Ramstack, a service ace by Tarlos, and a solo block by Zablonski. Following consecutive points by Spalding, Webster added a 4-1 run for the 18-13 advantage that featured two kills each by Zablonski and White. With a three-point lead at 19-16, the Gorloks added a 4-2 run that increased the lead to 23-18 that included kills by Fullenkamp and Tarlos. However, Spalding closed out the set with an 8-1 run that forced a fourth set.

The Gorloks opened the fourth set with the early 6-2 advantage that included five kills led by Zablonski with three consecutive kills while Ramstack added two as Tarlos contributed a service ace. The set continued with back-and-forth play as a kill by Zablonski pushed the lead to 14-10. Moments later, Spalding cut the lead to one at 14-13 with a 3-0 run. Following the SU run, WU added a 5-3 run to the 19-16 lead with kills by Zablonski, White, and Brown. Spalding fought back with three straight points and tied the set at 19 apiece. The set continued with both teams trading 2-0 runs to a tie at 21 all that included back-to-back kills by Tarlos. However, the Golden Eagles closed out the set with a 4-2 run and ttok the set by the score of 25-23 that forced a fifth set.

Webster opened the final set with the early 4-2 lead that included solo blocks from Tarlos and Fullenkamp while Tarlos added a kill. Following consecutive points by Spalding, the Gorloks recorded a 6-1 run that stretched the lead to 10-5. In the run, White and Zablonski added a kill each as White contributed a solo block. With the 11-6 advantage, the Golden Eagles constructed a 5-1 run that pushed the score to 12-11. Moments later, Webster added the final three points of the match with a kill by Ramstack and two errors by Spalding that won the set by the score of 15-13.  
 
For the match, Zablonski achieved a new career-high of 17 kills as White contributed a season-high 14 kills. Morio and Watson had 23 assists each while Bock and Tarlos had three service aces each. 

The Gorloks will continue conference play on Wednesday, October 1 with a visit to Westminster College starting at 7:00PM in Fulton, Missouri.