Webster University Athletics

The Webster University women's volleyball team took the #3 team in the nation, Washington University, to four games before succumbing, 3-1, in NCAA 1st round action.  The Bears lineup, with five six-footers, proved too tall of an order to handle for the Gorloks in the match, played at Washington University on November 12.

Down 12-20 in the first set, Webster rallied, after winning a long volley point, to pull within five at 17-22.  The Bears closed the set out with three straight to win 25-17.  In the second set, Webster pulled ahead 7-2 but Washington responded with six straight points and won the set 25-14. 

The third set provided the most excitement of the evening as the Gorloks took a 12-6 lead, thanks to a 6-0 run.  The Bears took the lead in the set for the first time at 21-20.  The lead see-sawed back and forth, with the score being tied five different times before Washington took a 25-24 lead and was at match point.  Webster scored the last three points to win 27-25.

It was a somewhat bittersweet win for Webster as junior starter Mary Jo Schweitzer (Parkway Central HS, STL) went down with an apparent knee injury early in the set.  Schweitzer did not return for the remainder of the match.

The fourth game was a different story as the Bears wore the Gorloks down, taking an early lead and pulling farther ahead before winning the set, 25-15, and the match.  Webster's season ended with a 20-13 record.

Webster had a noticeable contingent of fans, as a particularly large number of students made the trek up Big Bend.  They all saw seniors Abby Williams (Incarnate Word Academy, STL), Jackie Schall (Oakville HS, STL), Stefanie Larson (Delavan HS, IL), and Kaylee Schaefer (Seckman HS, STL), play their final match for the Gorloks.