Box Score The Webster University volleyball team won its fourth straight match with a 3-1 win over Fontbonne University on October 8, at Grant Gymnasium. The Gorloks have won six of their last seven matches, all against St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference foes. Webster junior Katie O'Toole reached a historical milestone in the Gorloks' win.
O'Toole (St. Louis, MO/Lutheran South HS) topped the 1000 dig plateau in the second set, becoming just the 12th player in Webster history to hit that milestone. O'Toole came into the match with 997 digs, and finished with 24 on the night, giving her 1021 for her career.
The Gorloks started slow in the first set, trailing 8-9 before taking a 12-9 lead. The stubborn Griffins hung in there and were tied with the Gorloks, 14-14 before Webster took a 17-14 lead and forced a Fontbonne timeout. Webster came out of the timout to increase its lead to 19-14 and wound up winning the set, 25-20.
Webster battled in the second set, as the teams traded points throughout. The teams were tied at 7-7, 13-13, and 18-18, before Fontbonne took a 22-20 lead. A Jory Siebenmorgen (JR, Eureka, MO/Eureka HS) spike tied it at 22-22, but the Griffins took the set, 25-22, to tie the match at 1-1.
The third set came easier for the Gorloks as they grabbed a 10-5 lead and maintained a comfortable advantage throughout, leading 18-11 before winning the set, 25-16.
Webster fell behind, 1-4, in the fourth set before reeling off five straight for a 6-5 lead. The teams traded points, and were tied at 12-12, before the Griffins took three straight points for a 15-12 lead, prompting a Webster timeout. The Gorloks took four straight points to take a 16-15 lead, but the Griffins regained the lead at 18-17. Webster took four in a row to go back up 21-18 and would win the set, 25-22, and the match, 3-1.
Siebenmorgen finished with a team-high 12 kills for the match. O'Toole led with her 24 digs as five Gorloks were in double figures for digs on the evening. Jilli Zimpfer (FR, St. Charles, MO/St. Charles HS) had 23 assists on the night to lead Webster.
The Gorloks are 10-2 in the SLIAC and 12-9 overall. Fontbonne is now 8-4 in the SLIAC. Webster has a 20 match win streak over the Griffins, and a 34-20 edge overall vs. Fontbonne. Fontbonne held a 20-14 advantage before the current streak.
It was 'Dig Pink' night and several fund-raising activities, including a silent auction, 50/50 raffle, and a bake sale were held. Funds went to the Sideout Foundation, to help raise awareness of, and to battle breast cancer. The Webster University 2014-15 golf team was also recognized, for being declared the NCAA III National Academic Champions by the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA). Senior Tyler Thorman (Macomb, IL/Macomb HS), who was just named SLIAC Golfer of the Week for a second straight week, was given his GCAA All-American Scholar award.
Webster hosts Westminster and Principia Colleges on October 10, then has an 11-day break until its next match, at Eureka College (IL) on October 21. The Gorloks travel to Wisconsin on October 23-24 for a tournament at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
