Gorloks Fall to #2 Emory
The Webster University women's tennis team's 2014-15 year ended with a 5-0 loss to #2 ranked Emory University, on May 8 at the Sewanee (TN) NCAA III Regional. The Gorloks young squad had an outstanding season that included the program's first match win in the NCAA Championships, a St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship, and saw several individual records fall.
Webster could not match up with an Eagles team that improved to 17-3 on the season. The Gorloks fell behind, 3-0, after being swept in doubles play, and after two losses in singles, were eliminated from the tournament, losing in the semi-finals of the Sewanee Regional. Webster had defeated Hanover College, 5-0, in first round play.
The Gorloks, who started three freshmen and a sophomore, wound up 15-5 on the year. The team won the third SLIAC Championship in program history and made its third NCAA Championships appearance. The 15 wins were the second most in a single season in the 31-year history of the program, topped only by the 19 wins by the 2011-12 team.
The team's lone senior, Marissa Lewis (Owasso, OK/Owasso HS) wound up 16-4 in singles play, primarily at the #1 spot, and was 16-7 in doubles play, all at #1. Lewis winds up her career with 46 singles wins, third on Webster's all-time list, and 43 doubles wins, fourth on the all-time list. Her 18 wins in 2012 is the second highest season total in Webster history. All of this was accomplshed in just three season of play.
Monica Behrle (FR, Atlanta, GA/East Paulding HS) went 21-1 in singles play, setting the Webster season record for wins, and was 16-6 in doubles play. Junior Kaylen Kress (Bartlett, IL/Bartlett HS) was 13-5 in singles and 15-7 in doubles on the season. Kress is climbing the Webster record books herself and will be heading into her senior campaign with 34 career singles and 37 career doubles wins.
Freshmen Jesse Steffens-Willis (St. Louis, MO/Rockwood Summit HS) and Stephanie Lass (Lake Villa, IL/Lakes Community HS) both had winning records in singles play and Steffens-Willis wound up 16-6 in doubles play in her inaugural season. Sophomore Chelsea Foster (St. Louis, MO/McCluer North HS) provided solid play at the #6 singles and was 9-8 at #3 doubles. Freshman Morgan Rabe (San Diego, CA/Clairemont HS) also saw playing time at #4-6 singles, posting a 3-2 record.
Behrle was the SLIAC Newcomer of the Year, and Behrle, Kress and Foster all earned SLIAC First Team All-Conference honors in singles. Lewis and Kress, Behlre and Steffens-Willis, and Lass and Foster were SLIAC First Team All-Conference in doubles. Lewis, Steffens-Willis, and Lass were Honorable Mention at singles.
With Lewis the only player being lost to graduation, the future looks bright for 2015-16 Webster women's tennis.
The full results from the Webster/Emory match:
#2 Emory University 5, Webster University 0
Singles competition
1. Satterfield,Michelle (EUWT) vs. Monica Behrle (WUWT) 6-0, unfinished
2. Goodman, Melissa (EUWT) vs. Marissa Lewis (WUWT) 4-1, unfinished
3. Su, Katarina (EUWT) vs. Kaylen Kress (WUWT) 6-0, unfinished
4. Harding, Bridget (EUWT) def. J. Steffens-Willis (WUWT) 6-0, 6-0
5. Gordon, Madison (EUWT) def. Stephanie Lass (WUWT) 6-0, 6-0
6. Fowler, Julie (EUWT) vs. Chelsea Foster (WUWT) 6-0, unfinished
Doubles competition
1. Satterfield,Michelle/Fuhr, Anna (EUWT) def. Marissa Lewis/Kaylen Kress (WUWT) 8-1
2. Harding, Bridget/Su, Katarina (EUWT) def. J. Steffens-Willis/Monica Behrle (WUWT) 8-0
3. Gordon, Madison/Truitt, Danielle (EUWT) def. Stephanie Lass/Chelsea Foster (WUWT) 8-1
STORY COURTESY OF WEBSTER SPORTS INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
