The Journal

Issue date: 10/27/05 Section: Sports

Lesley Poggemoeller and Melanie Klingelhoefer prepare to defend a serve Oct. 13. The team ended a losing streak and won three sets against Principia.

While most of us enjoyed our fall break by relaxing with friends or traveling home to visit family, coach Merry Graf and the Gorlok volleyball team were busy preparing for its trip to Emory University in Atlanta to play in the appropriately named Emory University Tournament.

Oct. 21 the Gorloks opened play against Gettysburg College where they won two of the first three games, but eventually lost the match 3-2. This was a sign of things to come as Webster would go on to lose their next three matches and finish with an 0-4 record over the course of the weekend.

Not to be discouraged by tough times, Graf found some positives to focus on.

"It's the end of our season when we hope to be peaking," Graf said. "It was a good experience to face that type of competition because our schedule from here on out is going to be relatively tough. I'd rather play the tough teams than the easy teams that won't allow us to work on the areas that need improvement."

Also, none of the teams Webster faced in Atlanta were St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) rivals, so the losses do not damage their flawless 11-0 conference mark and are nothing more than a blemish on the overall record.

Another positive for the team was that they got to enjoy their fall break by indulging in some shopping in Atlanta's underground mall and taking a tour of the Coca-Cola factory.

As somewhat of a cruel welcome home gift, the Gorloks got back on a bus Oct. 25 and headed to Washington University to face the top-ranked Bears. The game had somewhat of a David and Goliath feel to it as Wash U.'s 24-0 record loomed over Webster's head. But Graf had an ace in the hole that she hoped would work in Webster's favor.

"We run the same defense that Washington University runs," Graf said. "We know the ins and outs of that defense and we know what other teams do to us in order to be successful. So, we're going to walk into that gym and feel that we're capable of playing to their level of competition. We'd like to let them know that there's another W-U in town."

The Gorloks were able to take a game from Wash U. last season and were hoping to bite off a bigger chunk this year.

But the Bears defeated the Gorloks this year. Webster lost in three games, 30-22, 30-20 and 30-20.

To wrap up the regular season and the toughest stretch of games the Gorloks have seen, the team will face three consecutive SLIAC opponents who will make one final attempt at knocking Webster off the top of the conference standings. First on the list is Fontbonne University (8-3 in SLIAC), who gave Webster a scare Sept. 20 by forcing the Gorloks to come back from a 2-1 deficit and win in overtime in each of the last two games. Fontbonne will be looking for a little revenge, but if Webster is victorious, they will mathematically eliminate second-place Principia (9-3 in SLIAC) and third-place Fontbonne from the title hunt and be declared the SLIAC Champions.

After Fontbonne, Webster will face MacMurray College (6-5 in SLIAC) Nov. 1 and cellar-dweller Westminster College (0-12 in SLIAC) will come to town Nov. 3.

If all goes according to Graf's plan, the SLIAC Champion Webster Gorloks will be hosting the conference tournament at home in the Grant Gymnasium Nov. 5.

Player of the Week

For the second time this season, the Gorlok volleyball team has a St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) Player of the Week. Erin Grobe was awarded this honor for the week of Oct. 10 through Oct. 16.

Grobe is a freshman middle and outside hitter, but hardly looks like a newcomer to the college ranks. She leads the team with 397 digs and her 318 kills is second only to the offensive phenom Crystal Shelton.

The thought of starting for Webster doesn't intimidate Grobe, just as she wasn't intimidated in high school when she started on the Northwest Lions varsity volleyball squad for four straight years.

"I learned a lot through high school volleyball," said Grobe. "I got a lot of experience with the higher levels of competition right off the bat in high school so it didn't really effect me being a freshman on the team here."

Winning the Player of the Week award was an amazing accomplishment for Grobe, but she has stayed humble nonetheless.

"This season I've just been trying to step into my role and to do my part for the team," Grobe said. "I just want to work hard and play my best."

Coach Merry Graf says even though Grobe is just a freshman, she is a team leader on the court.

"She's done a great job for us this season," Graf said. "We've used her in different roles and she has adjusted to each of them. She leads by example and to think that we'll have her around for another three years is awesome."

Grobe feels that great things are on the horizon for Webster's volleyball team. First on the agenda is a SLIAC conference title that could be wrapped up as early as Oct. 27 with a win over rival Fontbonne University. Next would be a SLIAC conference tournament win followed by a berth in the NCAA tournament.

Regardless of this season's final outcome, Grobe knows this young team will not graduate any of its members and will be back together next year.

"We know we're going to keep getting better with experience," Grobe said. "The more we play together, the more we'll improve."

The scary reality is that this year's SLIAC opponents will most likely have to face Erin Grobe and the same Webster squad next season. A Webster squad that has the potential to finish with a perfect conference record.

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