2008 Woodie Awards
Volleyball; Gorloks score SLIAC title
By: Grant Bissell
Issue date: 11/3/05 Section: Sports
- Page 1 of 1
The Webster volleyball team is the 2005 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) Champion. The Gorloks beat MacMurray in three games Nov. 1 to win the match and clinch the SLIAC title.
"This win feels great," said coach Merry Graf. "To clinch and know that it's done is very sweet."
MacMurray didn't go down without a fight. The Highlanders challenged the Gorloks in the first game and sent it to overtime, but Webster's women were up to the challenge and won by a score of 32-30. Coach Graf gave the team a little word of encouragement before the second game and they dominated the rest of the match.
Crystal Shelton and Erin Grobe kept with their aggressive style of play and led the team with 13 and 14 kills respectively.
The win not only wrapped up the conference title, but snapped a six-game losing streak that dated back to Oct. 21 and gave the Gorloks a little added confidence as they head into the final week of the season.
The regular season will conclude with a match against SLIAC opponent Westminster in Grant Gymnasium Nov. 3. Westminster is 0-25 this season and will be looking to earn a little respect by challenging the newly crowned champs before they enter the off-season.
Webster isn't finished after the Westminster game though. By winning the conference title, the Gorloks have earned the right to host the SLIAC tournament on their home court.
Although she knows that all sights will be set on her Gorloks, coach Graf feels comfortable knowing that her team will not have to enter a hostile gym to face the best that the SLIAC has to offer.
"It puts your mind at ease knowing that you're in your own gym," Graf said. "We know everything about our court and our net system. Our record at home has always been very strong so that just gives us extra confidence."
On Nov. 5 the top four SLIAC teams will converge on Grant Gymnasium and fight for a berth in the NCAA tournament. The first game will feature the number two seeded Fontbonne Griffins versus the number three seeded Principia Panthers. The Gorloks will play at 1:00 and face the number four seed, either the Maryville Saints or the MacMurray Highlanders.
Graf knows that regardless of who the Gorloks face, the competition will be tough and no team is going to roll over and die simply because Webster won the season series.
"Saturday starts a whole new season," Graf said. "You don't know what's going to happen and we can't just assume that we'll be in the final match. Everybody's got to go out and make it happen because if we don't, we're out. It's do-or-die time."
The championship match will be played at 4 p.m. and the winner will go on to represent the SLIAC in the NCAA Division III tournament to be held Nov. 10 through 12.
"This win feels great," said coach Merry Graf. "To clinch and know that it's done is very sweet."
MacMurray didn't go down without a fight. The Highlanders challenged the Gorloks in the first game and sent it to overtime, but Webster's women were up to the challenge and won by a score of 32-30. Coach Graf gave the team a little word of encouragement before the second game and they dominated the rest of the match.
Crystal Shelton and Erin Grobe kept with their aggressive style of play and led the team with 13 and 14 kills respectively.
The win not only wrapped up the conference title, but snapped a six-game losing streak that dated back to Oct. 21 and gave the Gorloks a little added confidence as they head into the final week of the season.
The regular season will conclude with a match against SLIAC opponent Westminster in Grant Gymnasium Nov. 3. Westminster is 0-25 this season and will be looking to earn a little respect by challenging the newly crowned champs before they enter the off-season.
Webster isn't finished after the Westminster game though. By winning the conference title, the Gorloks have earned the right to host the SLIAC tournament on their home court.
Although she knows that all sights will be set on her Gorloks, coach Graf feels comfortable knowing that her team will not have to enter a hostile gym to face the best that the SLIAC has to offer.
"It puts your mind at ease knowing that you're in your own gym," Graf said. "We know everything about our court and our net system. Our record at home has always been very strong so that just gives us extra confidence."
On Nov. 5 the top four SLIAC teams will converge on Grant Gymnasium and fight for a berth in the NCAA tournament. The first game will feature the number two seeded Fontbonne Griffins versus the number three seeded Principia Panthers. The Gorloks will play at 1:00 and face the number four seed, either the Maryville Saints or the MacMurray Highlanders.
Graf knows that regardless of who the Gorloks face, the competition will be tough and no team is going to roll over and die simply because Webster won the season series.
"Saturday starts a whole new season," Graf said. "You don't know what's going to happen and we can't just assume that we'll be in the final match. Everybody's got to go out and make it happen because if we don't, we're out. It's do-or-die time."
The championship match will be played at 4 p.m. and the winner will go on to represent the SLIAC in the NCAA Division III tournament to be held Nov. 10 through 12.