Red Devils’ SLIAC Win Streak Snapped at Webster, 97-77

ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- The Eureka College women's basketball team's longest St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference win streak in program history came to a halt Wednesday in a 97-77 league defeat at Webster in St. Louis, Mo.

Webster opened the contest with nine consecutive points, but the Red Devils recovered to force an 11-11 tie. The hosts answered with another big run, an 11-0 burst on their way to a 27-16 lead after one quarter.

The Gorloks opened up a 42-24 lead midway through the second period. A Samantha Sarnes (Havana, Ill./Havana H.S.) 3-pointer ended WU's surge and allowed the visitors to close the first half on a 19-10 stretch. Webster's lead at halftime was 52-43.

The hosts put the game out of reach early in the second half by beginning the third quarter on a 15-2 burst. Eureka trailed 81-55 after 30 minutes.

Sarnes scored a game-high 22 points in her second collegiate start. Hayley Reneau (Washington, Ill./Washington H.S./Illinois Central ) tallied 19, Lexi Dooley (Sutter, Ill./Warsaw H.S.) poured in 12 and Ashley Harfst (Saunemin, Ill./Pontiac H.S.) scored 10 to give the visitors four starters in double figures. The Red Devils made nine 3-pointers, but went just 1-for-10 beyond the arc in the second half.

Taylor Lucas scored 21 for the Gorloks, who ended a four-game skid in the series with Eureka.

The Red Devils will try to start a new league win streak Saturday in a noon CST start at Spalding in Louisville, Ky.