Box Score

JACKSONVILLE, Ill. - Shooting a season-worst 26 percent (14-55) from the field Saturday afternoon, the Ripon women's basketball team lost to Illinois College, 55-45. The Red Hawks scored just 12 points in the first half on 4-of-22 shooting (18 percent), which proved too much to overcome.

Illinois College (4-3, 3-1 MWC) never trailed in the game, scoring nine of the game's first 11 points. After building a 10-point lead, Ripon (3-4, 2-2 MWC) went on a 6-1 run, capped by a Kelly Van Berkel layup to cut the lead to five with just over three minutes to play in the half. That would be as close as the Red Hawks would get the rest of the day, as Illinois closed the half on an 8-1 run to take a 12-point lead into halftime.

The Lady Blues would lead by double digits for much of the second half, with Ripon getting as close as eight points on an Erin Lind free throw with four minutes remaining. Illinois College finished the game shooting 39 percent (14-36) from the field, including 36 percent (5-14) in the second half. They also went to the free throw line 30 times in the second period, making 21 of them (70 percent), to secure the victory.

Ripon was highlighted by Brittany Johnson's career-high 17 points and seven rebounds. Kacie Cullen and Erin Lind added eight points apiece, while Jill Van Eperen posted five rebounds, six assists and three blocked shots. Van Eperen also recorded six steals, giving her 28 for the season (4.0 spg) and putting her on pace to break Ripon's single season record of 79.

Brittney Burgess led Illinois College with 13 points, while Hannah McGinnis recorded a double-double of 10 points and 15 rebounds. Tiffany King also chipped in with 10 points and four rebounds.

The Red Hawks will try to rebound next weekend when they'll travel to Carroll University on Saturday. That game will begin at 1 p.m. in Waukesha, Wis. and can be seen live on http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/ripon.portal# .