Box Score

RIPON, Wis. - For the first time in three years, the Ripon women's basketball team has won their first two conference games of the season after defeating Beloit College 77-58 Tuesday night. The Red Hawks earned the victory thanks to an outstanding shooting performance that saw them make 48 percent (29-61) of their field goals, including 62 percent (8-13) from 3-point range.

Senior Kacie Cullen gave Ripon (2-3, 2-0 MWC) the early momentum, scoring eight points in the first six minutes, including a pair of 3-pointers. That gave the Red Hawks a lead that they would never relinquish, as they would go up by as many as 12 points in the first half. Leading by four with two and a half minutes left in the half, Ripon ended the half like they started it, going on a 9-1 run to take a 35-23 lead into intermission. All nine of the Red Hawks points in that span came from Cullen and Chelsea Sorbo.

Ripon led by double digits for the first 10 minutes of the second half until Beloit cut the deficit to eight on a three point play by Leah Kruckman. That would be as close as the Buccaneers would get in the second half, as Ripon answered with a 13-2 run, capped by a 3-pointer by Sia Gonyo to give Ripon a 19-point advantage and help them coast to victory.

Cullen finished the game with a career-high 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting including 4-of-7 from 3-point range, to go along with six rebounds. Gonyo added 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting, as she converted both of her 3-point attempts, while recording a game-high five assists. Sorbo added nine points in 16 minutes off the bench, as she made all four of her shots from the field.

Beloit was held to just 22 percent (5-23) shooting in the first half. They were led by Lauren McNanna, who finished with 20 points on 6-of-10 shooting from 3-point range. Lana Wiseman added 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Buccaneers.

The Red Hawks will try to win their first three conference games for the first time since the 2010-11 season when they host Lake Forest College on Saturday. That game will begin at 5 p.m. at Storzer Center's Wyman Gymnasium and can be seen live on http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/ripon.portal.