Box Score

RIPON, Wis. - Trailing by as many as 16 points in the second half, Ripon's women's basketball team rallied to make things interesting Wednesday night, but the Red Hawks couldn't complete the comeback, falling to Carroll, 70-63. Jill VanEperen was a big part of that comeback, scoring 22 of her game-high 25 points after halftime.

The game featured three ties and two lead changes, all of which occured in the first six minutes of the contest. Carroll took control towards the end of the opening period, scoring the final seven points of the half to take a 13-point lead at the break. Carroll was hitting from all over the court in the first 20 minutes, making 58 percent (14-24) of their shots, including 5-of-8 (63 percent) from behind the 3-point line. Ripon meanwhile, shot 41 percent (11-27) in the half.

The Red Hawks shot slightly better in the second period, but fell behind by 16 with 16 minutes remaining. VanEperen then put the team on her back, scoring 20 of Ripon's next 24 points to cut that lead to six. The Red Hawks' pressure defense also had something to do with the comeback, forcing seven Carroll turnovers in a three and a half minute span. After the Pioneers went up by eight, a Sia Gonyo layup brought the lead back to six with a minute and a half remaining, but that would be as close as Ripon could get as Carroll converted all six of their free throws in the final four and a half minutes.

In addition to her 25 points, VanEperen recorded team-highs of six rebounds, six assists and five steals. Gonyo added 15 points, which ties a career-high, while Kacie Cullen added 10 points, five rebounds and four steals.

Carroll was led by Emily DeNoyer's 22 points. Breann Maryanski added 16 and a game-high 10 rebounds, while Brianna Johnson posted 12 points.

The Red Hawks will try to rebound on Saturday when they'll host Monmouth College on what will be Alumni Day. That game will begin at 3 p.m., with the women's and men's alumni games taking place at 9 and 10:15 a.m., respectively.