Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

STEVENS POINT, Wis. - Ripon suffered their first loss of the season Friday afternoon, losing to 20th-ranked UW-Whitewater 3-0 (14-25, 19-25, 14-25) in their first match of the UW-Stevens Point Invitational. The Red Hawks rebounded however, to defeat Wisconsin Lutheran in four sets (25-19, 25-16, 20-25, 25-17) in the nightcap.

Against UW-Whitewater (4-1), Allison Barnes led Ripon with nine kills, while also finishing second on the team with eight digs. Emily Gary added five kills, while Wylie Gahart led the team with three service aces. Brianne Milroy added a team-high nine digs, while Abbi Williamson posted 12 of the team's 15 assists. Ripon finished with 18 kills in the three sets combined (.036 hitting percentage), while UW-Whitewater recorded 44 kills and a hitting percentage of .349.

The Red Hawks (5-1) fared better in their second and final match of the day, as they took the first two sets from Wisconsin Lutheran (0-2) before finishing them off in the fourth. The reigning Midwest Conference Offensive Performer of the Week, Katie Berrell, led all players with 14 kills for the Red Hawks. She also posted a hitting percentage of .433, to go along with eight digs. Barnes was second on the team with eight kills, while also tying Milroy for the team lead in service aces with four. Milroy led the team in digs with 20, while Williamson added a team-best 30 assists.

Ripon will hope to carry that momentum into tomorrow's second and final day of the UW-Stevens Point Invitational when they'll play both St. Norbert and #2 UW-Stevens Point. Those matches will begin at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m., respectively, in Stevens Point, Wis.