JACKSONVILLE, Ill. - Ripon's women's soccer team remained unbeaten through 14 games this season with a 4-0 win at Illinois College Saturday afternoon. That marks the Red Hawks' eighth shutout of the season, which breaks the school's previous mark of seven. Ripon also out-shot the Lady Blues by a 20-12 count.

The Red Hawks (13-0-1, 4-0-1 MWC) got on the board in the 43rd minute on a breakaway goal by Paige Birschbach, with the assist going to Paige Pierce. That marks Birschbach's 21st goal of the season, making her one of just three players in program history to score that many goals in one year.

Birschbach added a second goal in the 64th minute, heading the ball into the net off a corner kick assist by Abbie Maule. Eleven minutes later, Birschbach took a pass from Morgan Johnson for her third goal of the contest, giving her a school-record eight career hat tricks, including two in a row. That also gives Birschbach 23 goals on the year, which is just two shy of Ripon's single season record. The Red Hawks added another insurance goal in the 78th minute when Birschbach assisted on Kate Kabacinski's second goal of the year.

Miye Aoki-Kramer and Diana Meredith combined for the shutout, making two saves in goal for the Red Hawks. Illinois College's Samantha Vacek played all 90 minutes, saving six shots.

That sets up a Sunday showdown between Ripon and Knox College, who also has not lost a game all season (14-0-1, 6-0-0 MWC), with the winner taking possession of first place in the conference standings. That game will begin at 3:30 p.m. in Galesburg, Ill.