RIPON, Wis. - Ripon's women's basketball team opened their 2017-18 conference season with a 73-61 victory against Monmouth College Friday night. The Red Hawks shot 43 percent (27-63) from the field, while holding the Fighting Scots to 32 percent (17-54) shooting, including just 23 percent (7-30) in the second half.

Ripon (3-2, 1-0 MWC) got out to an early 7-4 lead, but Monmouth (2-3, 0-1 MWC) closed the gap, using a 10-4 run to take a three-point lead with just under two minutes left in the first quarter. Ripon answered with back-to-back 3-pointers by Molly Cullinane and Emma McDonald, to take a lead that they would never relinquish. The Red Hawks would lead by as many as six points in the second quarter, and would go into halftime with a 39-36 advantage.

Ripon continued to lead by single digits in the third quarter, taking a seven-point lead on a 3-pointer by Cullinane with seven minutes left in the period. Monmouth would cut that lead to one with one and a half minutes left, but baskets by Maggie Oimoen and Dasia Davis gave Ripon some breathing room with a five-point lead entering the fourth quarter. In that final period, Ripon used an 8-2 run to take their first double-digit lead on a jumper by Davis with four minutes remaining, helping the Red Hawks coast to victory.

Eleanore Mueller led Ripon with 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting, to go along with four rebounds. Dille added 10 points and nine rebounds (four offensive) off the bench, while Cullinane and Oimoen each scored eight points. The Red Hawks dominated the paint all night long, outscoring Monmouth in the lane by a margin of 38-18, while also out-rebounding the Fighting Scots 48-36.

Monmouth was led by Jeni Crain's 16 points off the bench, while Shayne Smith added 14 points in a reserve role. Carley Turnbull scored 15 points, including three 3-pointers, to go along with four rebounds.

The Red Hawks will hope to build on this performance on Saturday when they'll host Cornell College. That game will begin at 3 p.m., and can be seen live at https://portal.stretchinternet.com/ripon/.