Box Score EAU CLAIRE, Wis. - Playing in their first of two games at the UW-Eau Claire Tournament Friday night, Ripon's women's basketball team lost to the host team 68-46. UW-Eau Claire scored 27 points off turnovers, while also outscoring Ripon 26-14 in the paint.

UW-Eau Claire (2-0) scored the first 11 points of the game, en route to a 14-2 lead mid-way through the opening quarter, while also taking a 20-7 lead into the second quarter. The Blugolds started that second period much like the first, beginning the quarter with a 10-1 run, but Ripon (0-2) ended the half with a 12-2 run, capped by a Jesi Nay 3-pointer just before halftime.

Ripon continued to chip away at that lead in the third quarter, beginning the period with a 14-8 run, which cut the Blugolds' lead to six on a basket by Alyassa Burgess. That would be as close as the Red Hawks would get however, as UW-EC took a 45-36 lead into the fourth quarter, and would later regain a double-digit advantage.

Burgess tied a career-high with a team-high 10 points, and grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds for her first career double-double, while shooting 5-of-11 from the field and recording three steals. Jesi Nay and Natalie Geiger each scored nine points, while combining for four 3-pointers. Geiger also contributed three rebounds and three assists. Laurissa Johnson led Ripon in both assists and steals, with four apiece. The Red Hawks shot just 23 percent (7-30) in the first half, before converting 46 percent (11-24) of their second half shots.

UW-Eau Claire shot 40 percent (23-57) for the game, while hitting 46 percent (6-13) of their 3-pointers and 70 percent (16-23) of their free throws. Hallee Hoeppner led the Blugolds with 15 points and nine rebounds, while Kelsey Bakken and Elli Carver each scored 13 points.

Ripon will be in action again on Saturday when they'll face UW-Oshkosh at 3 p.m. in Eau Claire, Wis. That game can be seen live at https://www.uwec.edu/learning-technology-services/live-streaming/uwec-athletics-live-stream/.