RIPON, Wis. - In what was their first game on Prairie Field's grass since the end of the 2019 season, Ripon's men's soccer team lost a spirited contest by a score of 5-3. Ripon's three goals came on just seven shots, while Wisconsin Lutheran out-shot the Red Hawks by a 34-7 margin.
 
The majority of the game's action came in the opening half, which saw seven of the day's eight goals scored. Wisconsin Lutheran (1-0-0) got the scoring started less than five minutes into the contest on a Ben Meaux header off a cross from Luke Harty. Tim Gillingham then doubled WLC's lead with a goal in the 23^rd minute before Matthew Klopp put Ripon (0-1-0) on the board in the 26^th minute. Less than one minute later, Jason Cano found the back of the net on a Penalty Kick, before scoring again seven minutes later to increase the Warriors' lead to 4-1. Ripon then mounted a comeback with a pair of goals in the final three minutes of the half. Nick Bellisle scored his first career goal in the 43^rd minute, before Jacob Oppeneer cut WLC's lead to one with a goal just one minute before halftime.
 
Both defenses stepped up in the second half, with the period's only score coming just five minutes into the half on Cano's third goal of the day to complete the hat trick. Ripon Goal Keeper Kalen Narance played the entire game in goal, making 13 saves, while his counterpart Bryce Beckley saved three shots, while playing all 90 minutes.
 
Ripon won't have much time to rest, as they'll be back in action again on Thursday when they'll travel to Rockford University. That game can be seen live at https://rockfordregents.com/watch/?Archive=73&type=Live, with LiveStats available at https://rockfordregents.com/sidearmstats/msoc/summary.