RIPON, Wis. – The Ripon volleyball team closed out the Red Hawks Invitational on Saturday, splitting the afternoon with a 3-0 win against Finlandia before falling to Lakeland in the nightcap. Inesha Wiseman continued her hot streak, leading the way with a total of 26 kills for the day.
 
Ripon dominated from the start in Friday's opener, jumping out to a 5-1 lead to set the tone in the first set. Finlandia got back in it and cut the deficit to 16-13, but the Red Hawks closed out the match with a 9-0 run to take a 1-0 lead. 
 
The second set stayed close in the early going, but a service error broke a 7-7 tie and the Red Hawks never looked back. Wiseman racked four kills from that point, and Ripon recorded a trio of aces to cruise to a 25-12 win and push the lead to 2-0. 
 
The third and final set saw more of the same, as the Red Hawks turned in three different stretches of at least four straight points. Ripon finished the match with a .247 hitting percentage, marking a new season-best. 
 
Lakeland quickly squashed Ripon's momentum in the nightcap, winning the first set 25-15. The Red Hawks bounced back with a 25-20 win in the second set to tie the match at 1-1, but the Muskies came away with wins in each of the last two sets to close out the weekend. 
 
Wiseman led Ripon in kills in both matches, while Sam Thrasher totaled 25 digs for the day. Riley Nielsen racked up 45 assists on Saturday, while Bella Kasuboski and Tayja Cornell combined for 22 digs in the opener. 
 
Ripon now hits the road for their next four matches, with the first taking place on Friday against Illinois College. The Midwest Conference opener is slated for 6 p.m. from Jacksonville, Ill.