RIPON, Wisconsin — Despite a career-high 17 kills from Lydia Ellis, the Ripon volleyball program dropped a 3-1 decision to Grinnell on Friday night inside Weiske Gymnasium.
 
The senior from Dorr, Michigan had a .455 hitting percentage on 33 swings. Her 17 kills were also a match-high.
 
After dropping the first two sets, Ripon (8-17, 1-5 MWC) battled back to win the third but succumbed to Grinnell (12-14, 4-1) by set scores of 25-19, 25-13, 21-25 and 25-12.
 
Grinnell got off to a quick start, opening up a 6-2 advantage before Ripon responded with three points of its own. Following two attack errors and a Haylee Kast kill, Ripon would get within three on three occasions at the midpoint of the first set but would get no closer. Grinnell scored six of the next seven points to grab a 20-12 lead, putting the set away soon after.
 
Set two was a similar story, as Ripon's only lead of the frame came at 2-1. Down 11-7, the Red Hawks conceded five consecutive points as Grinnell built up a 16-7 lead. The Pioneers would keep a steady gap between them and Ripon for the rest of set two, eventually winning the set by a dozen.
 
Ripon fought back in set three, however. After trailing 3-2, kills by Sophia Brinker, Emily Braun and Kast, along with a Sam Thrasher ace and a pair of Grinnell attack errors, gave Ripon an 8-3 cushion. The lead eventually grew to 10 after an Ellis kill. Nursing a 21-17 lead, Grinnell made a run to complete the sweep and only trailed by one at 21-20, but Ripon scored four of the next five points to win the set and force a fourth frame.
 
Grinnell put the throttle down in the final set. With Ripon trailing 8-7, the Pioneers went on a commanding 14-4 spurt to grab a 22-11 lead before finishing off the match moments later.
 
Aside from Ellis, Kast was the other Red Hawk with double-figure kills, finishing with 10. Braun had 31 assists to spread the wealth offensively.
 
Defensively, Thrasher had 18 digs to lead Ripon. Bella Kasuboski and Sam Differt had 10 digs apiece.
 
As a team, Grinnell had a 55 to 38 advantage in kills and totaled 15 aces compared to Ripon's 4.
 
Ripon finishes its weekend on Saturday (October 28) as the Red Hawks welcome in Beloit to Weiske Gymnasium. First serve is scheduled for 1 p.m.
 
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