DEKALB, Illinois – Kicking off the 2023-24 season against a Division I opponent for the first time in school history, the Ripon women's basketball program dropped a hard-fought 104-43 decision at Northern Illinois University on Saturday night inside the Convocation Center.
 
Though Ripon trailed by just nine at the end of the first quarter, a 54-13 NIU run spanning 17 minutes in the second, third and fourth quarters proved to be too much for the Red Hawks.
 
STANDOUT HAWKS

• Sophomore guard Natalie Rauwolf had a team-high 11 points on 4-8 shooting, adding a team-high 4 rebounds and a steal.
• Junior forward Ella Ten Pas collected 8 points, 3 rebounds, an assist and a steal.
• Freshman guard Laney Havlovitz scored 6 points and grabbed 3 rebounds.
• Senior forward Bonnie Jensen had a team-high 4 rebounds and chipped in 4 points.

PLAY-BY-PLAY
 
Points were at a premium to begin the game, as Ripon was held scoreless until Rauwolf made a layup nearly two and a half minutes in. NIU's largest lead of the first quarter was five until the late stages of the quarter before the Huskies went on a 9-1 run. However, Jensen ended the quarter with a layup as the first quarter horn sounded.
 
NIU kept the pressure on in the second, growing the lead to 11 at 33-22 following a Grace Hunter layup. After an old-fashioned three-point play by Rauwolf cut Ripon's deficit to 33-25, the Huskies went on an 8-0 run, holding the Red Hawks scoreless for nearly four minutes before a Jensen layup ended the spurt. Ripon finished the half 1 for 9 as the Huskies built up an 18-point halftime lead.
 
Coming out of the half, NIU continued its momentum by scoring the first 10 points of the third quarter.  Ten Pas got Ripon on the board with a free throw nearly halfway through the quarter before NIU answered with a 9-0 run. Sophie Schlieve ended the quarter with a layup and a defensive rebound as Ripon moved to the final period.
 
The first three points of the fourth quarter for Ripon were scored by free throws before Ten Pas connected on a layup with 7:17 remaining. From there, NIU went on an 18-0 run as the Huskies salted the game away.
 
KEY STATS

• NIU shot 46.5% from the field, limiting Ripon to 24.6% shooting.
• Ripon was out-rebounded 59-38, including 20-12 on the offensive glass.
• The Huskies made 26 of 43 free throw attempts, while Ripon only shot 16 (10-16).

UP NEXT
Ripon readies for its season opener on Wednesday (November 15) as the Red Hawks visit UW-Whitewater. Tipoff from Kachel Gymnasium is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
 
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