RIPON, Wisconsin – The Ripon women's basketball program snapped a three-game losing streak in a big way on Saturday afternoon, opening up Midwest Conference action with a 71-51 win over Illinois College inside Weiske Gymnasium.
 
Ripon (2-4, 1-0 MWC) started the game on a 23-4 run and never looked back en route to its 17th consecutive victory over Illinois College (3-5, 0-2 MWC).
 
STANDOUT HAWKS

• Junior forward Ella Ten Pas had a career-high 26 points and 17 rebounds, adding 3 steals, 2 assists and 1 block.
• Junior guard Bella Opelt tallied 11 points and 3 steals, going perfect at the free-throw line (4-4).
• Sophomore guard Natalie Rauwolf was the third Red Hawk in double figures, finishing with 10 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal.
• Senior forward Bonnie Jensen controlled the glass for Ripon with 10 rebounds, adding 4 points.

PLAY-BY-PLAY
After Illinois College tied the game at two apiece, Ripon dominated the first quarter. An 11-0 run over the middle portion of the quarter opened up a 13-2 advantage. After IC got on the board again with just under five minutes left in the quarter, a 10-0 spurt gave the Red Hawks a 19-point lead just over eight minutes into the game. They took a 16-point advantage into the second quarter.
 
Ripon held IC to just one basket in the first four and a half minutes of the second quarter, growing its lead to 20 at 28-8. The Red Hawks kept the momentum going and never let the Lady Blues get closer than 17 the rest of the half as Ripon led 36-19 after the first 20 minutes.
 
The lead hovered near 20 for the entirety of the third quarter as IC never threatened Ripon's advantage. Leading 44-28, a 7-0 run gave the Red Hawks their biggest lead of the afternoon at 51-28 with 2:36 left in period three. IC ended the third quarter with a pair of free throws but still trailed by 19 heading into the final frame.
The teams traded buckets at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Trailing 57-40, the Lady Blues whittled their deficit down to just 12 on multiple occasions, the latest being 62-50. However, Ripon finished the game on a 9-1 run to open MWC play with a win.
 
KEY STATS

• The Red Hawks had their second-best shooting performance of the season, finishing 25-57 (43.9%) while holding the Lady Blues to 33.3% (19-57), the lowest field goal percentage for an opponent against Ripon this season.
• Ripon dominated the glass, securing 43 rebounds to IC's 27.
• Ripon made the most of its opportunities at the charity stripe, shooting 16 of 22 (72.7%) from the free throw line.
• The Red Hawks had 19 second-chance points, limiting Illinois College to just 7.
• Ashlyn Wightman was IC's leading scorer, finishing with 11 points and 4 rebounds.

UP NEXT
Ripon goes back on the road to face Beloit on Wednesday (December 6) at 7:30 p.m.
 
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