GRINNELL, Iowa – The Ripon women's basketball program went on a 13-0 run while holding Grinnell scoreless for the final six minutes of the first half and led the rest of the way to claim a 74-57 win over the host Pioneers on Saturday afternoon inside Darby Gymnasium.
 
Ripon (12-6, 9-0 MWC) outscored Grinnell (10-7, 5-4 MWC) by 16 points in the second and third quarters to break the game open and start Midwest Conference play 9-0 for the first time since the 2019-20 season.
 
STANDOUT HAWKS

• Junior forward Ella Ten Pas scored a game-high 17 points on 7-of-13 shooting. She chipped in 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.
• Sophomore guard Natalie Rauwolf had 12 points, including a trio of three-pointers, with 9 boards and 2 assists.
• Senior forward Bonnie Jensen netted 11 points on 50.0% shooting. She added 4 rebounds and 2 blocks.
• Senior guard Abby Hartmann scored 10 points off the bench – 8 in the second half – with 2 rebounds and 2 steals.

PLAY-BY-PLAY
The first quarter was back and forth throughout. The teams traded baskets and the biggest advantage in the first 10 minutes was just three. Deadlocked at 10 apiece with 4:24 left in the quarter, neither team scored until the 1:39 mark as the Pioneers pulled ahead on a jumper. Ripon scored the final four points of the quarter on free throws and led by two after the opening frame.
 
Havlovitz put Ripon up 16-14 on a pair of free throws early in the second quarter, but Grinnell countered with four points in a row to regain the lead. The Pioneer advantage grew to three on multiple occasions, but a 13-0 run spanning the final 5:45 of the half pushed Ripon in front by double digits after 20 minutes of play. Rauwolf contributed nine points of the rally, while Hartmann and Anna Cunningham also added baskets to give Ripon a double-digit cushion at half.
 
Ripon's run continued in the third quarter as the Red Hawks scored the first four points of the second half. The lead remained in double digits for the rest of the quarter and grew to 17 following a 7-0 run and a triple by Vanessa Solano. Hartmann puncutated the quarter with a halfcourt buzzer-beater and a dominant period ended with Ripon leading by 18.
 
Hartmann scored the first basket of the final period to push Ripon's lead to 20, which was equaled moments later on a three by Rauwolf. Down 65-44, Grinnell went on an 8-0 run to keep things interesting – and trailed by as little as 12 with under four minutes to play – but the ensuing 5-0 Ripon run put the comeback hopes to bed. The Pioneers mustered just one basket in the final three and a half minutes as Ripon won in Grinnell for the second consecutive season.
 
KEY STATS

• Ripon shot 43.3% (26-of-60) from the field, while Grinnell was 20-of-52 (38.5%) from the floor.
• The Red Hawks dominated the glass by grabbing 42 rebounds while surrendering only 29.
• Ripon had over twice as many points in the paint as Grinnell (34-16) and three times as many second-chance points (18-6).
• The Red Hawks committed a season-low 12 turnovers and forced 18.
• Erin Lillis had a team-high 15 points to lead the Pioneers.

UP NEXT
Ripon has a seven-day layoff before hosting Cornell on Saturday, January 27 at 3 p.m. for Alumni Day.
 
FOLLOW
Follow Ripon College Red Hawks Athletics on Facebook and @RiponRedHawks on Twitter for immediate updates, results and more. Go to riponredhawks.com for all information, releases and schedules.