GRINNELL, Iowa — Facing one of two remaining unbeaten Midwest Conference schools in league play, the Ripon volleyball program was swept 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 25-20) at Grinnell on Friday night inside Darby Gymnasium.
Bella Kasuboski became the Ripon school record holder in career aces with her first on Friday night, and her 157th overall. She surpassed Alison Ernst, who accumulated 156 aces from 2007-2010.
After Grinnell (18-8, 5-0 MWC) scored the first three points of the match, Ripon (8-16, 0-6 MWC) rallied back and took an 8-7 lead on a Pioneer attack error. However, Grinnell scored eight of the next nine points and pulled in front 15-9. The hosts' biggest lead of the set was 22-13, but Ripon rallied and made it a 23-18 game after an errant set by Grinnell. Unfortunately, the Pioneers took the set 25-18 on an ace moments later.
The teams went back-and-forth for most of set two, as the biggest lead on either side was three for the entire set. A kill for Grinnell gave the Pioneers an 18-16 lead, but back-to-back kills by
Nickie Shaw and
Makenna Harren evened the match up for the eighth time in the stanza. After another Harren kill brought Ripon within one at 22-21, Grinnell scored three of the last four points in the stanza to take set two.
The Pioneers scored the opening three points of set three, though Ripon countered and tied the match at seven following a solo block by
Lainie Heizler. Grinnell scored four points in a row after that, but the Red Hawks made it a 13-11 deficit after an ace by
Michaela Riege. Six straight kills by Grinnell pushed the hosts' lead to 24-17, and after three consecutive points by Ripon, the Pioneers finished off the sweep with another kill.
Harren had a team-high nine kills for Ripon, while fellow freshman Shaw chipped in eight.
Emily Braun tallied 24 assists and 10 digs for her seventh double-double of the season, and Riege paced the Red Hawks with 14 digs.
Grinnell had a narrow 33-30 edge in kills, but Ripon had 29 assists to the Pioneers' 27. Grinnell held an 8-7 advantage in service aces, and recorded 54 digs to Ripon's 49.
Ripon stays on the road to face Beloit on Saturday, November 2 at 1 p.m.
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.
