RIPON, Wisconsin— The Ripon volleyball program completed its seventh back-to-back of the young 2024 season on Saturday, falling 3-1 (25-20, 18-25, 20-25, 22-25) to Marian inside Weiske Gymnasium.
Marian (7-9) exacted a measure of revenge on Ripon (7-9) after the Red Hawks took down the Sabres 3-2 in a wildly entertaining five-set match on the same court back on August 31.
Ripon came out of the gates firing in the opening set. A pair of 3-0 runs put Ripon in front 13-7, a lead it would not relinquish in the set. After a Marian service ace made the Red Hawks' lead 20-19, Ripon scored the next four points and
Haylee Kast ended the first set with a kill to give Ripon the early lead.
The Red Hawks were in front 7-4 early in set two, but the Sabres scored seven of the next nine points to pull in front 11-9. Ripon responded well, using a kill by
Makenna Harren to retake a 15-14 lead. With the hosts nursing a close 17-16 advantage, Marian ended the set on a 9-1 spurt to win the frame comfortably, 25-18.
Both teams took turns leading in the early goings of the third set, and a service ace by
Bella Kasuboski evened things up at 12 apiece. However, the visitors scored the next four points. Though Ripon trimmed its deficit to two on multiple occasions in the following moments, the Sabres scored five of the last eight points in the frame to take a 2-1 match lead.
Ripon responded in set four, going in front 10-6 until four consecutive Marian points evened the score. From there, the teams jostled for position. A late 3-0 run brought Ripon within one at 21-20, but Marian fended off the Red Hawks, scoring three of the final four points in the match to win 3-1.
Nickie Shaw and
Ellie Ove each led Ripon with 9 kills, while
Karly Riverdahl (15) and
Emily Braun (11) both recorded double-digit assists. Defensively,
Michaela Riege tallied a match-high 22 digs, her second-highest output so far this season.
As a team, Ripon led 6-1 in the blocks department, but Marian had more kills (49-37), aces (10-9), assists (43-34) and digs (56-51).
Ripon continues its homestand next Friday (October 4) as the Red Hawks take on Monmouth at 7 p.m. for its first of two home matches next weekend.
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