MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin — The Ripon volleyball program used a balanced attack to defeat Maranatha Baptist 3-0 before falling to Bluffton 3-0 on Friday at the Blue Angel Bash hosted by Mount Mary.
 
Ripon (3-3) cruised past Maranatha Baptist (0-1) 25-13, 25-21, 25-13 in the opener before Bluffton (6-1) defeated the Red Hawks 25-15, 25-16, 25-12 in the nightcap.
 
The Red Hawks were efficient and dominant in the opening match on Friday. Ripon scored the first five points of the game and held a lead of at least four points for the remainder of the set. Following a Sophia Brinker kill, two MBU attack errors and two Samantha Differt service aces, the Red Hawks pulled in front 16-5. The lead grew to as many as 14 in the set and Brinker put down a kill with Ripon in front 24-12 to give Ripon the opening set.
 
The second set was more even in the opening going. Both teams exchanged points for a majority of the set, and neither side led by more than two until a 3-0 run put the Sabercats in front 13-10. However, the Red Hawks rallied to score six of the next seven to regain the lead. With Maranatha leading 20-19, Ripon ended the set on a 6-1 spurt – and scored the final three points of the frame – to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the match.
 
Ripon wasted little time putting the match away in the third set. The Red Hawks scored eight of the first nine points, pulling in front for good. Though the Sabercats cut their deficit to five at 12-7, five consecutive points doubled Ripon's lead and made it a 17-7 game. Back-to-back kills by Haylee Kast ended the match and gave Ripon its third win of the season.
 
Lainie Heizler tied a match-high with seven kills on 10 swings, while Hannah Michaels had six. Four different Red Hawks tallied five kills: Kast, Brinker, Ellie Ove and Makenna Harren. Karly Riverdahl led all players with 22 assists, and Bella Kasuboski totaled 17 digs with four service aces.
 
As a team, Ripon dominated MBU in kills (37-19), aces (10-2), assists (32-17) and digs (46-34).
 
Ripon started out strong in the nightcap, scoring four of the first five points before Bluffton went on a 6-0 run to pull in front for good in the set. After Heizler collected a kill to bring Ripon within 11-9, the Beavers rattled off a 6-1 spurt and grabbed a 17-10 advantage. Bluffton ended the set on a 6-2 run, winning the opener 25-15.
 
Ripon's biggest lead in the second set was two, as the Beavers used a pair of 5-0 spurts to keep the Red Hawks at bay. The teams jostled for position early as the biggest lead on either side was three for the first 15 points. However, Bluffton broke open a 14-12 game, scoring 11 of the last 15 points to comfortably win the second set.
 
In the third set, Ripon kept the Beavers close early. Ripon was within striking distance – not trailing by more than four in the first 25+ total points – but Bluffton ended the match by scoring the last eight points, and 10 of the last 11, to hand Ripon its first loss of the weekend.
 
Ove led the Red Hawks with eight kills on 15 swings (.533), while Heizler hit over .300 again with seven kills. Riverdahl again had 20+ assists – totaling a match-high 23 – and Differt paced Ripon with nine digs.
 
Ripon rounds out its weekend in Milwaukee on Saturday, as the Red Hawks face off against the host Blue Angels at 10 a.m. and Alverno at 12:15 p.m.
 
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