RIPON, Wis. -- The Ripon College volleyball team (9-16, 3-4 MWC) earned another conference win this Halloween night, taking down the Lake Forest Foresters (4-15, 1-6 MWC) in straight sets. Freshman Addi Johnson (Milwaukee, Wis., Wisconsin Lutheran HS) would lead the Red Hawks in both kills and aces for the match.

The penultimate conference match for the Red Hawks opened with a first set of responding runs. Opening with a 12-6 lead behind a five point run of Forester errors and kills from sophomore Makenna Harren (Rosemount, Minn., Rosemount HS), the Red Hawks would give up a five point run to bring the score to 13-12. Ripon would then amass seven straight points, only for Lake Forest to respond by taking seven of the next nine. Leading 23-20, a service error from the Foresters would give the Red Hawks a set point, and Johnson would record the final point on a service ace to claim the opener. 

Up 1-0 after the back and forth first, the second set would see both teams collect fewer extended runs. The Red Hawks proved more disciplined on the attack as the set moved along, winning nine of twelve points in the middle of the set to take a commanding 20-12 lead, eventually taking the second behind three straight Forester errors. 

Although the Red Hawks held momentum with the 2-0 lead, the Foresters would mount an extended last stand, staying even with the hosts until late in the third. With a 18-17 lead, the Red Hawks committed to putting the match away, rattling off seven of the final eight points to earn a 25-18 win in the third. The final five points would be the exclamation point on the match, with Johnson combining with senior Lainie Heizler (Park Falls, Wis., Chequamegon HS) for four straight kills, setting up senior Samantha Differt (Sturgeon Bay, Wis., Sevastopol HS) for the match point service ace. 

The Red Hawks return to action this weekend, taking part in a triangular match with Carroll University and UW-Whitewater. The Pioneers enter the triangular 15-13 this season with a 3-4 CCIW record, while the Warhawks sit as the #11 ranked team nationally (AVCA Coaches' Poll ranking), holding a 21-6 record while 2-4 in the WIAC.