RIPON, Wis. -- The Ripon College women's basketball team improved to 4-0 on the season Tuesday night, using a dominant start and a balanced offensive effort to earn a 60-47 home win over Wheaton College (Ill.) in the Weiske Gymnasium.

Ripon seized control early, outscoring the Thunder 22-9 in the first quarter behind efficient shooting and relentless pressure on both ends of the floor. The Red Hawks maintained a double-digit lead for most of the night, holding Wheaton to just 27% shooting from the field.

Junior Sophie Schlieve (Antigo, Wis., Antigo HS) continued her strong start to the season, finishing with 16 points on 6-for-7 shooting while grabbing nine rebounds and tallying two blocks and two steals. Sophomore Halle Van Horn (Fredonia, Wis., Random Lake HS) also delivered a standout performance, scoring 12 points to go with seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals.

Sophomore Karsyn Nelson (Cottage Grove, Wis., Monona Grove HS) added 11 points and five steals, while junior Laney Havlovitz (Wild Rose, Wis., Wild Rose HS) filled the stat sheet with five points and a team-high five assists. Ripon controlled the interior throughout the game, outscoring Wheaton 38-10 in the paint and out-rebounding the visitors 34-25.

Despite a late push from Wheaton, Ripon's early cushion and defensive consistency were enough to close out the victory and remain unbeaten.

The Red Hawks now turn their attention to their next matchup, a Thursday road trip to St. Norbert. The game is set for 7 pm.