RIPON, Wis. -- The Ripon College volleyball team battled back from a pair of set deficits to defeat Alverno College 3-2 Wednesday night at Weiske Gymnasium. The Red Hawks won by set scores of 25-16, 19-25, 25-20, 22-25, 15-6 to improve to 4-10 on the season.
Wednesday's match also served as Faculty Appreciation Night, with the Red Hawks inviting faculty members to attend the match and recognizing them during the evening. The team welcomed faculty to Weiske Gymnasium as a way to show appreciation for their support of Ripon College student-athletes.
Ripon opened the match with a 25-16 victory in the first set before Alverno responded with a 25-19 win in the second. The Red Hawks regained the lead with a 25-20 third-set victory, but Alverno forced a deciding fifth set with a 25-22 win in the fourth.
In the fifth set, Ripon took control early and closed out the match with a 15-6 victory.
Juniors Makenna Harren (Rosemount, Minn., Rosemount HS) and Hannah Michaels (Waukesha, Wis., Waukesha North HS) led the Red Hawks offensively with eight kills apiece, while senior Haylee Kast (Reedsburg, Wis., Reedsburg Area HS) added seven kills. Harren also recorded a team-high .467 hitting percentage.
Sophomore Mattea Jacobson (Saint Croix Falls, Wis., Saint Croix Falls HS) contributed 18 assists and four service aces, while sophomore Bryn Carlson (Green Lake, Wis., Ripon HS) led the defensive effort with 18 digs. Sophomore Brooklyn Tranberg (Milwaukee, Wis., Wisconsin Lutheran HS) added five kills, seven digs and a block, and Michaels recorded three blocks.
Ripon will return to action Saturday, Sept 26, at North Central College. The Red Hawks will face North Central at 11am before taking on Dominican University at 1pm.
