Scots Fall to Ripon in Home Finale

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (02/11/2024) — The Monmouth College women's basketball lost the home finale to first-place Ripon College 82-42 on Saturday.

Neither team started strong from the field as Ripon made three free throws and Ella Goodrich (Minonk, Illinois) made one for Monmouth. Ashley Jones (Abingdon, Illinois) rebounded the second free throw and scored to tie the game. Jadyn Mitchell (Flanagan, Illinois) knocked down a corner 3-pointer to cut the Ripon lead to 7-6. Ripon scored the next four before Mitchell scored again. Kynlee Stearns (Gilson, Illinois) scored the last points of the quarter as Ripon led 12-10.

The Red Hawks started the second quarter on a 5-0 run before Jones made a pair of free throws. Mitchell made a free throw as Ripon pushed the lead to 26-13 and Mitchell added two more free throws. Ripon scored the final points of the quarter to lead 38-15 at halftime.

Stearns and Olivia Dinges (Amboy, Illinois) made free throws early in the third quarter and Stearns made a layup, Goodrich got a bucket in the paint with Ripon leading 45-21 before the Red Hawks scored 11 in a row. Stearns made a layup and Danielle Beach (Geneseo, Illinois) hit two free throws. The Red Hawks added a 3-pointer and led 64-27 after three quarters.

Allie Hoy (Woodland, Illinois) made a 3-pointer to start the fourth quarter and Stearns knocked down a jumper for a 5-0 Monmouth run. The Red hawks got a bucket before Jones buried a 3-pointer. Hoy scored again for a 70-37 Ripon lead and Madison Heisch (Illinois City, Illinois) hit a 3-pointer. Averi Rangel (Moline, Illinois) hit two free throws but Ripon closed out the scoring for an 82-42 win.

Jones and Stearns led the Scots with nine points each while Mitchell had eight. Beach led Monmouth with six rebounds.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: With one makes on Saturday, Mitchell is tied with Shayne Smith for 13th on the career 3-pointers made list with 67. The Scots were 12-for-16 at the free throw line. Mitchell was honored in a pre-game Senior Day ceremony as Monmouth's lone senior. Ripon won the first game of the season 83-40 on Jan. 13. Ripon has won seven straight in the series and the Red Hawks lead the all-time series 36-21. Monmouth finishes the regular season next week with two games on the road in Iowa. Monmouth plays at Cornell on Wednesday and at Grinnell on Saturday.