Women's Basketball Falls at Ripon on Saturday

by Nathan Baliva

MONMOUTH, Ill. (01/13/2024) — The Monmouth College women's basketball team fell 83-40 on the road to MWC leaders Ripon College on Saturday.

Ripon scored the first five points before Ella Goodrich (Minonk, Illinois) made two free throws. Danielle Beach (Geneseo, Illinois) made a lay-up but Ripon finished the quarter on an 11-0 run to lead 18-4.

The run extended to 26-0 as Ripon pushed the lead to 33-4 before Madison Heisch (Illinois City, Illinois) scored. Ashley Jones (Abindgon, Illinois) added three free throws and the Red Hawks led 40-9 at halftime.

Kynlee Stearns (Gilson, Illinois) made a layup to start the second half and Jadyn Mitchell (Flanagan, Illinois) scored two minutes later. Mitchell hit a 3-pointer and Averi Rangel (Moline, Illinois) added a basket. Lauren Millhiser (Des Plaines, Illinois) knocked down a 3-pointer and Olivia Dinges (Amboy, Illinois) made a free throw. Ripon extended their lead to 59-22 with a layup to end the third quarter.

Jones scored the first six points for the Scots in the fourth quarter with two baskets and two free throws. Monmouth's next five points came on free throws by Goodrich and Ripon led 79-34 when Heisch hit a 3-pointer. Heisch made Monmouth's last field goal and Allie Hoy (Woodland, Illinois) hit a free throw for the final point.

Jones led the Scots with nine points while Goodrich had eight and Heisch scored seven. Goodrich had a team-leading five rebounds while both Beach and Rangel had two assists.

MONMOUTH MOMENTS: Goodrich has scored at least eight points in five straight games. She was 8-for-8 at the free throw lineMonmouth was 15-for-23 at the free throw line. Ten of the 11 Monmouth players to see action scored at least one point. Ripon has won the last six games in the series dating back to Monmouth's win at Ripon in the 2020 MWC Championship Game. Monmouth is 8-12 in the last 20 games against Ripon and the Red Hawks lead the all-time series 35-21. The teams will play again in Monmouth on Feb. 10. The Fighting Scots next play at home game is next Wednesday against Grinnell after the men's 5:30 p.m. game.