Ripon, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse women's basketball team improved to 4-0 on the season with a 69-62 win at Ripon College (Wis.) Wednesday night in the Doc Weiske '50 Memorial Gymnasium. It marks the second straight year the Eagles have started 4-0. Ripon (Wis.) drops to 2-1 on the season. 

After Gabby Ritchie hit a jumper for UWL to open the game, Ripon (Wis.) went on a 9-0 run to lead 9-2 on Bonnie Jensen's jumper with 7:00 left in the first quarter. The Red Hawks took their largest lead at 19-7 with 1:31 remaining on a Skyylar Brescia three-pointer. Kailee Meeker scored the final seven points of the quarter for the Eagles to cut the lead to 19-14. 

UWL outscored Ripon (Wis.), 17-8, in the second quarter to take a 31-27 lead. Meeker's layup to start the second quarter cut the deficit to 19-16. Trailing 23-19, the Eagles went on a 9-0 run to lead 28-23 lead with :58 left on an Alana Gilles' free throw. 

Ripon (Wis.) cut the lead to 39-38 with 5:18 left in the third quarter, but three-pointers from Ritchie, Gilles and Grace Cote extended UWL's lead to 48-38. The Eagles led, 50-44, after three quarters. 

The Red Hawks cut the lead to 50-46 with 8:25 remaining in the game, but could get no closer the rest of the way. Ritchie's three-pointer, Kyah Steiner's layup, Carly Coulthart's three-point field goal a Steiner free throw gave UWL a 59-46 lead. 

UWL shot 45.1% from the field, including 35.0% (seven-of-20) from three-point range, and 55.2% (16-of-29) at the free throw line. Ritchie led the Eagles with 16 points while Meeker finished with 14 and Steiner 11. Steiner had a game-high eight rebounds with Coulthart finishing with seven and Meeker six. Alivia Arnebeck led UWL with four assists with Meeker finishing with three. Meeker and Paige Schumann each had two steals. Steiner finished with two blocks.

Ripon (Wis.) shot 43.1% from the field Wednesday, including 33.3% (four-of-12) from three-point range,and 53.3% (eight-of-15) at the line. Brescia and Allison Leslie led the Red Hawks with 12 points each while Jensen and Vanessa Solano each had 11. Jensen had a team-leading seven rebounds with Brescia and Kiana Fall finishing with six. 

UWL returns to action Saturday, November 19 hosting Carroll University (Wis.) at 3 p.m. in the Eagles' home opener in Mitchell Hall.