GALESBURG, Illinois – The Prairie Fire looked to build on a win in set two against Ripon College, but the Red Hawks regained the edge and won the Midwest Conference match 3-1 on Saturday.

Ripon led from start to finish in winning the first set 25-20.  Knox answered back, taking control of the second set from the beginning and outscoring the Red Hawks 25-19 to even the match at a game apiece.  Ripon followed with 25-14 and 25-20 victories in the third and fourth sets, respectively, to pick up their fourth consecutive win.

The Prairie Fire (3-24, 1-7 MWC) scored the first two, and five of the first six points to start the second set strong.  The Red Hawks chipped the deficit to 6-4, but a run of four of the next five points – capped off by a kill from senior Katie White (Peoria, IL, Notre Dame) – extended the Knox advantage to 10-5.  Ripon was unable to get any closer than four points the rest of the set.

The Prairie Fire began the third set with a flurry, scoring three straight points on kills by sophomore Nicole Heckman (Chicago, IL, Chicago Latin) and first-year Kyleigh Guthals (Clovis, NM, Clovis), who followed her kill with a service ace for the 3-0 advantage.  The Red Hawks (15-9, 5-2 MWC) responded with a 5-0 surge to take a lead they'd never relinquish.

The fourth set featured eight ties and one lead change.  The Prairie Fire held a 15-14 edge when Ripon scored five unanswered points for a 19-15 lead.  A kill by first-year Rose Griffin (Maryland Heights, MO, Rosati-Kain), another ace by Guthals, and an attack error on the Red Hawks whittled pulled Knox to within a point, 19-18.  Ripon outscored the Prairie Fire 6-2 the rest of the way to earn the victory and claim the match.

Griffin had 17 kills and hit .326 for Knox.  Junior Casey Stachelski (Joliet, IL, Plainfield Central) reached double figures in assists with 34 and digs with 12 while putting down four kills and serving up two aces.  Guthals added nine kills and two aces, junior Jamie Blue (Urbana, IL, University) contributed eight kills, and sophomore Holly Bieber (Chicago, IL, Walter Payton College Prep) tallied 13 digs and three service aces for the Prairie Fire.

White, the only senior on the Knox roster, was recognized before the match – her last at Memorial Gym.

The Prairie Fire play next at Monmouth College Tuesday night at 7:00.