Box Score
RIPON, Wisconsin – The Prairie Fire hung tight with Ripon College for half of the match, but the Red Hawks broke it open in the second half and posted a 5-1 Midwest Conference victory on Saturday.

The Red Hawks (7-2, 3-1 MWC) took a 1-0 lead on the first of three goals by Paige Birschbach at the 32:24 mark.  Knox remained within striking distance trailing by just one goal at the break.

Ripon started to pull away about six minutes into the second half when Birschbach netted her second goal at 51:09 for a 2-0 lead.  The hosts increased the advantage to 3-0 about two-and-a-half minutes later on a goal by Alexandra Jirik.  Birschbach followed with her third goal 58:54 into the match to put Ripon on top 4-0.

The final two goals were scored 13 seconds apart.  The Red Hawks took their biggest lead at 5-0 on a goal by Donna Lohse at the 81:50 mark.  The Prairie Fire (3-7, 0-3 MWC) prevented a shutout when first-year Kayla Brown dropped in her sixth goal of the season at the 82:03 mark.

Ripon outshot Knox 27-4 overall and 17-4 on goal.  Sophomore Theresa Birzer (Fort Dodge, IA, Fort Dodge) had 12 saves in the net for the Prairie Fire.

Knox plays another Midwest Conference match on Sunday at Lawrence University at 11:00 a.m.  The Vikings (2-5-2, 0-1-2 MWC) played Illinois College to a 2-2 draw on Saturday.