RIPON, Wis. — Hamline University faced two tough matches at the Red Hawk Invite, suffering losses in both games. The Pipers fell to Wis.-Stout 3-0 and to Ripon 3-0, bringing their overall record to 2-8.
In the match against Wis.-Stout, Hamline recorded 30 kills and hit .083, losing the sets with scores of 17-25, 16-25, and 13-25. The Pipers dropped the opening set despite 10 kills, led by
Lexi Helmin's four and
Sophia Johnson's three. Wis.-Stout responded with six kills from Brooke McCune and two service aces, taking control after Hamline cut an early deficit from 7-2 to 7-5.
The second set saw Hamline again post 10 kills but fall 25-16, with
Sophia Johnson contributing three kills. Wis.-Stout capitalized with 13 kills and three service aces. The final set ended 25-13, where Hamline had 10 kills, led by
Ashley Norberg's three, while Wis.-Stout totaled 15 kills, with Brooke McCune scoring eight of them.
Individual highlights for Hamline included
Lexi Helmin, who finished with seven kills, hitting .313, and adding five total blocks.
Sophia Johnson led with eight kills, nine digs, one ace, and one block assist.
Hannah Lynch posted 24 assists, 10 digs, and one block assist, while
Ava Montanez contributed seven digs, three assists, and two service aces.
Against Ripon, Hamline struggled again, finishing with 25 kills and a .038 hitting percentage compared to Ripon's 41 kills and .200 hitting percentage. The Pipers fell behind early in the first set, trailing 11-0, and despite a rally, lost 25-14, with
Sophia Johnson leading the team with four kills.
In the second set, Hamline managed to keep pace but ultimately fell 25-20, with a 15-8 disadvantage in kills. Johnson, Helmin, and
Megan Matarelli each contributed two kills. The final set ended 25-18, marked by a brief lead for Hamline at 12-11 before Ripon pulled away.
Sophia Johnson again led Hamline with eight kills, six digs, and two block assists.
Lexi Helmin finished with six kills, two service aces, and four block assists for a team-high 10 points.
Ava Montanez collected 19 digs and two assists, while
Hannah Lynch recorded 15 assists, eight digs, and two block assists.
Up next, Hamline hosts Wisconsin Lutheran College on Saturday, Sept. 19, at 6 p.m. in Ripon, Wis.
