RIPON, Wis. — Hamline lost to Wis. Lutheran 3-2 on Saturday, falling 23-25, 26-24, 13-25, 25-15, 14-16 in a neutral-site match. The Pipers led 14-12 in the fifth set after trailing 11-9, but the late push was not enough to change the final outcome.
The Pipers produced 13 kills in the opening set, three more than Wis. Lutheran, with
Sophia Johnson recording five and
Alli Helmin and
Lexi Helmin adding three apiece. Wis. Lutheran had a 5-2 edge in service aces and took the set 25-23, with Keiveana Petersons totaling four kills, including the final point.
The Pipers took the second set 26-24, overcoming a 20-17 deficit and then scoring four of the final five points after trailing 23-22.
Hannah Lynch assisted nine of the Pipers' 11 kills and added a service ace, while Hamline finished with a 5-4 edge in aces despite three from Wis. Lutheran's Ireland Zyzo.
Wis. Lutheran took the third set 25-13, recording 11 kills and five service aces while Hamline finished with seven kills.
Lexi Helmin and
Sophia Johnson had three kills apiece for the Pipers, with Lynch assisting all seven Hamline kills. Alyssa Koval served the final six points for Wis. Lutheran, including three straight aces to close the set.
The Pipers took the fourth set 25-15, using
Claire Siems' service turn to move from 10-9 to 14-9 with three aces and a Wis. Lutheran attack error. Hamline also had a 10-6 edge in kills in the set, led by three apiece from
Lexi Helmin and
Sophia Johnson.
The Pipers rallied from a 12-9 deficit to a 14-12 lead in the fifth set, with Siems serving through a five-point stretch that included kills by
Lexi Helmin and
Sophia Johnson, a block by Lynch and Helmin, and a Siems ace. Wis. Lutheran finished the set with the final four points to win 16-14, ending the set with an 8-6 edge in kills.
Sophia Johnson finished with 17 kills, 12 digs and a team-high 19 points.
Lexi Helmin added 15 kills while hitting .467 and recorded 17.5 points. Lynch posted 42 assists and 13 digs.
Ava Montanez collected 25 digs and added two service aces.
Hamline is 2-9 overall. Wis. Lutheran is 5-7 overall.
Up next, the Pipers visit Macalester College on Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn.
