Box Score RIPON, Wis. – The Grinnell College women's basketball team dropped a 63-55 decision at Ripon College in Midwest Conference play Saturday afternoon.

Alissa Hirsh '16 scored a team-high 23 points for the Pioneers, who are 6-5 in the MWC and 7-8 overall. She hit 8-of-12 shots from the field and was 7-of-9 from the free throw line.

Tolu Alabi '13 added 14 points, while Michelle Briggs '13 grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked three shots. Briggs also had three steals, while Alabi, Anne Boldt '16 and Hirsh came up with two each.

Erin Lind scored 29 points for the Red Hawks, who are 6-5 in the MWC and 7-9 in all games.

Ripon got off to a fast start, grabbing a nine-point lead midway through the first half. Grinnell then surged with a five-point run, as Briggs and Alabi hit jumpers and Alabi sank a free throw to make it 22-18 with 4:52 left in the half.

But the hosts took off for a 34-24 lead at intermission. Ripon went up by as many as 16 in the second half before the Pioneers whittled away at the lead.

The visitors turned a 10-point gap into six as jumpers by Briggs and Hirsh made it 56-50 with 1:32 left. However, Ripon followed with a three-point run and never looked back en route to the victory.

Grinnell hosts Monmouth College in a MWC contest Wednesday at Darby Gymnasium, with tip-off slated for 5 p.m. The game is the first of three home contests in a seven-day stretch for the Pioneers.