GRINNELL, Iowa – Grinnell College's women's basketball team may have lost to preseason Midwest Conference favorite Ripon College Tuesday afternoon, but the Pioneers had a block party in the process.
 
Grinnell swatted away 11 shots, the fifth-most in program history, in a 63-43 loss to the visitors in a matinee at Darby Gymnasium. The 11 blocks marked the most for the team since a 2019 contest against Iowa Wesleyan University.
 
Sara Booher '25 led Grinnell's charge with four blocks, Annabel Dougherty '25 added three and Nikki Ware '25 had two. All three are career-highs.
 
Booher also led the way in rebounds with eight and Erin Lillis '24 was the top scorer with 19 points. Skylar Thomas '26 contributed two assists and Ware had three steals.
 
Ripon (7-6, 3-1 MWC) shot out to a 12-5 lead by the end of the first period, but the Pioneers refused to fold by starting the second quarter with an 8-2 run that included two free throws by Ware and treys by Lillis and Thomas to make it a one-point game.
 
After the Red Hawks went up by five, Grinnell (4-8, 1-4 MWC) countered with an Eva Carchidi '24 3-pointer to make it 18-16. Ripon closed strong, though, taking a 25-17 lead into the locker room at halftime. The visitors outscored the Pioneers 17-11 in the third period and 21-15 in the fourth.
 
Grinnell returns to Darby Gymnasium Saturday to entertain Lawrence University at 1 p.m.