Joseph Vanden Acker

Author: Joseph Vanden Acker

Nikitas scores 34 but Vikings fall in OT at Ripon

RIPON, Wis. — Ty Sabin’s 3-pointer in overtime gave the Ripon College men’s basketball team the lead for good Saturday, and the Red Hawks went on to an 88-80 Midwest Conference victory over Lawrence University at the Storzer Center.

Ty Sabin scored 34 points to pace Ripon (1-1, 1-0 MWC), and Ty Ketz added 21. Koy Brecklin had a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Red Hawks.

Jamie Nikitas scored a career-high 34 points, grabbed nine rebounds, handed out five assists and picked up three steals for the Vikings (1-2, 0-1). Troy Miller added 16 points for Lawrence.

After Pete Winslow’s three-point play gave the Vikings a 77-75 lead with 3:06 left in overtime, Sabin countered with a 3-pointer for a 78-77 advantage.

After the Vikings missed a 3-pointer, Ketz made a pair of free throws and Sabin followed with a layup as Ripon pulled away.

The Vikings trailed by 10 with six minutes left in regulation, but Lawrence went on a 12-1 run to take the lead.

Ben Peterson hit a jumper and Miller made a pair of free throws to start the rally. Jeremy Stephani and Miller hit back-to-back 3-pointers, and Nikitas’ layup with 3:29 left put Lawrence up 63-62.

Lawrence was up 70-66 after Nikitas’ jumper with 27 seconds left, but Brecklin grabbed an offensive rebound on the next possession and was fouled. He hit the first free throw, missed the second and Ripon grabbed the rebound again.

Sabin was then fouled on a 3-point try and made all three free throws with 17 seconds left to tie the game at 70-70. The Vikings missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer that would have won it.

Box score

Lawrence comes up short at Ripon

RIPON, Wis. — The Ripon College women’s basketball team pulled away in the second quarter and kept Lawrence University at bay the rest of the game in a 74-57 Midwest Conference victory at the Storzer Center.

Freshman Maggie Oimoen scored 22 points on 11-of-14 shooting to pace Ripon (2-0, 1-0 MWC).

Liz Arco came off the bench to pace Lawrence (0-2, 0-1) with 18 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Fanita Robins and Olivia Hoesley added 11 points apiece for Lawrence.

Ripon led 15-14 late in the first quarter, but the Red Hawks scored eight consecutive points. The game then see-sawed as Lawrence trimmed the lead back seven before Ripon stretched it all the way to 33-16.

Hoesley then hit a 3-pointer, Robins connected on back-to-back jumpers and Arco hit a jumper to cut the lead to 37-25 at the half.

Lawrence was unable to put a dent in Ripon’s lead in the final two quarters. The Vikings never got closer than 10 points, but Ripon didn’t pull away.

Lawrence cut the lead to 62-51 on Natalie Kramer’s 3-pointer with 5:47 left in the fourth quarter before Ripon finally put the game away in the final minutes.

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Vikings fall in OT at Finlandia

HANCOCK, Mich. — Lawrence University rallied to tie it in the third period Friday, but the Vikings dropped a 4-3 overtime decision to Finlandia University in a Northern Collegiate Hockey Association game at Houghton County Arena.

Bryce Mitzel scored 1:08 into overtime to deliver the victory for Finlandia (1-3-3, 1-2-2 NCHA).

Lawrence (1-4-0, 1-2-0) trailed 2-0 heading into the third but tied it midway through the period. Freshman Nick Felan scored his first collegiate goal at the 6:32 mark to cut the lead to 2-1. Austin Frank then scored off a feed from Matt Moore at the 10:44 mark to tie the game at 2-2.

Finlandia countered with a goal from Thomas Malkmus at the 15:53 to grab a 3-2 advantage. Lawrence struck back just 16 seconds later when Steve Hughes scored his first goal of the season to tie it. Felan and Ryan Rumble picked up assists on Hughes’ goal.

Mattias Soderqvist made 19 saves for the Vikings, and Walker Enstad made 29 saves for Finlandia. Lawrence had a 32-23 edge in shots.

The Vikings came up empty on the power play at 0-for-4, and the Lions were 1-for-5.

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Women’s basketball preview: Lawrence at Ripon, vs. Lake Forest

APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University women’s basketball team opens Midwest Conference play on Saturday when the Vikings travel to rival Ripon College for a 5 p.m. game at the Storzer Center. Lawrence opens the home portion of its conference schedule when the Vikings host Lake Forest College at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, the night before Thanksgiving.

Preview

Wisconsin Lutheran edges Vikings

APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University men’s basketball team missed a long 3-pointer in the final seconds, and Wisconsin Lutheran College hung on for a 71-70 non-conference victory on Wednesday at Alexander Gymnasium.

Jake Jarnigo and Tanner Schieve scored 15 points apiece and Jim Marose added 14 to pace the Warriors (1-1).

Jamie Nikitas led Lawrence (1-1) and all scorers with 23 points, and he picked up five rebounds, five assists and three steals.

Mitch Willer added 17 points and four rebounds for the Vikings, and Troy Miller chipped in with 10 points.

Wisconsin Lutheran had grabbed a 71-70 lead on Collin Kennedy’s putback with 13 seconds remaining.

Nikitas brought the ball up the floor for the Vikings but had it knocked away momentarily. He fought to get the ball back and was forced to shoot a 3-pointer from about 35 feet in the final seconds, but it caromed off the backboard and rim as time expired.

Lawrence looked like it might pull away early in the second half. Miller hit a 3-pointer less than a minute into the half to put the Vikings up 40-31.

The Vikings led by as many as 12 and went up 49-39 on Nikitas’ jumper with 14:11 left. Wisconsin Lutheran then went on a 17-2 run over the next seven minutes to take a 56-51 lead with 7:21 left.

The Vikings immediately countered and got a three-point play from Willer to tie the game at 56-56. The Warriors pulled out to a 67-62 lead, but Miller hit a 3-pointer and Nikitas followed with a layup to tie the game at 67-67 with 1:40 remaining.

Nikitas made one free throw to give Lawrence at 68-67 edge, but Chase Nowak’s jumper gave the Warriors a 69-68 lead. Willer countered with a layup off a nice feed from Nikitas to give the Vikings a 70-69 edge with 32 seconds left.

Jarnigo missed a jumper for the Warriors, but Kennedy collected the rebound and his putback with 13 seconds left was the difference.

Box score

Lawrence quarterback Butterfield picks up national football honor

Ryan Butterfield
Ryan Butterfield

APPLETON, Wis. — Lawrence University’s Ryan Butterfield picked up a national football honor when he was named Rookie of the Week by USA College Football.

Butterfield (McDonough, Ga./Strong Rock Christian), a freshman quarterback, earned the honor after a huge game in the season finale against Grinnell College.

Butterfield turned in the top rushing performance by a Lawrence player in more than a decade this past Saturday on Ron Roberts Field at the Banta Bowl. Butterfield ran 24 times for 243 yards and three touchdowns and became the first Lawrence player in 13 years to rush for 200 yards in a game.

The last Lawrence player to hit the 200-yard mark was Justin Berrens vs. Ripon College in 2002. Butterfield’s 243 yards is the fifth-highest game rushing total in Lawrence history.

Butterfield had scoring runs of 79, 22 and 31 yards. The 79-yard run was a career-long for Butterfield and the longest play from scrimmage for the Vikings this season. Butterfield also completed 15-of-37 passes for 191 yards.

Butterfield was chosen as the Midwest Conference Offensive Player of the Week as well.

Four Vikings chosen for All-MWC football team

Alic Riedel
Alic Riedel
Jackson Straughn
Jackson Straughn
Jacob Lueck
Jacob Lueck
Jake Gostiha
Jake Gostisha

APPLETON, Wis. — Four Lawrence University football standouts have been chosen for the All-Midwest Conference team in a vote by league coaches.

Alic Riedel (Appleton, Wis./East) was selected for the first team and Jackson Straughn (Heber City, Utah/Wasatch),

Jacob Lueck (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard East) and Jake Gostisha (Appleton, Wis./East) were all picked for the second team.

A sophomore defensive back, Riedel was chosen as the return specialist after averaging 21.3 yards per kickoff return, which was good for third in the conference. Riedel posted 21 kickoff returns for 448 yards and a touchdown. He had an 81-yard return for a score against Rockford University in his first career kickoff return. He picked up a 57-yard kickoff return against Ripon College, a 45-yard return at Beloit College and a 38-yard return against Grinnell College.

Riedel also had 12 punt returns for 56 yards, an average of 4.7 yards. Riedel also started every game at cornerback and piled up 55 tackles, two interceptions and six pass breakups.

Straughn, a junior offensive lineman, was in his first season of playing on the offensive side of the ball. He started every game at tackle and became the Vikings’ top lineman this season. He helped the offense average 3.9 yards per carry on the ground this season.

A junior linebacker, Lueck piled up a team-best 92 tackles this season, and his average of 9.2 tackles per game ranked fourth in the league. Lueck, who posted a career-high 17 tackles against Macalester College, also had 4.5 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks. He added two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and one pass breakup.

Gostisha, playing his first season at defensive end, made an immediate impact. Gostisha finished second on the team and fifth in the Midwest Conference with 88 tackles, an average of 8.8 per game. Gostisha picked up a career-high 13 tackles against Ripon.

Gostisha ranked fifth in the league with 10.5 tackles for loss and 10th with 4.0 sacks. He also picked up his first career interception vs. Grinnell.

Hockey series preview: Lawrence at Finlandia

APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University hockey team heads to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to take on Finlandia University in a Northern Collegiate Hockey Association series on Friday and Saturday. Both games are set for 7:15 p.m. Eastern time. Lawrence returns to action for the first time since splitting the opening NCHA series of the season with Marian University on Nov. 6-7.

Series Preview

Vikings struggle early and fall to Marian

FOND DU LAC, Wis. — The Lawrence University women’s basketball team struggled out of the gate Tuesday and Marian University posted a 57-28 non-conference victory in the season opener at Sadoff Gymnasium.

Marian bolted to a 25-7 lead after the first quarter, and the Sabres led 36-10 at the half.

Nicole Paulus led Marian and all scorers with 19 points, and Brittany Bauman added 11.

Andrea Wilkinson led Lawrence with eight points and pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds to go along with three steals. The Vikings hit on only 10-of-48 shots from the floor (20.8 percent), and Lawrence shot just 2-of-13 (15.4 percent) from beyond the arc.

Marian opened the second half by scoring 11 consecutive points to push the lead to 47-10 and never led by less than 27 points the rest of the way.

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Berkley selected for All-MWC soccer team

Ryan Berkley
Ryan Berkley

APPLETON, Wis. — Lawrence University women’s soccer standout Ryan Berkley has been chosen for the All-Midwest Conference team in a vote by league coaches.

Berkley (Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township), a sophomore midfielder, was a second-team selection.

Berkley led the Vikings in goals, assists and points this season. Berkley, who was named to the all-conference team for the first time, scored eight times and handed out six assists for 22 points.

In Midwest Conference play, Berkley scored in Lawrence’s 2-1 win over Grinnell and had the lone goal in the Vikings’ 1-0 victory over Cornell College. She also posted a season-best two assists in Lawrence’s 5-0 victory over Ripon College.

Berkley his season highs with two goals in Lawrence’s 2-0 win over UW-Stevens Point and the Vikings’ 3-1 win at Wisconsin Lutheran College.

The Vikings finished with a 9-9 overall record and a 4-6 mark in Midwest Conference play.