APPLETON, Wis. -- The Lawrence University women's basketball team took a big step forward Saturday.
    The Vikings handed Ripon College just its second Midwest Conference loss of the season with a 74-71 overtime win over the Red Hawks at Alexander Gymnasium. In the process, Lawrence also claimed its first berth in the Midwest Conference Tournament since 2007. Lawrence will travel to Ripon for the MWC Tournament semifinals on Feb. 23.
    Maggie Culver led four Lawrence players in double figures with 18 points, and she added six rebounds. Mallory Meyer picked up 16 points, including two game-clinching free throws, and added five rebounds, three blocks, two steals and two assists.
    Rookie guard Charlotte Brennan scored 13 points and dished out a game-high eight assists for the Vikings (15-10, 9-7 MWC). Lawrence senior Libby Crandall added 10 points, and fellow senior Emma Carlson had seven points and a game-high nine rebounds. Lawrence rookie guard Kate Adams chipped in eight points and hit a pair of huge 3-pointers late in the game.
    Laney Havlovitz led Ripon (17-8, 14-2) with 18 points.
    Lawrence led by as many as six points in the fourth quarter at 46-40, but Ripon came back to take a 53-52 edge with 3:03 left. The teams traded the lead, and Lawrence tied it at 60-60 on Brennan's layup with 32 seconds left in regulation. After a Ripon miss, Meyer was fouled with seven seconds left and made both free throws for a 62-60 lead. Havlovitz countered with a layup with two seconds left to send the game to overtime.
    Brennan's driving layup was followed by Culver's mid-range jumper to give Lawrence a 66-62 lead in the overtime. Adams then drained a 3-pointer to put the lead to 69-62 with 2:56 left. Ripon trimmed the lead back to 69-66, but Adams answered again. Adams buried another 3-pointer to put the Vikings up 72-66 with 1:41 remaining.
    Ripon pulled close again when Vanessa Solano hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 72-71 with 1:09 left. After an exchange of empty possessions, Ripon fouled Meyer with six seconds left. Meyer converted one free throw to give the Vikings a 73-71 advantage. 
    The Red Hawks then committed a double-dribble to give the ball back to Lawrence with less than three seconds remaining. The Vikings got the ball in to Meyer, who was fouled with 0.4 seconds left. She made one free throw for the final margin, and Ripon was unable to get off a desperation shot.
    Lawrence jumped on top early and quickly built a 14-5 advantage in the opening quarter. Lawrence shot 54.5 percent from the floor in the opening period while holding Ripon to 2-for-10 from the floor. The Vikings led 16-7 heading to the second quarter and pushed the lead to 26-13 on Meyer's jumper with 4:24 left in the opening half. The Vikings held a 27-19 lead at the half.
    The win was Lawrence's first over Ripon since a 54-49 victory over the Red Hawks at Alexander Gymnasium on Feb. 7, 2007.