MILWAUKEE – The Lakeland College women's basketball team hit 13 three-pointers but came up short in an 84-75 loss at Alverno College Wednesday night in a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference game.
Alverno shot 53.8% from the field and finished with big advantages rebounding and at the free throw line to snap the Muskies' brief two-game winning streak. Lakeland dropped to 4-11 overall and is now 4-7 in conference play.
The Muskies got off to a good start, leading 18-4 less than five minutes into the game on the strength of four early three-pointers. That margin was reversed by the second half, though, as Alverno (4-11 overall, 2-8 NACC) closed within three at halftime and then used a 25-8 run to go ahead 61-47 with 12:33 left in the game.
The hosts finished the game with a 47-26 advantage rebounding and a 33-18 advantage in foul shots, including a 29-13 edge on the boards and 26 free throws in the second half. Lakeland, meanwhile, cooled off and shot 35.8% in the second half (12 of 34) and was hit by foul trouble, with three key players picking up four fouls.
The Muskies still trailed 70-58 after a bucket by Alverno's Mollie Mikyska with 6:44 to play, but then went on a 9-0 run over the next two minutes to get back within three.
Bailey Grayvold (
So.-Norway, Mich.) hit a three-pointer to make it 70-67 with still 4:44 left in the game, but Lakeland could get no closer the rest of the way.
Grayvold finished with 20 points, five rebounds and six assists and made four three-pointers, while
Trista Barron (
Jr.-Escanaba, Mich.) added 17 points and drained five three-pointers.
Mikayla Hilton (
So.-Port Washington, Wis.) added 13 points and six rebounds off the bench and
Kayla Clark (
So.-West Bend, Wis.) added a career-high eight assists.
Lakeland shot 26 of 65 for the game (40.0%) and hit 13 of 31 from three-point range. The Muskies also finished with 40 points off turnovers, forcing 28 Alverno turnovers while committing just 15 of their own.
The Inferno shot 28 of 52 for the game, including 7 of 14 from three-point range, and also finished with a 36-12 advantage in points in the paint. Tessa Mersberger led Alverno with 19 points.
Lakeland is back home Saturday to host Aurora (Ill.) University at 2 p.m. at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.
