The Lakeland University women's soccer team broke out of a scoring drought in a big way and also played terrific defense in a 3-0 shutout of Wisconsin Lutheran College Wednesday afternoon.

Alexa Piskule (Jr.-Crystal Lake, Ill.) and Makenna Waller (Fr.-De Pere, Wis.) scored goals, Karisa Rowland (Fr.-Peoria, Ariz.) made seven saves for her first collegiate shutout and the Muskies battled all over the field for their second win of the season and their first in seven matches. Lakeland improved to 2-7 overall and also improved to 1-2 in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference.

The Muskies had previously been held scoreless in their past five matches but got on the board in the 19th minute after Piskule was in the right place in the right time after a shot by Stephanie Figueroa (So.-Round Lake Park, Ill.), who also was in the middle of the action all day. Figueroa's shot from straight on was stopped by WLC goalkeeper Hailey Krause, but Piskule was right there on the doorstep and put it in the net for her first goal of the season.

Lakeland added a second goal at 32:59 of the match by forcing the Warriors (3-8 overall, 1-2 NACC) into a mistake. Abby Mauer (Fr.-Waldo, Wis.) sent an aggressive cross in front of the net, and a WLC defender's attempt to clear instead deflected into the net for an own goal and a 2-0 lead for the Muskies. Rachel Hasko (Fr.-Racine, Wis.) and Meagan Simmons (Fr.-Troy, Ill.) both received assists on the play.

Lakeland took that lead into halftime and then added to it early in the second half. Waller received a pass on the right wing and made a run all the way to the goal, eventually punching a shot between two defenders and off Krause's hands into the net just inside the left post for her second tally of the season and a 3-0 lead. 

The Muskies' defense also was part of the story. Lakeland saved a goal in the first half when Becca Giessen (Jr.-West Bend, Wis.) cleared a ball just in front of the goal line, and the hosts also weathered a push by WLC midway through the second half. Rowland made several saves, some from near-point blank range, and from there the Muskies cruised home, continuing to battle at midfield and holding Wisconsin Lutheran to just three shots in the final 26 minutes.

The Warriors finished with a 24-12 advantage in shots, but Rowland made seven saves to record the shutout. Lakeland's work in the field was excellent, as midfielders like Figueroa, Hasko and Simmons plus defenders such as Giessen, Marissa Brakob (So.-Hustisford, Wis.), Brianne Frank (Sr.-Plain, Wis.) and Karen Hjelle (Sr.-Malone, Wis.) all helped the Muskies keep possession as well as locked down WLC forward Helen Joyce, who entered the match with an NACC-high 11 goals scored on the season.

Figueroa led the Muskies with five shot attempts, including several times slicing through the defense to get excellent opportunities that were stopped by Krause. Waller also added three shot attempts.

Lakeland returns to the field Saturday when it travels to face Benedictine (Ill.) University at 5 p.m. in Lisle, Ill.