STEVENS POINT – The Lakeland University women's volleyball team got an up close look at a nationally ranked team and saw the work ahead of it in a three-set loss at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Wednesday night.

The Muskies lost 25-15, 26-24, 25-14 to the Pointers, ranked No. 15 in the latest AVCA NCAA Division III Top 25 Coaches Poll. UWSP dominated two of the three sets in improving to 5-0, while Lakeland dropped to 3-2.

The Muskies were plagued by errors, with 17 kills and 22 errors in 82 attack attempts. Lakeland hit -.061 for the match and was well in the negative in the first and third sets with nine kills and 19 errors over those two sets. Coupled with 11 service errors, the Pointers scored almost half of their 76 points-33 in all-because a Muskies swing couldn't get over the net.

Lakeland challenged for a time in the first set, trailing just 10-9 early on before Stevens Point took over and scored 11 of the next 14 points for a 21-12 lead. The Pointers also ran out to a 9-1 lead in the third set, taking advantage of six attack errors just in the early stages of the set.

The Muskies did provide a stiff challenge in a second set that included 16 ties and nine lead changes. Lakeland led early but then had to come back after UWSP took a 15-11 lead, and five straight points but the Muskies ahead. Neither team led by more than a point the rest of the way until the hosts scored the final two points of the set.

Brittini Scoles (Jr.-Kewaskum, Wis.) had five kills to lead the attack, Madison Schweitzer (Fr.-Thornton, Ill.) finished with 11 assists and Brianna Johnson (So.-Altoona, Wis.) led with nine digs.

UWSP hit .190 for the match with 31 kills and 15 errors in 84 attacks. Kelly Cefalu did much of the damage with 14 kills and just two errors in 24 attacks for a .500 hitting percentage.

Lakeland will next play in the Wisconsin Lutheran Invite on Saturday, opening against Maranatha Baptist University at 11 a.m. and taking on Illinois Institute of Technology at 3 p.m.