The Lakeland University women's basketball team pushed rival Concordia University Wisconsin to the brink with a spirited second half comeback but fell just short in a 55-52 loss Wednesday night at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.

The Muskies had three chances to tie or take the lead in the final 30 seconds but came up just shy and lost for just the second time in their last 11 games. Concordia defeated Lakeland for the 11th consecutive time, though, and gained some distance on the Muskies in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference standings.

Lakeland (13-7 overall, 11-4 NACC) barged back from a 12-point third quarter deficit to take the lead in the fourth, and the two teams were neck and neck down the stretch. Neither team led by more than three points in the final 6 minutes 27 seconds.

The Falcons (16-4 overall, 13-2 NACC) came up with just enough plays late to win. Concordia answered with baskets immediately after both times when the Muskies took the lead in the fourth, and the guests also had two blocked shots and two offensive rebounds in the final minutes.

Lakeland trailed by just one when Maddy Doll (Jr.-Florence, Wis.) came up with a steal in the final minute, but a layup attempt was blocked by Brianna Wagner and out of bounds off the Muskies with 23 seconds remaining. The Falcons then missed two free throws, but Lakeland turned it over on a traveling call with six seconds left. Samantha Blissett then made two free throws with five seconds left to put CUW up by three, and the Muskies were unable to get off a three-pointer to tie before the buzzer.

Lakeland could take comfort in its effort to rally in a game where it was behind much of the way. The Muskies trailed the entire second and third quarters, including a seven-point halftime margin that the Falcons maintained for the third period.

The Muskies were down 37-25 with 4:13 left in the third and 42-33 at the end of the quarter before mounting a comeback. Doll and Rachel Stankevich (Jr.-Goodman, Wis.) had four points each and Kayla Clark (Sr.-West Bend, Wis.) added a layup, and then Stankevich hit a three-pointer with 4:45 left for a 46-44 lead.

Wagner answered with a short jumper for Concordia to tie the game right back up at 46-46, but Clark then hit a tough jumper to make it 48-46 with 3:47 remaining. The Falcons answered again, though, as Baylee Barker hit a three-pointer from the left wing, putting CUW ahead for good, albeit tenuously.

Stankevich finished with 11 points and Clark and Bailey Grayvold (Sr.-Norway, Mich.) added 10 points each in the low-scoring game dominated by defense. The Muskies shot 38.5% (20 of 52), including just 3 of 19 from three-point range, but held Concordia to an even lower shooting percentage of 36.2% (21 of 58).

Barker and Wagner both scored 11 points each to lead the Falcons, while Audrey Scharmer added seven points and 12 rebounds. Blissett also scored six points and added a game-high seven assists.

Lakeland is back in action Saturday when it travels to face Dominican (Ill.) University at 2 p.m. in River Forest, Ill.