RIVER FOREST, Ill. – The Lakeland University women's basketball team saw a huge lead slip away in the second half but steadied the ship in time to secure a 66-57 win over Dominican University Wednesday night on the road in a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference game.

The Muskies put together a three-game winning streak for the first time this season by racing out to a 24-point lead and then holding off a charge by the Stars, answering every time the hosts drew close late. Lakeland improved to 11-7 overall and is now 8-5 in the NACC, solidly in fifth place in the conference with seven regular season games to play.

The Muskies dominated the first half, building their biggest lead at 30-6 on a layup by Megan Will (Fr.-Lake Mills, Wis.) with 5 minutes, 57 seconds left in the second quarter. That capped a 25-0 run over a span of 7:47 as Dominican missed nine straight shots and also committed seven turnovers.

Lakeland still led 35-14 at halftime, but the Stars (9-9 overall, 5-8 NACC) did not quit. Dominican scored 27 points in the third quarter, including an 18-2 run of their own to get back into it, and the Stars then scored eight consecutive points bookending the end of the third quarter and even had a chance to tie it when Amari Stafford hit one of two free throws made it 45-44 with 9:27 left in the game.

The Muskies had the answers late. Amanda Majewski (So.-Peshtigo, Wis.) hit a three-pointer to push the lead to 51-46 and Rachel Stankevich (Sr.-Goodman, Wis.) scored 11 of her 16 points in the final quarter, including five straight capped by a three-point play making it 54-46 with 6:04 left. The Stars closed back within 54-51 with 3:58 left, but Stankevich hit another jumper 45 seconds later and Lakeland's lead never fell below five points again.

The Muskies held Dominican to 28.1% shooting for the game (18 of 64), including just 5 of 28 (17.9%) in the first half. Lakeland also outrebounded the Stars 53-45 and forced 20 turnovers, finishing with a 24-12 advantage in points off turnovers.

Miranda Jacobson (Jr.-Felch, Mich.) led the Muskies with a career-high 22 points and 10 rebounds, making 7 of 13 field goals and 7 of 8 from the free throw line. Abby Nylund (Fr.-Crystal Falls, Mich.) also added 10 points and a career-best nine rebounds.
 
Lakeland is back home Saturday when it welcomes Alverno College for a 4:15 p.m. tip-off at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.