Edgewood College answered another late charge by the Lakeland University women's basketball team with a final surge of its own, finishing the game on a 17-3 run to send the Muskies to a 70-52 loss Saturday afternoon at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.

The Eagles proved a difficult matchup for Lakeland for the second straight year, following up last year's sweep of the Muskies with a sweep in both teams' Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference openers. Edgewood also remained undefeated, improving to 5-0 overall while Lakeland dropped to 0-5 overall.

The Eagles finished the game strong after the Muskies had whittled a 17-point third quarter deficit down to four in the fourth quarter, making a move late in the game for the second time this week. Amanda Majewski (Sr.-Peshtigo, Wis.) drained her second three-pointer of the game to cut Edgewood's lead to 53-49 with 6 minutes, 25 seconds left in the game, but Lakeland would score just three points the rest of the way.

The Eagles finished the game scoring the final 11 points, including a key sequence with just over two minutes left. After Megan Will (Jr.-Lake Mills, Wis.) had scored to make it 59-52 with 2:45 left, Parker Fetherston hit a three-pointer to put Edgewood back up by ten. The Eagles' Bria Lemirande then stole the inbounds pass right under the basket and laid the ball in for a 64-52 lead, and Lakeland was called for an offensive foul the next time down.

The Muskies shot 28.6% for the game, making 18 of 63 shots, including 6 of 25 from three-point range (24.0%). Edgewood also outrebounded the Muskies 55-32, and also struck with big runs in all four quarters, including taking a 9-2 lead to start the game.

Lakeland still found a way in the first half to wipe out a seven-point deficit and take a 24-19 lead after a steal and layup by Janai' Farr (Jr.-Racine, Wis.) with 4:45 left in the second quarter. The Muskies received a lift from the bench, with Farr and Morgan Zenon (So.-Twin Lakes, Wis.) scoring five points each and Kylie Birkholz (Sr.-Kenosha, Wis.) hitting a three-pointer as the reserves scored 15 points in the first half.

Lakeland would score just one point the rest of the half, though, and the Eagles finished the first half on a 15-1 run for a 34-25 lead. Edgewood would eventually stretch the lead to 46-29 in the third quarter after another 10-0 spurt before Lakeland answered with 15 of the next 18 points to get within four in the fourth.

Will scored 16 points to lead Lakeland while Farr added eight points off the bench. Brianna Jones (Fr.-Indianapolis, Ind.) added seven rebounds and Kacey Gardner (So.-Evergreen Park, Ill.) finished with five steals.

Freshman Emma Klein led Edgewood with 22 points and added eight rebounds. The Eagles also received contributions from their bench with Fetherston and Diamond Pikulyk both adding 11 points. Edgewood shot 41.7% for the game, making 25 of 60 shots, including 8 of 18 from three-point range (44.4%).

Lakeland next will go on the road after the Thanksgiving holiday when it faces Benedictine University next Saturday at 4:15 p.m. in Lisle, Ill.