STEVENS POINT, Wis. – The road continued to be unkind to the Lakeland University women's basketball team in a 68-42 loss to the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Tuesday night in a non-conference game at Berg Gymnasium.
The Muskies stayed within striking distance of their Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference foe into the middle of the third quarter before the Pointers closed the period with 12 straight points to take full control. Lakeland dropped to 0-5 on the season, while UWSP improved to 5-1.
The Muskies had a tough night shooting but scrapped to stay in the game against their considerably taller opponent. Lakeland trailed 28-19 at halftime after shooting 33.3% in the first half, but fought off a 10-1 UWSP run over a 4 1/2 minute stretch over the first and second quarters to stay in the game.
The Muskies also trimmed a 12-point deficit down to seven in the third quarter, after a three-pointer and a layup by
Sydney Walker (
Jr.-Flint, Mich.) drew Lakeland within 35-28 with 4:53 left in the third quarter. Turnovers and missed shots would plague the Muskies the rest of the quarter though, and UW-Stevens Point would pull away.
A 12-0 run capped by a three-pointer by Olivia Hoerl gave the Pointers a 47-28 lead at the end of the quarter, as Lakeland missed its final seven shots of the period and also committed four turnovers. The Muskies would get no closer than 15 the rest of the way, the last time on a layup by Walker making it 49-34 in the fourth quarter, but the Pointers pulled away in the fourth, outscoring Lakeland 21-14.
Walker scored a career-high 11 points, making 5 of 10 shots.
Mackenzie Miller (
Fr.-Schoolcraft, Mich.) also scored 10 points and added four rebounds.
Ellie Felsinger (
Sr.-Cedar Grove, Wis.) added five points and a team-high eight rebounds.
Lakeland made 16 of 51 shots (31.4%), including 3 of 16 from three-point range. The Muskies also committed 22 turnovers, seven more than the Pointers and contributing to a 22-8 advantage in points off turnovers for the hosts.
Gabby Gawlitta and Josie Nies scored 12 points each for UWSP, which shot 46.2% (30 of 65). Jamie Pfeifer added 10 points and a game-high 13 rebounds, keying the Pointers' 40-34 rebounding advantage.
Lakeland is on the road again Saturday, traveling to face Lawrence University at 5:15 p.m. in Appleton.
