PLYMOUTH, Wis. – The Lakeland University women's basketball team found its stride to make a push late against St. Norbert College before falling 62-46 in both teams' Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference openers Wednesday night at the Woltzen Gymnasium.

The Muskies found some offensive rhythm and cut a 17-point deficit to nine before the Green Knights hit several clutch shots late to ice the game. Lakeland fell to one of the top teams in the NACC and is now 1-6 overall on the season, while St. Norbert improved to 4-1.

The Muskies had one of their best offensive quarters of the season in the fourth, making 6 of 11 field goals and scoring 18 points, only 10 below their output in the first three quarters. Lakeland trailed 45-28 entering the fourth but a three-pointer by Jenna Caterino (So.-Stanton, Mich.) started an 11-2 run that also included three consecutive baskets inside by Mackenzie Miller (Fr.-Schoolcraft, Mich.), the last one drawing the Muskies within 48-39 with 6:39 left in the game.

St. Norbert would answer the next time down, right at the end of the shot clock. With three seconds left on the clock, Olivia DeCleene inbounded from the baseline to Kaycee Gierczak, received the ball right back in the left corner and drained a three-pointer as the shot clock expired. The Muskies would whittle the deficit back down to 10 after a layup by Kacey Gardner (Sr.-Evergreen Park, Ill.), but DeCleene made two free throws and then Casey Jepson scored on a short jumper to make it 55-41 with 3:44 left, coming after an offensive rebound by DeCleene and effectively putting the game out of reach.

Both teams struggled offensively for much of the game, but the Green Knights took advantage of an icy Lakeland stretch in the second quarter to build a halftime lead and then stretched it out in the third quarter.

The Muskies led by as many as six in the first quarter, taking an early 14-8 lead after a jumper by Gardner, but St. Norbert scored the final seven points of the quarter to take a 15-14 lead after one period. Lakeland would go back ahead at 16-15 after a runner by Alexa Yost (Jr.-Menasha, Wis.) to start the second quarter, but the Muskies would then go cold, missing their next 13 shots.

The Green Knights weren't much more effective, shooting 27.0% (10 of 37) in the first half, but still took a 25-18 lead into halftime. St. Norbert would build on the lead in the third, and took its largest lead of the game at 43-26 on a jumper by Emma Morrissey with 2:39 left in the period.

The Muskies finished shooting 31.7%, making 19 of 60 field goals. Gardner scored 12 points and added a team-high eight rebounds, Miller scored 10 points and Kerstin Sauerbrei (Jr.-Ripon, Wis.) added eight. Miller and Brianna Jones (Sr.-Indianapolis, Ind.) also added two blocked shots each and Lakeland swatted eight St. Norbert shots. 

DeCleene was a thorn in the Muskies' side throughout, the 5-foot-4 senior guard scoring 14 points, chasing down 10 rebounds and adding four steals. Jepson added 12 points. St. Norbert shot 34.3% (24 of 70) including just 4 of 28 from three-point range (14.3%), but outrebounded Lakeland 50-37.

Lakeland is home again Saturday when it welcomes Dominican University for a 4:15 p.m. tip at the Woltzen Gym.