PLYMOUTH, Wis. – Concordia University Wisconsin finished the game on a 26-10 run and the Lakeland University women's basketball team will be on the road for its Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Tournament opener after falling 71-63 Saturday evening at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.

The Falcons evened the season series between the teams and earned the fourth seed in the NACC Tournament with the win. The loss sets the Muskies as the No. 5 seed in the tourney, meaning the teams will meet again in three days on CUW's homecourt in Mequon at 7 p.m. Tuesday night in the first round of the conference tourney.

Lakeland (14-11 overall, 12-6 NACC) will enter a third meeting between the teams knowing it can defeat CUW, having topped the Falcons 58-42 on the road Jan. 4, but also with a bitter taste after controlling much of the game Saturday.

A festive day started with honoring the teams' six seniors: Katie Bleck (Weyauwega, Wis.), Lauren Downs (West Bend, Wis.), Ellie Felsinger (Cedar Grove, Wis.), Kacey Gardner (Sr.-Evergreen Park, Ill.), Brianna Jones (Indianapolis, Ind.) and Nicole Sachman (Niles, Mich.).

Five of the seniors started the game, and the Muskies led by as much as 15 points in the latter stages of the second quarter, and after a Concordia rally in the third had stretched the lead back out to 53-45 on a basket inside by Mackenzie Miller (Fr.-Schoolcraft, Mich.) with 8:43 left in the contest. The game would turn soon after, though, with the Falcons making one clutch basket after another down the stretch while Lakeland struggled.

Madeline Taubenheim answered Miller's hoop with a three-pointer to get Concordia back within five, and two free throws trimmed the Muskies' margin to three. Reagan Obry then hit a three-pointer with six minutes left to tie it, and after a number of empty possessions by both teams the Falcons took the lead at 55-53 on a layup by Emily Hafemann with just over four minutes to play.

Hafemann scored again next time down to push the margin to four before Miller answered to stop an over five-minute Lakeland scoring drought. Obry converted a three-point play, though, to put CUW ahead 60-55 with three minutes left, and after two free throws by Miller the Falcons got a dagger from Lily Guerra, who hit a three-pointer from the top of the circle with 1:45 remaining for a 63-57 lead. The Muskies would get no closer than four the rest of the way, as the Falcons-who missed nine of their first 12 free throw attempts in the first half and hit just 3 of 11 in the teams' first meeting in January-would make 8 of their last 9 from the line in the final 37 seconds.

Concordia (15-10 overall, 14-4 NACC) shot 56.0% in the second half, making 14 of 25 shots, including 5 of 10 from three-point range, plus 13 of 15 from the line. Lakeland was as hot as the Falcons were cold, hitting just 28.9% (11 of 38) in the final 20 minutes, and also committing nine of its 11 turnovers for the game.

The Muskies' Senior Day appeared to be going according to plan especially through the first half. After both teams struggled to get their footing early, Lakeland took the lead just past the midway point of the quarter, led 15-12 after one period and then took over with a 19-2 run over a span of less than five minutes.

Miller and Gardner also scored six points in the run and Sydney Walker (Jr.-Flint, Mich.) added four points, including a coast-to-coast layup to put the Muskies ahead 34-19 with 4:15 left in the half. Even after cooling late in the second quarter, Lakeland still took a 36-25 lead into halftime.

Miller set a career high for the second time in three games, scoring 22 points and adding a game-high eight rebounds. Gardner and Walker also added 10 points each, with Gardner also pulling down seven rebounds and adding four assists. Kerstin Sauerbrei (Jr.-Ripon, Wis.) added six points on two three-pointers plus three steals.

Lakeland finished shooting 36.0%, making 27 of 75 shots, and also made 6 of 13 from the foul line (46.2%). Concordia finished shooting 22 of 48 (45.8%), including 6 of 17 from long range, and also went to the free throw line 34 times, making 21 (61.8%). Obry led the Falcons with 16 points and Hafemann added 15 points.

The Muskies will take on CUW Tuesday night at 7 p.m. at the Falcons' R. John Buuck Fieldhouse in one of two first round games in the six-team NACC Tournament. No. 3 Aurora University hosts sixth-seeded Edgewood College in the other first round game.