PLYMOUTH, Wis. – Milwaukee School of Engineering came out of the gates fast and the Lakeland University women's basketball team spent the rest of the game playing catchup in a 70-56 loss Saturday afternoon at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.

MSOE shot 69.2% in the opening quarter and led the rest of the way in improving to 12-5 overall and 6-2 in Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference play. Lakeland fell for the fifth time in conference play in a schedule that has now seen the Muskies play the teams taking up the top five spots in the NACC standings at the midway point of the season.

The Muskies (4-12 overall, 2-5 NACC) never led in the game, only tying twice in the game's early minutes, the last time after a steal and layup by A.T. Bartlett (So.-Farmington Hills, Mich.) tied the score at 5-5 just over three minutes in. The Raiders followed with nine consecutive points and went on to tie their season high for points in a quarter in taking a 24-13 lead after one period.

Lakeland would hang around the rest of the game, falling behind by as much as 17 late in the first half but closing within 35-24 by halftime after consecutive layups by Caris Jaeger (Fr.-Oostburg, Wis.) in the final minute of the half. The Muskies would get even closer in the second half, drawing within six in the third quarter when Jenna Caterino (Jr.-Stanton, Mich.) hit a three-pointer from the top of the circle to cut MSOE's lead to 39-33 with 5:33 left in the period.

The Raiders would wind up with seven points over their next two trips down the court, though, to regain control of the game. Halena Hill was scored and drew a foul to put MSOE up 41-33, and after Hill missed the free throw the Raiders' Ella Mensen grabbed the offensive rebound, then fed Nina Perl for a layup. MSOE's Mahima Chokshi was then fouled while shooting the next time down and made her first free throw but missed the second. Mensen grabbed the offensive rebound again, and five seconds later Hill scored on a layup with an assist from Chokshi to push the Raiders' lead back out to 13 points at 46-33.

Lakeland never got closer than 10 points the rest of the way, the last time when Bartlett hit a jumper to make it 58-48 with 4:33 left in the game. MSOE closed it out at the free throw line, making 7 of 10 from the line in the final minute.

Bartlett scored 12 points and Jenna Shea (Fr.-Appleton, Wis.) added 11 points for Lakeland, which shot 37.7% (20 of 53), including 6 of 23 from three-point range (26.1%). Caterino added nine points, Jaeger added season highs with seven points and seven rebounds, and Sadie Conway (Sr.-Monroe, Wis.) also added a career-high eight rebounds.

Chokshi scored 20 points to lead MSOE, making 8 of 13 shots from the field including 3 of 4 from three-point range. Skylar Flanagan scored 14 points, Hill added 13 and Mensen chipped in five points plus a career-high 11 rebounds off the bench. The Raiders shot 46.9% for the game, making 23 of 49 shots, and outrebounded Lakeland 41-33.

The Muskies now begin a stretch of three straight games on the road, starting with a trip to face Rockford University Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Rockford, Ill.