MEQUON, Wis. – Concordia University Wisconsin's Logan Navis made a 54-yard field goal as time expired and Lakeland University was again foiled in a close game for the Cheese Bowl trophy in falling 37-34 Saturday afternoon at CUW's Tomasini Stadium.

Navis made the longest field goal in Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference history and the Falcons retained the Cheese Bowl for the third straight year, including the second straight year with a three-point win. Lakeland dropped to 3-4 overall and 3-3 in conference after a wrenching defeat that also all but ended the Muskies' hopes of a second-place finish and the accompanying Lakefront Bowl berth that goes to the conference's runner-up.

The Muskies led by 10 points on two occasions in the second half, including after scoring a touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter to go ahead 34-24. Concordia (5-2 overall, 4-2 NACC) scored the game's final 13 points, though, scoring on its final three drives while the Muskies came up empty on their final two offensive chances.

The Falcons tied the game at 34-34 with 4 minutes, 7 seconds left in the fourth quarter on a 25-yard field goal by Navis, but the Muskies quickly drove into Concordia territory. Lakeland got down to the CUW 24-yard line facing 4th-and-1 and went for it, but Robby Michael (Jr.-Sheboygan, Wis.) was stopped, turning the ball over to the Falcons with one minute left.

Concordia gained a pair of first downs and was at the Lakeland 49 when it used its final timeout with 16 seconds left. CUW quarterback Justin Clark then hit Kevin Lunz for 12 yards over the middle, and the Falcons were able to spike the ball to stop the clock with five seconds remaining for a final field goal attempt. Navis kicked with a favorable wind to his back, and his kick was good to set a new record for the longest field goal in NACC history, bettering the 51-yard kick by Concordia's Dan Winsey Oct. 16, 2010 against Benedictine University.

The kick finished a frustrating day for Lakeland that included an early comeback from an 11-point deficit but also a below-par offensive game combined with struggles to stop the Falcons with consistency.

A week ago the Muskies played nationally ranked Aurora University as well as any NACC opponent has in several years, including holding the Spartans to 100 yards rushing. Concordia gashed Lakeland for 314 yards running the ball, though, averaging 5.5 yards a carry. Caleb Espinoza (136 yards) and Jacob Pugh (103) both rushed for over 100 yards and twenty of the Falcons' 27 first downs were gained on the ground, a big part in the hosts hogging the ball for 37:17 for a huge time of possession advantage of more than 14 minutes.

The Muskies trailed 17-6 in the second quarter before rallying to take a halftime lead. Shortly after an interception had kept Lakeland without points for the third time in its first four drives, Markese Collins (Jr.-Phenix City, Ala.) intercepted Clark deep in CUW territory and returned it 15 yards for a touchdown, his first collegiate score.

The Muskies then stopped Concordia on its next drive, with Jake Leclaire (Sr.-Stuart, Fla.) sacking Clark for a loss of 12 on third down to up his season sack total to 7 1/2 sacks. Lakeland followed with its best sustained drive of the game, going 68 yards in 11 plays capped by Michael's 6-yard run for a score and a 20-17 lead it would take into the intermission.

The Muskies needed just two plays to score again at the start of the second half. Michael dumped off a short pass over the middle to Jatron Bevly (Jr.-Springfield, Ill.), who broke outside to get the first down and then turned up the sideline and went all the way for a 64-yard touchdown to make it 27-17.

Concordia came right back, though, going 75 yards in 10 plays. Pugh finished the drive with runs of 14, 12 and then again 12 yards for a touchdown to cut the Muskies' lead to 27-24.

Lakeland's next drive ended on downs, but the defense then held and the Muskies got the ball back late in the third quarter and would go 60 yards in six plays. Michael completed passes to Kolby Cohen (Sr.-Missouri City, Texas) for 12 and later 24 yards on the drive, and Michael broke through for a 14-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter to make it 34-24.

Michael completed 19 of 30 passes for 264 yards and a touchdown and also rushed 17 times for 58 yards and two scores. The Muskies were held to 363 yards of offense, though, nearly 100 yards below their season average.

Bevly caught four passes for 76 yards and Caleb Besaw (Jr.-Conroe, Texas) and Jeremy Kobe (Jr.-Milwaukee, Wis.) added four catches each for 63 and 43 yards, respectively.

Kenyon Peoples (So.-Lansing, Ill.) finished with 10 tackles (four solo, six assisted) and Leclaire added nine tackles (four solo, five assisted), including two tackles for loss.

Clark completed 11 of 22 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown for Concordia, but 4-for-5 throwing on the Falcons' game-winning drive.

Lakeland is on the road again for its next game when it travels to face St. Norbert College next Saturday at noon in De Pere.