KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Kalamazoo College pulled away in the third quarter and the Lakeland University women's basketball team had more offensive struggles in dropping a 75-63 decision Friday afternoon to wrap up a two-day trip to Michigan.

The Muskies needed a fourth-quarter rally to finish shooting 30.9% for the game and finished 0-2 in their stay in lower Michigan after also falling to Calvin College Friday. Lakeland finished the 2024 portion of its schedule with a 5-6 record before jumping into the heart of Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference play starting in January.

The Muskies weathered an up-and-down first half to trail 37-31 at the halftime break, but the Hornets (5-5 overall) scored the first nine points of the third quarter. Lakeland went nearly five minutes without a point, and Kalamazoo opened up a 19-point lead at 56-37 after a three-pointer by Lewie Wilks with 1:23 remaining in the period.

The Hornets would lead by as many as 20 points in the final quarter before the Muskies began mounting a rally in the last minutes. Lakeland made 8 of 13 shots in the fourth quarter (61.5%) after shooting 23.6% over the first three quarters. The Muskies chipped away and got as close as 12 on two occasions in the final two minutes and had opportunities to get even closer with Kalamazoo scoring just five points in the final five minutes.

Lakeland scored the game's first points and led for most of the first quarter, going up by as much as five at 15-10 on a layup by Halle Boldt (Sr.-Sheboygan, Wis.) with 2:54 left in the period. Kalamazoo finished the quarter on a 10-2 run, with a layup by Lauren Vanderstelt as the clock expired putting the Hornets ahead 20-17. The hosts then started to pull ahead in the second quarter, leading by 10 with less than a minute left before Alexis Johnson (Jr.-Sheboygan, Wis.) made two free throws and then a layup to get the Muskies back within six at the half.

Johnson finished with 18 points, including making 8 of 9 from the free throw line, and also added six rebounds. A.T. Bartlett (Jr.-Farmington Hills, Mich.) also scored 16 points with six boards and Boldt added 12 points plus a team-best eight rebounds. Lauryn Johnson (Jr.-Kenosha, Wis.) also added six rebounds.

Ruby Hogan led Kalamazoo with 21 points and Jordan Wesaw added a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds. The Hornets shot 42.9% (27 of 63) and outrebounded the Muskies 51-42.

Lakeland is now off for 18 days before its next game in the new year, when the Muskies travel of take on Milwaukee School of Engineering Wednesday, Jan. 8 at 7 p.m.