RIVER FOREST, Ill. – A second matchup in four days against the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference regular season champions proved a difficult task for the Lakeland University men's volleyball team, which saw its season come to a close with a three-set loss to Dominican University in the NACC Tournament quarterfinals.

The eighth-seeded Muskies fell to the top seed Stars 25-21, 25-12, 25-11 Tuesday night at Dominican's Igini Sports Forum. Lakeland finished its season with a 7-17 overall record, while the Stars improved to 17-7 and advanced to a semifinal match against fourth-seeded Milwaukee School of Engineering, after MSOE swept No. 5 Concordia University Wisconsin in three sets Tuesday.

The Muskies were unable to duplicate their effort against Dominican three days earlier, when Lakeland in its regular season finale at home took the Stars to four sets. Dominican eventually prevailed 25-17, 23-25, 25-22, 25-15, but not before the Muskies won the second set and led late into the third set.

Lakeland was competitive in the first set but never led in the match and was tied on just three occasions. The Stars in particular dominated the final two sets as the Muskies struggled on the attack with 12 kills and 19 errors over the final two sets.

Lakeland did hit .207 with 10 kills and four errors in the first set, but Dominican held a working margin throughout and led by as much as six points before the Muskies rallied late. Four straight points brought Lakeland within 22-20 late in the set, but a service error and two kills gave the Stars the opening set.

Dominican then raced out to a quick 4-0 lead in the second set and then sailed away with an 11-1 run later to go ahead 21-6. The Stars then scored four straight points early in the third set to build a 6-2 lead, and blew it open later with a 13-2 run to get to match point, eventually closing the match out three points later.

Ben Busalacchi (Sr.-Muskego, Wis.) led Lakeland with nine kills and added five digs. Jordan Davis-Troller (So.-Cottage Grove, Wis.), Jakob Donohue (So.-Milwaukee, Wis.) and Levi Everts (Jr.-Hartford, Wis.) all added four kills each. Chase Anderson (So.-Hartford, Wis.) finished with 15 assists and Drew Green (Sr.-Brooklyn Center, Minn.) posted seven digs.