PLYMOUTH, Wis. – Wisconsin Lutheran College scored the go-ahead touchdown with under two minutes left in the game and a last-ditch miraculous final play came up just short as the Lakeland University football team fell 34-31 Saturday afternoon at John Taylor Memorial Field.

Not even the good vibes of Homecoming could carry the Muskies through as a season of painfully close defeats continued. Lakeland lost by three points or less or in overtime for the third time in dropping to 1-5 overall and 1-3 in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference.

The Muskies rallied from a 27-13 halftime deficit to take the lead in the fourth quarter. A turnover on Lakeland's next drive proved costly, though, as Wisconsin Lutheran (2-4 overall, 2-2 NACC) drove down the field to retake the lead and then came up with two stops in the final two minutes to preserve the win, albeit one by the skin of its teeth on the final play of the game.

The Muskies took a 31-27 lead in the fourth quarter after Robby Michael (Sr.-Sheboygan, Wis.) hit Deshawn Hampton (Jr.-Hazel Crest, Ill.) over the middle for a 50-yard touchdown with 9:41 left in the game. Lakeland was driving again, down at the WLC 29-yard line after a 4th-and-11 conversion when Michael found Mason Motquin (So.-Forestville, Wis.) for 19 yards, but on the next play Michael aired it out deep to the end zone and Lutheran's Landon Bryant intercepted the pass in the end zone to halt the drive.

The Lakeland defense had shut down and shut out the Warriors in the second half to that point, getting stops on five straight drives and allowing the visitors a combined 21 yards on those drives. Wisconsin Lutheran bested that on the first play of its next drive, though, with Benett Reader making a heavily contested 39-yard catch over the middle, and from there the Warriors were in business. Lutheran ran the ball the next six plays, eating up clock and taking the lead back when Liam Heiges scored from seven years out to make it 34-31 with 1:57 left in the game.

The Muskies' presumed final drive initially looked ready to kick into gear when Caden Kleparski (So.-Unity, Wis.) continued a huge game with a 16-yard catch on 2nd-and-15 for a first down. Lakeland stalled out from there, though, and Michael's fourth down pass over the middle was intercepted by Bryant with 1:01 left in the game.

The Muskies still possessed two timeouts, and were able to slow up the Warriors enough to force a fourth down punt with 11 seconds left. Lakeland nearly blocked the punt, and Motquin made a fair catch at the LU 26 with five seconds remaining. The Muskies had one final play, and after looking deep Michael took off up the middle of the field, getting past the 50 and into Warriors territory. With a defender coming up, Michael from the WLC 41 then threw a lateral across the field to the left to Kleparski, who suddenly had blockers ahead of him and just one man to beat. Kleparski raced down the sideline but Wisconsin Lutheran's Chris Korb knocked him out of bounds at the 4-yard line, just before the Lakeland receiver could make a diving attempt for the end zone and ending the game.

The Muskies finished gaining a season-high 606 yards, posting more yards than their opponent for the fifth time in six games. Lakeland outgained Wisconsin Lutheran by a nearly 2-to-1 margin, but missed opportunities in the first half and on special teams combined to put the Muskies in a hole in the first half.

Lakeland was stopped on downs on its first two drives, but then answered an early Warriors touchdown with an eight-play, 55-yard drive late in the first quarter capped by Michael's perfectly placed 29-yard pass to Jaden Davis (Wentzville, Wis.) in the back of the end zone for the freshman's second touchdown catch of the season. The Muskies then had two opportunities early in the second quarter to take the lead, but a pair of drives ended in Lutheran territory, one after Lakeland drove as far as the WLC 8-yard line before turning it over on downs.

Wisconsin Lutheran than scored 20 points over the final 5:24 of the first half, cashing in on three straight drives. The Muskies broke in between the Warriors' second and third touchdowns of the quarter with a quick five-play, 66-yard drive of their own that included Kleparski turning a short pass from Michael into a 64-yard reception down to the WLC 2. The Muskies finally scored on 4th-and-goal from the 2 with Michael hitting Kleparski on a roll out right for the touchdown to make it 20-13 before the Warriors answered and pushed the margin back to two touchdowns going to halftime.

Lakeland rallied in the second half with three straight touchdown drives. Michael scored from two yards out to cap a nine-play, 73-yard march, but a low snap on the extra point kept the score at 27-19. The Muskies crept closer with another nine-play drive, going 58 yards and capped with Jeremy Kobe (Sr.-Milwaukee, Wis.) making a strong catch in the end zone on a 3-yard pass in traffic for a touchdown. A two-point conversion pass attempt failed, though, and Lakeland also settled for six points after Hampton's touchdown catch with 9:41 left in the game when another two-point pass attempt fell incomplete.

Michael completed 26 of 51 passes for 441 yards and four touchdowns, with Kleparski catching nine balls for a career-high 163 yards. Kobe also caught six passes for 73 yards and Lamarious Liggins (Fr.-Memphis, Tenn.) added three receptions for 65 yards. Jontae Lambert (Fr.-Fort Wayne, Ind.) led Lakeland in rushing with eight rushes for 60 yards.

Trayvonne Roberts (Jr.-Lynwood, Ill.) led the Muskies' defense with 10 tackles and Kenyon Peoples (Jr.-Lansing, Ill.) added nine tackles (seven solo) with 4.5 tackles for loss including 2.5 sacks. Lakeland held Wisconsin Lutheran to 1-for-10 on third downs.

Lakeland goes on the road next week when it takes on Benedictine University at 1 p.m. in Lisle, Ill.