PLYMOUTH, Wis. – Ben Busalacchi (Sr.-Muskego, Wis.) tied a season high with 18 kills but the Lakeland University men's volleyball team took another close loss in Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference play, falling to Concordia University Wisconsin Tuesday night at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.

The Falcons retained the Highway 57 Cup with a four-set victory, prevailing 25-15, 16-25, 30-28, 26-24. The Muskies dropped their sixth straight match in the NACC and lost in four sets for the fifth time in conference, including their nearest miss yet this year.

Lakeland (6-12 overall, 0-6 NACC) had set points in third and fourth sets that both went past 25 points, including two sets points in the third set. The Muskies also had a 22-18 lead late in the third set, but Concordia (4-11 overall, 2-2 NACC) scored six of the next seven points to earn the first set point.

The teams went back and forth, with Lakeland holding leads of 25-24 and 26-25 after kills from Busalacchi. The Falcons were sparked by Kellen Gonzales, who came in off the bench in the second set with five kills on the season but posted seven kills in the third set alone. On its fourth set point, CUW finally closed the set with a kill from middle blocker Lucas Beres to go ahead 2-1 in the match.

Lakeland trailed much of the fourth set, down by as much as six points before the midway point and still down 18-13 late. The Muskies chipped away, getting a three-point run to close within 18-16 and then scoring three in a row again to get to set point at 24-23. Concordia would come back, tying the score on a Lakeland attack error and then getting kills from Tate Miller and Logan Kebisek to close the match.

The match featured swings of momentum throughout all four sets, including the first set when the Falcons led by five early and then ran away after the Muskies closed within 16-14. CUW finished the set on a 9-1 run, but with adjustments Lakeland bounced back with a strong second set to tie the match. Busalacchi registered eight kills in the second set and the Muskies hit .478 in the second (14 kills, three errors) after registering a negative mark with eight kills and 10 errors in the opening set.

Busalacchi finished with 18 kills and a .394 attack percentage for the night as well as 10 digs. Eli Weinrich (Jr.-Mequon, Wis.) also added nine kills and nine digs, Chase Anderson (Jr.-Hartford, Wis.) finished with 37 assists and a team-high 15 digs, Connor Lewis (Fr.-Oak Lawn, Ill.) added a season-best seven digs and Jordan Davis-Troller (Jr.-Cottage Grove, Wis.) totaled five blocks.

Reid Scott led Concordia with 18 kills, Miller finished with 12 kills and Gonzales added 10 kills.

The Muskies are idle for more than a week before traveling to take on nationally ranked Aurora University Thursday, March 20 at 7 p.m. in Aurora, Ill.