MADISON, Wis. – The Lakeland University men's volleyball team started fast once again but Edgewood College took over in the final three sets to defeat the Muskies Tuesday night in a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference match at the Todd Wehr Edgedome.

The Eagles closed out a 23-25, 25-21, 25-16, 25-20 victory to remain in the thick of the chase for a spot in the NACC Tournament while nearly extinguishing the Muskies' chances at the tourney. Lakeland now will need to win its last three regular season matches and also would need significant help to get back to the conference tournament.

Lakeland (7-14 overall, 1-8 NACC) won at least one set for the seventh time in nine conference matches. The Muskies also won the first set for the fourth time in nine NACC duels, but lost in four for the sixth time in conference play and the seventh time this season.

Lakeland scored the first five points of the match and never trailed in the first set. The Muskies did see a seven-point lead erased as the Eagles (7-12 overall, 4-6 NACC) came all the way back to tie it at 21-all and again at 22-22 and 23-23. Ben Busalacchi (Sr.-Muskego, Wis.) finished the Edgewood rally, though, finishing the set with back-to-back kills.

Lakeland also got the early jump in the second set, leading 6-2 while scoring five of its first six points on Eagles attack errors. Edgewood slowly began to warm up, though, and then finished the set on an 8-3 run, taking just its second lead of the match at 19-18 in the second and going on to take the set.

The Eagles dominated the third set, hitting .619 in the set with 15 kills in just 21 attacks, and the hosts also took over late in the fourth set. Lakeland led 14-13 after a kill by Sage Xiong (Fr.-Erie, Colo.), but Edgewood scored the next four points and never led by less than two points again.

Busalacchi finished with 14 kills and Levi Everts (Sr.-Hartford, Wis.) added 10 kills. Jakob Donohue (Jr.-Milwaukee, Wis.) also posted eight kills in 11 attacks from his middle position and added four block assists. The Muskies hit just .110 as a team, though, with 41 kills countered by 28 errors in 118 swings, including 15 Edgewood blocks.

Everts also added four blocks (three solo, one assisted) and Chase Anderson (Jr.-Hartford, Wis.) finished with 39 assists.

Ryder Hill-Zastrow led Edgewood with 11 kills plus five blocks (three solo, two assisted). The Eagles hit .265 with 46 kills and 19 errors in 102 attacks.

Lakeland will play at home for the final time this season when it hosts Concordia University Chicago on Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.