PLYMOUTH, Wis. – Edgewood University's Katie Borchert finished with 14 kills and the Lakeland University women's volleyball team fell in three sets in its home opener Thursday night at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.

The Eagles prevailed 25-21, 25-23, 25-17 in what also marked the Muskies' first game of the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference loop. Edgewood improved to 2-0 in conference (8-3 overall) while Lakeland fell to 5-10 overall.

A young Muskies team starting two freshmen and four sophomores challenged the two-time defending NACC champions and even held the upper hand at times. Lakeland went to the wire with Edgewood in the second set and made runs at the end of the first and third sets, but had to come from too far back in both of the latter and overall was unable to match the Eagles' efficiency.

Edgewood hit .310 as a team with 41 kills and just 10 errors, including .364 or better in the first and third sets. Lakeland hit a respectable .184 and nearly matched the Eagles in kills with 39, but also committed 20 attack errors as well as 13 service errors.

Edgewood never trailed in the first set, getting to set point at 24-13 before the Muskies ran off eight straight points, including three service aces by Maleigha Kovalaske (So.-Ripon, Wis.). Even after losing the set, Lakeland carried the momentum early in the second set, taking an early 7-3 lead after three early kills from Samya Hughes (Fr.-Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.).

The Muskies still led until the Eagles scored three straight points to go ahead 18-17, and from there it was neck-and-neck to the finish line in the set. The teams were tied for the eighth time in the set at 22-22, but Edgewood received a kill from Borchert and then a kill from middle blocker Martina Hosticka on the second set point.

The teams were tied twice early in the third set, but the Eagles pulled away with a 9-3 run capped by a kill by Nida Zukauskaite for a 10-5 lead. Lakeland followed with three straight points including consecutive kills by Faith Baker (So.-Verona, Ill.), but never got closer and Edgewood stretched it out with an 8-2 run late, including Borchert posting kills for four of the guests' final six points.

Hughes led Lakeland with 11 kills and Rylee Esquibel (So.-Devine, Texas) added nine kills plus 11 digs. Kenzie Jackson (Fr.-Mansfield, Texas) also added eight kills and Kovalaske led the Muskies with 14 digs. Sydney Gay (So.-Rice Lake, Wis.) also added 33 assists.

Borchert also led Edgewood with 12 digs. Zukauskaite added seven kills.

Lakeland is home again on Saturday, hosting a non-conference triangular including Ripon College and Elmhurst (Ill.) University. The Muskies take on Ripon at noon and Elmhurst at 5 p.m., and the two visiting teams also will face each other at 2:30 p.m.