PLYMOUTH, Wis. – The Lakeland University women's basketball team came up one point short in a rally in the final minutes, falling to Benedictine University 69-68 Saturday afternoon at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium in Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference play.

A.T. Bartlett (Sr.-Farmington Hills, Mich.) scored 22 points and Alexis Johnson (Sr.-Sheboygan, Wis.) added 19 points, but the Muskies saw their five-game losing streak ended in narrow fashion. Lakeland dropped to 6-8 overall and 3-3 in the NACC, while Benedictine improved to 10-4 overall and 3-2 in conference.

The Muskies played from behind almost from the beginning after the Eagles got off to a hot start, shooting 57.9% on the way to a 25-point first quarter. Lakeland showed considerable fight, though, battling back from 15 points down in the opening period to take the lead in the second quarter, before the game settled down into a close affair where the Eagles maintained a slim margin most of the second half.

The Muskies trailed 39-35 at halftime and by as much as seven in the third quarter before closing within 52-50 at the end of the third after a layup by Madelyn Abler (Fr.-Random Lake, Wis.) beat the buzzer. Lakeland then tied the game at 52-52 on a layup by Sydney Nimsakont (So.-Glendale Heights, Ill.) with 8:46 left in the game, but Benedictine's Abby Drendel scored the next five points including a three-pointer making it 57-52 with 7:41 left.

The Muskies closed back within one at 57-56 on a steal and layup by Johnson with 6:52 left, but then went cold with just two points over the next four minutes. The Eagles took advantage and extended the lead back to 66-59 on a free throw by Allison Jarvis with 2:31 to play, but Lakeland crawled back within 66-63 after a layup by Bartlett with 51 seconds left.

Benedictine answered late on its next possession, though, as Makenzie Carroll hit an open jumper at the free throw line with 23 seconds left to make it 68-63. Drendel split two foul shots with 11 seconds left to make it 69-65, and after a missed three-pointer and a jump ball, Bartlett hit a three-pointer as time expired for the final points.

The Eagles opened the game making 10 of their first 15 shots in staking an early 23-10 lead just over eight minutes in. Addison Bryant's layup with 35 seconds left in the first quarter gave Benedictine its largest lead at 25-10, but Lakeland fought back and quickly. The Muskies went on a 23-7 run over a stretch of seven minutes, and Ariana Vaitkeviciute (So.-Merrionette Park, Ill.) scored inside to give the hosts a 33-32 lead with 3:30 left in the second quarter.

Bartlett tied career highs with 22 points and 10 rebounds, including four three-pointers, and Johnson added 19 points, making 8 of 10 from the field. Madeline Sasis (Fr.-Huntley, Ill.) also added eight points and five rebounds and Sonia Pagan (So.-Hales Corners, Wis.) finished with seven rebounds.

Lakeland shot 45.9% (28 of 61) and outrebounded Benedictine 43-34. The Muskies committed 24 turnovers, though, 13 more than Benedictine, and also surrendered 17 fast break points to the Eagles.

Benedictine finished shooting 40.0% (26 of 65), including just 30.0% (9 of 30) in the second half. Jarvis scored 17 points and Drendel added 16 points.

Lakeland concludes a three-game homestand in NACC play when it hosts Marian University on Wednesday at 7 p.m.