WAUWATOSA, Wis. – Wisconsin Lutheran College got off to a hot start with 29 points in the first quarter and the Lakeland University women's basketball team was defeated 88-61 Wednesday night at WLC's Time of Grace Center.

The Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference power Warriors defeated the Muskies for the second time this season and sent Lakeland to its second straight loss. The Muskies dropped to 7-10 overall and 4-5 in the NACC, while Lutheran improved to 11-5 overall and 7-1 in conference.

Wisconsin Lutheran never trailed in the game and shot 64.3% (11 of 17) in building a 29-16 lead after one quarter. The Muskies did hang around for much of the first half, and trailed by 12 when Sydney Nimsakont (So.-Glendale Heights, Ill.) hit two free throws to cut the Warriors' lead to 43-31 with 1:42 left before halftime.

WLC scored the final four points of the first half, though, to take a 47-31 halftime lead, and then blew the game open with a big third quarter. The Warriors outscored the Muskies 21-7 in the third to lead 68-38 after three periods, before Lakeland finished with its best quarter in the fourth, scoring 23 points in the final 10 minutes.

A.T. Bartlett (Sr.-Farmington Hills, Mich.) scored 17 points and added team highs with seven rebounds and seven steals while also going 7-for-7 from the free throw line for Lakeland. Nimsakont also scored 14 points off the bench, including 5 of 5 from the line, and Meghan MacPhee (Jr.-Marquette, Mich.) added seven points.

The Muskies shot 33.9% for the game (19 of 56), including 5 of 22 from three-point range. Lakeland also committed 29 turnovers.

Abby Cole scored 22 points for Wisconsin Lutheran, making 7 of 9 from the field including 4 of 6 three-point attempts. Maddie Ratzow added 17 points off the bench. The Warriors finished shooting 48.5% (32 of 66) including 9 of 19 from three-point range (47.4%).
 
The Muskies are home for their next game Saturday when they host Aurora University at 1 p.m. in the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.