MADISON, Wis. - The opportunities for an upset of first place Wisconsin Lutheran College were there for the taking, but the Edgewood College women's basketball team couldn't capitalize down the stretch in a 68-49 setback at the Todd Wehr Edgedome. The Eagles were as close as five points inside the final four minutes of the game before going cold from the field. Edgewood College fell to 5-13, 4-9 in the NACC.

Edgewood College trailed 50-38 early in the fourth period, but pulled within five points on a 9-2 run. Sierra Jiran hit a jumper, followed by two Rachel Pope free throws to start their surge. Then Allison Gordon scored on a drive to the basket and followed it with a three-point play on the next possession to bring Edgewood College within 52-47 with 3:52 to go.

However, Wisconsin Lutheran College (13-5, 11-2 NACC) made two free throws and then converted two Eagle free throws into a basket by Jen Dowden and a three-point point play by Taylor Bahr to put the game out of reach at 58-47. The Eagles missed on their next five shots, before Pope scored a layup in the final minute.

The Eagles kept within shouting distance of the Warriors through the first half, by shooting 45 percent from the field. Edgewood College grabbed their only lead of the game on a basket by Marissa Hoyer late in the first period. The Eagles had a chance to close the first period with the lead, but a turnover led to a three-point basket for WLC's Karisa Pederson. Wisconsin Lutheran also helped keep the Eagles close by shooting just 9-for-21 at the free throw line, before converting on their last four attempts in the final minute of the game.

Pope led the Eagles with 16 points, including 7-for-10 at the free throw line. Gordon added all nine of her points in the second half. Jiran had eight points, a game-high nine rebounds and four blocked shots. Jiran also shared team-high honors in assists with Jazmin Little with four apiece. The Eagles cooled off from the field in the second half, finishing the game at 35.3 percent.

Wisconsin Lutheran received 17 points from Caitlin Knueppel, and a pair of 12-point performances from Dowden and Bahr. The Warriors finished the game shooting 44.6 percent from the floor. With the win, the Warriors maintained a share of first place in the NACC with Concordia University Wisconsin.

Edgewood College goes on the road Saturday for a trip to Thornton Gymnasium and Aurora University. The Eagles and Spartans get underway at 4:15 p.m.