MADISON, Wis. – Despite a dominant interior performance from Diamond Pikulyk (18 points and 10 boards) and Allison Gordon (14 points), the Edgewood College women's basketball team let their fourth quarter lead slip away at Lakeland, 63-54, on Tuesday night.
Pikulyk, who posted the second double-double of her young career, and Gordon shot a combined 13-for-25 from the floor and led an interior attack that outscored the Muskies (9-7, 6-5 NACC), 38-20, inside the paint. The rest of their teammates shot 8-for-27 (29.6 percent) and couldn't find their shooting touch to overcome Lakeland's 20-for-25 performance at the free throw line.
Delaney Wilhelm converted a jumper inside the paint to give the Eagles (6-10, 4-7 NACC) a 33-32 midway through the third quarter. Their lead climbed to as high as five points and would hold until Lakeland's leading scorer, Rachel Stankevich, scored three straight points to put the Muskies ahead for good, 46-45, with 7:31 left in the fourth quarter.
Gordon kept the Eagles in it with a layup and free throw make to pull the Eagles within 54-50 a few minutes later. That would be the closest the Eagles would come as the Muskies went on an 8-0 run to seal the Eagles fourth straight defeat. Lakeland knocked down 11 of their 14 free throws in the final period and outscored the Eagles 22-11. It was enough to thwart an Eagle defense that held the Muskie offense under 35 percent shooting for the second time this season.
Pikulyk and Gordon combined for 21 points on 10-for-15 shooting and kept the Eagles competitive in a tight first half. Lakeland led a majority of the first two periods and pushed their lead to as many as seven points in the first quarter. The Eagles slowly chipped away and trailed 30-29 at the break.
Stankevich shot just 4-for-16 from the floor, but knocked down 9 of 11 free throws in a 17-point performance for the Muskies. She also pulled down 10 rebounds and was one of three Muskies in double figures.
The Eagles aim for a season sweep at Alverno (5-11, 2-9 NACC) this Saturday at 6:00 p.m. The Inferno won at Rockford, 63-44, on Tuesday in their second conference win of the season.
