RIVER FALLS, Wis. (uwrfsports.com) - The UWRF women's basketball team led 51-45 with only three minutes remaining after a three pointer from Lori Wardynski, but Lakeland College made five of their last six free throws to take a 55-53 win over the Falcons in Plymouth, Wis. on Saturday night. 

Abby Nylund hit a three pointer and Miranda Jacobson made a layup to cut the Falcons' lead to 51-50 with a minute remaining in the game. Megan Will made two free throws with 38 seconds remaining to go ahead 52-51, but Taylor Paulsrud hit her only shot of the game with 30 seconds left to retake the lead. Jacobson made two more clutch free throws to take the lead with 20 seconds left, and Paulsrud missed a potential game-winner with five seconds left before fouling out of the game. Jacobson only made one of her two free throws the second time to the line, and UWRF had a chance to take a timeout and draw up a play with five seconds left after Crystal Pearson secured the rebound. Freshman Jenna Zeman was fouled with only two second remaining, but she missed her free throw and the Falcons fell to the Muskies in a hard-fought battle. 

The Falcons led the majority of the game, not trailing from midway through the first quarter until the Muskies momentarily went up 45-44 with seven minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. The game was close throughout, as the Falcons had their largest lead of seven near the end of the third quarter before the Muskies went on a run. Wardynski had a team-high 12 points on 5-12 shooting against Lakeland, including nine in the first half. Freshman Brianna Leahy brought down 13 rebounds off the bench and dished out three assists. Pearson led the starters with eight points and four rebounds, while Brianna Koop had eight points and Zeman had seven points and five rebounds. UWRF had 36 of their 53 points come from off the bench, but they were outscored 19-8 overall in the crucial fourth quarter. 

The Falcons had a tougher time shooting the ball on Saturday compared to Gustavus on Friday, posting lines of 38 percent overall and 27 percent from beyond the arc. They also shot 13 fewer free throws than on Friday and only finished 5-11 for 45 percent at the line against Lakeland. The Muskies were led by Jacobson with 18 points and eight rebounds and Will with 12 points and 3 blocks. 

UWRF is now 1-1 and will face Carleton College in Northfield, Minn. on Tuesday at 7 p.m.