The Dominican University women's basketball team cut a 19-point fourth-quarter deficit all the way down to six with just under a minute to play but could not complete the comeback bid in a 63-54 loss to the Lakeland University Muskies on Saturday afternoon at the Igini Sports Forum.  The loss drops the Stars to 9-6 on the season and 5-5 in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference with ten games to play.
 
"It is very hard to win games when you do not defend or rebound," commented Amanda Parker, the Stars' head women's basketball coach, "and that was the case with us today. We gave Lakeland too many extra opportunities and we did not capitalize on ours.  I am extremely disappointed in our effort and focus. It needs to be better."
 
Lakeland used a 7-0 run over the final three minutes of the first quarter to turn a one-point lead into an 17-9 lead after the first quarter.
 
After Dominican managed to cut two points off its deficit during the second quarter, trailing 28-22 at the break, Lakeland put up a huge third quarter, outscoring the Stars 20-7 in the frame while forcing seven Dominican turnovers and turning those into 12 points.
 
A late 10-0 run for Dominican in the fourth quarter angled the lead all the way down to 56-48 with just under a minute to play.  However, a Lakeland layup and five free throws dashed the Stars' comeback bid.
 
Dominican shot just over 32-percent (19-59) in the loss.  Amari Stafford led Dominican with 13 points on 5-for-10 shooting, including knocking down three of five from three-point distance.  Timiya Ray, Alexis Hoskins, Samantha Wessel and Hannah Currant all added eight with Hoskins adding a team-high ten rebounds.
 
For Lakeland, Miranda Jacobson scored a game-high 21 points on 6-for-13 shooting while Megan Will finished with a 16-point, ten-rebound double-double.
 
Dominican will look to get back on track on Wednesday, hosting the MSOE Raiders for a 7:00 p.m. tipoff in NACC play.