Leah Eisner (Sr.-Stevens Point, Wis.) scored a season-high 21 points but it was not enough for the Lakeland College women's basketball team in a 61-55 loss to Milwaukee School of Engineering Saturday afternoon in a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference game.

The Raiders shot 55.2% in the second half to overcome a seven-point halftime deficit and continue their surprising start, improving to 7-4 overall and 5-1 in the NACC. Lakeland dropped to 4-6 overall and is now 2-4 in conference play.

MSOE went ahead for good when Holly Denfield hit a jumper with 1:25 to play for a 55-53 lead. The Raiders finished on an 8-2 run, making four free throws late and also taking advantage of two missed free throws by the Muskies in the final minute.

Eisner had her most productive game of the season, making 9 of 16 shots from the field, grabbing seven rebounds and also grabbing three steals. She had 13 points and six rebounds in the first half, helping the Muskies to a 27-20 halftime lead.

MSOE shot just 6 of 27 in the first half, an icy 22.2%. The Raiders turned that around in the second half, though, scoring the first nine points to take a 29-27 lead.

The hosts built an eight-point lead midway through the second half when Denfield's jumper made it 39-31, but Lakeland rallied back to take the lead on a three-pointer by Taylor Jandrin (Sr.-Forestville, Wis.) making it 46-45 with 6:57 to play.

Denfield scored again the next time down, though, and MSOE never trailed the rest of the way, though the game remained close. The Muskies tied the game twice late, the last time at 53-53 on a layup by Trista Barron (So.-Escanaba, Mich.) with 1:37 left.

Jandrin was the only other Lakeland player in double figures with 12 points off the bench. The Muskies shot 39.3% for the game (22 of 56), including 11 of 28 in both halves. Lakeland also was just 4 of 9 from the free throw line and committed 22 turnovers.

Denfield led the Raiders with 16 points and 10 rebounds. MSOE also shot 39.3% for the game (22 of 56) but converted 15 of 19 from the charity stripe. The Raiders finished 2-22 overall last year and 2-16 in the NACC.

Lakeland will play next on Dec. 31 when it closes out 2013 with a non-conference game against Finlandia (Mich.) University in the Upper Peninsula in Hancock, Mich., at noon.