New Ulm, MN - The Martin Luther College women's basketball lost its conference opener to Northwestern 62-51 on Friday. The Eagles started things off with some solid ball movement and executed on their halfcourt sets to bring the momentum on their side and got out to a seven-point lead with just under four minutes remaining. MLC would answer though with a jolt of offense that was ignited by the hustle of Anna Kieselhorst and the Knights found themselves back in the game 18-17 after the first quarter.

MLC would go neck-in-neck in the second quarter and even took their first lead of the game (26-25) from a Lydia Feidt layup off an offensive rebound. From there, the Knights entered halftime down 30-26.

In the third quarter, the Eagles received a boost from their best player, Lexi Hagen. The guard would get hot from 3-point territory and connected on three separate shots from beyond the arc to separate from MLC and gave her team a 50-37 advantage after the third period.

MLC had difficulty from the field in the fourth quarter, shooting just 22.7 percent, while Northwestern continued to find ways to score inside and out to hold off the Knights.

Hagen led the Eagles with 18 points and eight boards, while Grace Landvik finished with 17 points and seven rebounds.

Jordyn Heckendorf paced the Knights with 14 points and also came away with three steals. Lauren Paulsen chipped in nine points and eight rebounds.

MLC (2-7) will have a quick turnaround with their second conference game of the season with North Central on Saturday, December 9. The Knights swept their season series with the Rams last season and will look to replicate more of the same this season when they tip off at 3 p.m. in the LSC.