PLYMOUTH - St. Norbert College fell behind in the first half and a late rally wasn't enough as the Green Knights fell to Lakeland University 35-25 in a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference game at Taylor Field.

The Green Knights (5-5, 5-3 NACC) trailed the Muskies 28-3 at halftime and closed to within 11 points in the third quarter but Lakeland pushed the lead back to 18 points late in the period to retake control.

Lakeland took the game's opening kickoff and scored a touchdown to take a 7-0 lead. The Green Knights responded by marching downfield to set up a first-and-goal situation at the Muskies' 1, but two rushes for no gain and a fumble on third down lead to a Tyler Juergensen 25-yard field goal. The Green Knights got a defensive stop but were pinned in their own end, leading to a Lakeland safety and a 9-3 lead. The Muskies doubled up with another touchdown four plays later for a 15-3 lead late in the first quarter.

Lakeland then scored a pair of second-quarter touchdowns, the latter coming as time expired, to take a 28-3 lead.

St. Norbert took advantage of a blocked punt to score a touchdown on a Jacob McVane (pictured) 2-yard run with 6:09 left in the third quarter. Following a Sean Gilles interception to set the Green Knights up at the Lakeland 5, McVane took it in from there on the next play to cut the deficit to 28-17 with 5:48 left in the period. Lakeland would respond with a touchdown of its own with 2:53 left to boost the lead to 35-17.

The Green Knights scored the fourth quarter's only points when Fernando Rodriguez hit Bailey Turenne on a 30-yard touchdown pass with 4:56 left, and then connected on a two-point conversion.

Lakeland outgained St. Norbert 520-252. McVane had 193 rushing yards on 27 carries with two touchdowns.