SAULT STE. MARIE - Lake Superior State and Ferris State squared off in a defensive battle Saturday, and the Lakers won 54-42 to extend their women's basketball win streak to four games and end their final regular-season homestand on a winning note.

LSSU (14-10 overall, 11-9 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) held Ferris State to a season-low 27.1 percent from the field and left the Bulldogs (6-19 overall, 5-15 GLIAC) with a five-game losing skid heading into the final week of the regular season. The Lakers out-scored FSU 35-16 in the second half to overcome a 26-19 halftime deficit. They also avenged a one-point road loss to the Bulldogs.

Junior guard Emily Joseph set the tone for the second half by opening the period with a three-pointer. Freshman Maria Blazejewski followed a Joseph steal with a field goal to cut Ferris State's lead to 26-24, and the Lakers took a 27-26 lead at the 17:04 mark on a three-pointer by Ronlea Peterson.

LSSU put the game out of reach during the final 2 1/2 minutes. A Ciara Zumer block led to a field goal by Joseph for a 45-40 Laker edge with 2:20 to go. Zumer, a freshman reserve, took advantage of a Bulldog turnover and scored at 1:49. Nicole Marshall made two free throws after a steal, giving Lake Superior State a 49-40 lead with 1:12 remaining.

Joseph led LSSU with 15 points, including 10 in the second half. She also had four assists. Peterson totaled 11 points and seven rebounds, followed by Marshall with 10 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals. Cassy Schemberger, who took an elbow to the nose in the first half, finished with nine points and 11 rebounds. Schemberger has averaged 12 rebounds per game during her last four outings.

The Lakers shot 36.2 percent from the field, including 5-of-18 from three-point range. They made 15-of-22 free throws.

Kelsey DeNoyelles led Ferris State with 17 points and four rebounds. The Bulldogs, who shot only 14.8 percent from the field in the second half, were 4-of-16 from behind the arc and 12-of-17 at the free-throw line.

Both teams totaled 36 rebounds.

Lake Superior State, which has clinched the fourth seed in the GLIAC North Division, plays Thursday at fourth-ranked Michigan Tech.

LSSU vs. FSU