Dara Capaldi and Grace Bradford each scored 14 points, but Lake Superior State dropped a 70-66 loss to Purdue Northwest in the first game of 2026.

The Lakers (3-8, 0-3 GLIAC) shot 44% against the Pride (3-8, 1-2 GLIAC) in a back and forth game, while hitting six three-pointers. Clare Conzelmann hit three shots from deep, while Lara Aguzzi chipped in with two triples from the bench. 

Seyyane Matthew had a solid game for the Lakers, scoring 12 points with eight rebounds, two blocks and a steal in 28 minutes of action. She shot an efficient 6-of-10 from the field.

Matthew put the Lakers ahead by 10 in the second quarter, hitting a shot after grabbing one of her four offensive rebounds. The Lakers took a 30-20 lead on the shot, the biggest of the game for either team. The basket followed a jumper by Capaldi and a triple by Aguzzi.

The Lakers and Pride battled each other in a tight contest the rest of the way, with neither taking a double-digit lead from that point forward. As the two teams dueled down the stretch, Conzelmann stuck a three and Bradford hit a pair of layups for LSSU.

Bradford finished with 14 points and nine rebounds, filling out her stat line with two assists and three steals. She ended the night with 929 career rebounds, as she closes in on the Lake Superior State record of 1,000.

The Lakers return to action on Sunday against Wayne State. Opening tipoff is at noon for the first Laker tripleheader of the season - Women's Basketball players at noon, with the Men's Basketball game right after. Laker Hockey closes the night against Northern Michigan at 6:07 PM.