Kenosha, Wis. - Parkside came up just short in the final seconds, losing a close battle to Northern Michigan on Thursday night. The game came down to the final shot, but Northern Michigan hung on and defeated Parkside 69-68.

Inside the box score:

• Chloe Van Zeeland led the way with 16 points. She knocked down four triples of five attempts. 
• Cassidy Arni continued to generate offense for the Rangers, netting 16 points meshed with six assists. 
• Kendal Zeiter provided a spark off the bench, scoring 13 points in 19 minutes.

How it happened:
From the opening tip, the Rangers looked poised to defend their home floor. Parkside came out aggressive, jumping to an 11-2 lead in the first quarter behind stifling defense and a balanced offensive attack. Triples from Cassidy Arni and Chloe Van Zeeland helped push Parkside ahead. But NMU's outside shooting allowed them to claw back in the second quarter, keeping Parkside from pulling away. Parkside led 16-12 after one.

The teams traded leads eight times throughout the game, with 11 ties making every possession critical. And in the second quarter, the teams went back and forth once again. Kendal Zeiter provided a spark off the bench for the Rangers, making her presence felt inside with a few first-half buckets. In fact, Zeiter finished the first half with seven points on three-of-four shooting. However, Parkside's inability to protect the basketball kept them from posting a big lead. Sheridan Flauger ended the half with a long three to put Parkside ahead 34-29 heading into the locker room.

The story was the same in the second half. Parkside built a 10-point lead in the blink of an eye, as Van Zeeland knocked down another triple, and Peighton Nelson followed with a two-point make. But Northern Michigan quickly erased the deficit in the third quarter. Kaalyn Petersen and Alli Hampel both provided points off the bench for Parkside late in the third, but Parkside scored just eight points in the final five minutes of the third quarter. Their defensive intensity helped them take a 49-45 advantage into the final quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Northern Michigan came alive, as they shot 57% in the final quarter. With just 28 seconds left in the game, Van Zeeland recorded a quick bucket, cutting the margin to two points. Parkside fouled Northern Michigan, and Jacy Weisbrod went one-of-two from the free-throw line, keeping Parkside alive. Cassidy Arni drove right to the basket and got Parkside back within one point.

Parkside brought Northern Michigan back to the line down just one with 12 seconds to play. Northern Michigan missed both in front of a loud De Simone crowd, as Parkside found itself needing one final bucket to steal the win. However, the Rangers were unable to find the go-ahead basket, and the game came to an end. Parkside dropped their second consecutive game, and their record is now 17-9 overall and 12-7 in conference play.

Next:
Parkside will play for the right to host a GLIAC quarterfinal game on Saturday. It is a must-win game against Michigan Tech, beginning at 1:00 PM at De Simone Arena. For coverage of the event, visit ParksideRangers.com/coverage.