MARQUETTE – A late comeback by the Northern Michigan University women’s basketball team fell short on Thursday as the Wildcats fell to Ashland 72-66 at the Berry Events Center.

Northern’s Alyssa Colla scored her team’s first 10 teams and led all scorers with 27 points, while teammate Abbey DeBruin chipped in 19 and Bre Gaspervich had 12.

DeBruin and Nea Makela each had eight rebounds as NMU held a 39-23 rebounding advantage, including 12-3 on offensive boards.

Ashland jumped out to a 17-point lead during the first half when the Eagles’ McKenzie Miller hit a 3-pointer to make it 23-6. Ashland also held a 39-27 halftime lead as it made 16 of 29 from the field, including 5 of 9 on 3s.

The Eagles continued to pile it on in the second half as a 3-pointer by Taylor Woods gave Ashland its biggest lead at 56-37 with 11:20 left.

“When you come out flat in your own gym it is upsetting,” said NMU assistant coach Mariah Dunham, who was one of several assistants filling in for the final game of head coach Troy Mattson’s four-game suspension. “It was unfortunate that our start was so slow.

“I remember saying at halftime we are going to have this conversation after the game, if we would started faster the game could have been a lot different. But Ashland is a good team and they are coached by a great coach.”

NMU (6-5, 4-3 GLIAC) didn’t give up, fighting back, even though Ashland (9-4, 5-2) still had a 12-point lead, 65-53, with 2:59 to go.

An 8-0 rally pulled the Wildcats within four points, 65-61, and they got that close again with 10 seconds left when Gaspervich hit a 3-pointer.

But the Eagles’ Andi Daugherty hit a pair of free throws with seven seconds to go to create the final margin.

The Wildcats play Lake Erie College at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Berry Events Center.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Writer Ryan Stieg. He can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 246. His email address is rstieg@miningjournal.net.