MILWAUKEE, WISC. - The Madison College women's basketball team's chances for winning a North Central Community College Conference championship took a major hit Saturday when the #1 WolfPack lost to in-state rival Milwaukee Area Technical College 75-74 after sophomore Kaitlyn Kast's potential game-winning jumper bounced out in the final moments. The 'Pack now trail #5 Rock Valley College by 1.5 games and have lost back-to-back contests for the first time this season. Coach Jessica Pelzel's group also split the season series with the Stormers for a third consecutive winter.

In a game that saw six ties and seven lead changes, Madison College (23-3, 7-3) owned a nine-point lead more than two minutes into the fourth quarter. Milwaukee Area Technical College (14-11, 6-4) then scored ten straight points, taking a 68-67 lead with 4:38 to play, before the teams traded ties and leads seven more times heading into the last minute of play. Sophomore Jenna Endres sank two of her team-high six free throws to put the WolfPack up one, but the Stormers answered with their own free throws to regain control at the 30-second mark. Kast ended up with the final shot, and though it didn't go down, the 'Pack's Addison Hemming cleared the offensive rebound and then turned it over in the final seconds to seal the defeat.

Madison College built and maintained a double-digit lead throughout most of the first three quarters, thanks in large part to the play of Jenna Endres. The sharpshooter hit a career-high eight 3-pointers on 13 attempts to finished with a season-high 30 points. The point total is one shy of matching her career high of 31, set in a lopsided win over Triton College one year and a day earlier. The Wisconsin Heights product connected on 8-of-15 shots overall and 6-of-8 free throws. All-America Taylor Nelson drained four additional 3-pointers as the WolfPack registered an 12-for-24 effort from long range, their sixth game with ten or more makes from distance this season. Nelson, who did not start the game, ended with 16 points and five rebounds.

The Stormers won the battle on the inside, scoring a 36-12 advantage in points in the paint and a 48-40 edge in the rebounding tally. Their 26 offensive boards contributed to 17 second chance points. Despite playing with the lead for a majority of the game, the WolfPack committed 20 turnovers that led to 17 points for the opposition. Madison College has turned the ball over 20 or more times in three of its last four games and two straight.

Forward Mandi Sargent registered nine points and a team-leading seven rebounds. First-year Rachel Slaney added eight points, five rebounds, five assists, and three steals after missing the WolfPack's previous loss to Triton earlier in the week due to illness.

Madison College will finish out the regular season with a pair of home games this week, starting Wednesday against Joliet Junior College (14-11, 5-5). The WolfPack downed the Wolves 53-47 back in late January, their third straight win in the series. Tip off at Redsten Gym in Madison is at 5:30 p.m.

At the same time on Wednesday, Rock Valley plays the College of DuPage in Rockford with a chance to clinch the outright N4C title with a win. A loss and Madison College can share the championship by winning their final two games. The WolfPack have not won the league crown since their first year in the N4C in 2009-10.