The Prior Lake girls basketball team is not playing like same squad that won the Section 2AAAA title last year.

The Lakers dropped their third straight game Dec. 21, falling 81-70 at home to No. 9-ranked Eden Prairie in a battle of section foes.

Prior Lake (2-5 overall) went into the contest off road losses to Shakopee (66-58) and Apple Valley (70-57) in South Suburban Conference play. The Sabers are also a section opponent.

The Lakers are back on the court Dec. 27-29 in the Holiday Hoops Classic at St. Olaf College in Northfield. Prior Lake should be able to get things rolling again, playing three Class 3A schools — Visitation, Northfield and Grand Rapids, respectively.

The New Year will start with Prior Lake playing at Lakeville South Jan. 4 in conference play at 7 p.m.

Meanwhile, in the loss to Eden Prairie, the Lakers were down 35-28 at the break and couldn't recover in the second half. Senior McKenna Hofschild scored 28 points to lead Prior Lake.

Eden Prairie was led by Nneka Obiazor, who matched Hofschild's offensive output.

Sophomore Emily Kulstad was also in double figures for the Lakers with 10 points, while junior Ella Schnackenberg scored eight. Junior Haidyn Pitsch and sophomore Tatum Brostrom each scored six points, while sophomore Kate Trachsel chipped in five.

Senior Reagan Dahl added four points for Prior Lake.

Last March, the Lakers rolled past Eden Prairie in the Section 2AAAA semifinals, winning 64-49. Prior lake beat Minnetonka in the final six days later to earn the program's first-ever state berth as a Class 4A program.