With the seasons of many fall sports teams coming to a close, this coming weekend is a bit slower for Benedictine Athletics. However, with football's season finale and women's basketball's season opener, BenU is now transitioning from fall to winter sports. Here is a look at this week's action:

FOOTBALL (7-2, 4-1)

Saturday: vs. Lakeland (6-3, 4-1), 1:00 p.m.

Football will be the final fall sports team to wrap-up the season, as BenU takes on Lakeland on Saturday at the Village of Lisle/Benedictine University Sports Complex at 1:00 p.m.

Lakeland possesses a high-powered, well-balanced offense, as the Muskies average 427 yards per game, 214 passing yards per game, and 213 rushing yards per game. In both facets of the offense, senior quarterback Dylan Van Straten is Lakeland's big threat. He's thrown for 1,872 yards and 18 touchdowns (second in the NACC) while also rushing for 767 yards and 11 touchdowns. Van Straten did not play in last season's game against BenU, which BenU won 28-3. All-time, the Muskies hold a 23-17 edge over the Eagles.

Saturday's game comes with big implications, as Lakeland and BenU enter the contest in a tie for second place with 4-1 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference records. If 5-0 Concordia-Wisconsin falls at Wisconsin Lutheran on Saturday, the winner of the BenU/Lakeland matchup will earn a share of the 2013 NACC title. If CUW ends up winning, the Eagles or Muskies will earn second place outright. Even in the event of a tie, Concordia-Wisconsin has already clinched the conference's automatic bid into the NCAA Division III Playoffs, having defeated both Benedictine and Lakeland this season.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Saturday: vs. Goshen College (0-5), 2:00 p.m.

Women's basketball tips off the third season of the Kristen Gillespie era on Saturday. BenU welcomes NAIA school Goshen to the Dan and Ada Rice Center for a 2:00 p.m. tip-off.

Goshen, a northern Indiana school located about 30 miles south east of South Bend, hails from the NAIA's Crossroads League. The Maple Leafs have already played five games on the season, falling to Indiana University Northwest, Holy Cross College, Aquinas College, Calumet College of St. Joseph, and Lourdes University. Before taking on BenU, Goshen will face Trinity International University on the road.

Last season, Goshen finished just 3-27 overall with a 1-17 conference record. Benedictine defeated the Maple Leafs 71-53 on December 6 behind 11 points from Meghan Novak. BenU women's basketball was picked to finish third in this season's NACC pre-season poll.