MCMINNVILLE, Ore. – Facing one of the top teams in the NAIA, the Linfield Wildcats defeated the Oregon Tech Owls, 89-75 on Sunday night. The Owls were ranked #21 in the preseason NAIA Rankings. For the Wildcats,
Molly Danielson had a career-high in points and
Delaney Ragan had 17 points for the second straight night.
Oregon Tech got off to fast start leading 20-12 in the first quarter and finished the quarter leading 22-16, their largest lead of the night was nine at 22-13, but a three-pointer from
Kory Oleson cut the Linfield deficit to six after 10 minutes. Oleson had a double-double in this one with 17 points and 11 rebounds, she also added three steals.
Linfield marched back in the second quarter and finally took the lead at 36-34 on a three-pointer from
Shasta Lofgren, who had 10 points, which is a season-high for the transfer from Lower Columbia College.
The Wildcats had a 41-38 at the break, but the third quarter was where the Wildcats separated themselves, outscoring the Owls 19 to five.
The Owls outscored the Wildcats in the fourth quarter, 32-29, but the Wildcats hung on to move to 2-0 on the season, while the Owls fall to 1-3.
Danielson had a double-double with career-high 28 points, 14 rebounds, which is one shy of her career-high and five assists.
Ragan had 17 points for the second straight night to start her career.
Jordyn Feinauer and
Cassidy Schutz were the other two Wildcats that got the start to go along with Ragan, Danielson and Oleson. Feinauer scored eight points and five assists, while Schutz had three assists, five rebounds, a block and a steal to go along with her four points.
Lofgren came off the bench and scored 10 points for the Wildcats, who had 15 points off the bench, with
Brooke Landis and
Paige LaFountain combining for the other five.
Linfield has started 2-0 in the first two games of the season for the first time under fifth-year head coach
Casey Bunn-Wilson.
UP NEXT
Linfield concludes it three game homestand to start the season against College of Idaho on Thursday at 6 p.m.