SALEM, Ore – In the first road conference game, the Linfield Wildcats lost 3-1 to the Willamette Bearcats on a sunny Saturday afternoon. The Wildcats had more shots on goal and corners than the Bearcats, but were not able to chase them.
 
The loss drops Linfield to 2-4 on the season and 1-1 in Northwest Conference play, while the win improves Willamette to 2-3 and 1-0 in NWC play.
 
The Wildcats had plenty of scoring opportunities with six shots on goal, 14 overall and seven corner kicks compared to just two for the Bearcats.
 
The difference in the game was the finishing ability of the Bearcats, who had just four shots on goal and scored on three of those opportunities, including just 12 minutes into the game.
 
Kristen Burke got past the Willamette defense and scored her second goal of the season to pull Linfield to 2-1 with about seven minutes left, but Willamette answered back right with an insurance goal.
 
Amidee Colleknon picked up her second assist of the season on that goal by Burke.
 
Burke and Michayla Sponsel had the brunt of the Wildcats' shots with three and four respectively.
 
Goalkeeper Madi Reimer played her second full game in a row after missing the previous two with a back injury, she had one save.
 
Senior midfielder Lauren Frost made her first appearance in 2019.

Willamette now leads the all-time series 36-13-7 and this game snapped a string of three straight ties between the two teams. This was the first win for the Bearcats since 2011 over the Wildcats.
 
UP NEXT
Linfield opens a four game homestand with Puget Sound and Lewis & Clark coming to town next weekend.