MCMINNVILLE, Ore. – Two goals in the second half from seniors Natalie Amara and Kristen Burke helped the Linfield Wildcats win their first Northwest Conference match of the 2021 spring season over the George Fox Bruins, 2-1 on Sunday afternoon at the Linfield Soccer & Lacrosse Complex.
 
All five Oregon schools in the NWC are playing a conference-only regular season schedule against the other Oregon conference schools. Sunday was the regular season opener for both the Wildcats and the Bruins, Linfield is now 1-0, while George Fox is 0-1.
 
The first half was scoreless between the two teams. In 220 minutes in 2019, both teams were also held scoreless with two 0-0 ties. The Wildcats had four shots in the first half, Bruins had one.
 
Madi Reimer played the first half in goal for Linfield, she did not face a shot on goal. Alyssa Bakkensen came in at halftime and made two saves, she also got credited with the win.
 
The 0-0 tie was broken up by George Fox's Maggee Hodgdon on an assist by Madison Burch in the 60^th minute. The Bruins had five shots in the second half, including three on goal.
 
Both Linfield goals came in a span of just over two minutes. First goal was from Amara, who headed in a ball off a corner kick from Michayla Sponsel in the 75^th minute.
 
The Wildcats brought the ball right back into the offensive zone and Burke caught the Bruins' goalkeeper Annalisa Klein out of place and delivered the go-ahead goal. Laney Green had the assist on the Wildcats' game-winning goal.
 
Klein made four saves in the match. Hodgdon led the Bruins with three of the six shots by the Bruins.
 
Sponsel and Burke were the team leaders for Linfield with four shots each. Maura Grahek, coming off the bench had two.
 
Linfield had the edge in corner kicks, 5-1 and both teams had five fouls each.
 
Sunday's match was the 200^th coaching win in NCAA men's and women's soccer for Wildcats coach, Steve Simmons.
 
Junior transfer Jalissa Somers made her Wildcat debut as did freshman Raylynn Bucher, both were in the starting lineup. Sophomore defender Megan Sweeney also made her first career start.
 
Freshmen Jill Leroux, Maura Grahek, Riley Omonaka, Ellie Friedrichsen made their college debuts coming off the bench for Linfield.
 
UP NEXT
Linfield travels to Pacific for a mid-week match on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. The Wildcats and the Boxers are back at the Linfield Soccer & Lacrosse Complex on Sunday, March 7 at 2 p.m.