MCMINNVILLE, Ore. – Sophomore
Laney Green scored a hat trick in a span of 11 minutes in the Wildcats' 4-0 win over the Willamette Bearcats at the Linfield Soccer and Lacrosse Complex on Sunday afternoon.
The win helps the Wildcats improve to 5-1-0 on the season with two regular season contests left. The Bearcats are now 1-3-0 thus far. Both teams are playing an eight-match Northwest Conference-only regular season.
Making her first career start, sophomore
Callie Kawaguchi opened the scoring in the 22
nd minute with her first career goal on an assist by
Michayla Sponsel. Kawaguchi had two shots on goal in the match.
The Wildcats defense continued its strong ability of eliminating scoring chances. Linfield restricted Willamette to two shots and just one on goal, which was saved by
Madi Reimer.
Linfield had 12 shots in the match, six in each half. Green led the team with three shots.
Green's first goal came in the 50
th minute, assisted by
Natalie Amara, another goal from the Redding, California, native came seven minutes later, this one was assisted by
Jill Leroux and
Izzy Chauls.
Her third goal came in the 60
th minute on another assist by Leroux. That was the 10th hat trick in program history and first since 2012.
Emma Blackburn and Sydney Wilson had the two shots for the Bearcats. Grasiela Quevedo-Ramos made two saves in the first 57 minutes, Jordan Roue came in at that point and allowed one goal, that was the only shot on goal she faced.
Amara was the other Wildcat that had a shot on goal along with the two goal scorers, Green and Kawaguchi. Sophomore
McCall Bennion also made her first career start and had a shot.
Willamette had the 4-0 edge in corner kicks, Linfield committed six fouls compared to four for Willamette.
This is the first team that Linfield has won both meetings of the season against Willamette since 2015.
UP NEXT
Linfield closes out the regular season against Lewis & Clark this week. The 'Cats are in Portland on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. and host the Pios on Senior Day on Sunday, March 28 at 12 noon.
