WALLA WALLA, Wash. – The Linfield women's basketball team will return to Oregon still searching for its first win of the season as the Wildcats fell 65-48 to Whitman Wednesday night at Sherwood Athletic Center.
The Wildcats shot 35.2 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from three-point range and 66.7 percent from the free throw line. The 'Cats matched the Blues in pulling down 32 rebounds. They also finished with 30 points in the paint.
Junior forward
Jordan Worthington and freshman guard
Emma Schmerbach finished tied for the team lead with 11 points apiece. Worthington made 4 of 7 from the field and 3 of 4 from the free throw line to go with four rebounds, an assist and a steal in her first start of the season. Schmerbach registered six rebounds, an assist and a steal. Freshman forward
Elyse Waldal fell just short of double figures with nine points to go with a team-high eight rebounds while fellow freshman forward
Gillyan Landis scored seven points.
Whitman improved to 14-1 overall and sits alone atop the Northwest Conference standings with an undefeated 6-0 conference mark. The Blues knocked down 44.4 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from beyond the arc. They received 21 points from the bench and turned 26 Linfield turnovers into 25 points.
Kaylie McCracken led the Blues with a double-double, scoring a game-high 15 points to go with 11 rebounds, three steals and an assist. She connected on 5 of 12 from the field and 5 of 6 from the charity stripe. Kaelan Shamseldin was a solid No. 2 with 12 points on 4 of 6 shooting, including a pair of three-pointers. Taylor Chambers scored nine points while Korin Baker had eight points and nine rebounds.
NEXT
The 'Cats (0-13, 0-5 NWC) will return to Oregon to play at Willamette on Friday. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. The team will wrap up its four-game week at home, hosting Pacific Lutheran at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
UPDATED LINFIELD SPECTATOR POLICY
To ensure that the Linfield Community, i.e. Students, Staff, and Faculty, remain as healthy as possible during the latest surge of COVID cases due primarily to the Omicron Variant in Oregon, Linfield Athletics is adjusting its current athletic contest spectator policy to the following:
- For home-based basketball games, home and visiting student-athletes will be allotted 4 family member spectator tickets; those 4 people will be on a list and must provide proof of vaccination at the door. They will also be expected to sit together at the event. No additional spectators will be allowed entry at this time.
- There will be no admission charge for approved spectators.
- All participants, coaches, spectators and operations personnel must comply with mask use while inside our facilities (except players or officials during active competition and practice). This means wearing the mask over your mouth & nose at all times. No exceptions!
- Spectators are asked to space themselves throughout the bleachers, as per physical distancing guidelines.
- Concessions will not be sold until further notice. Food is not allowed in our venues, but non-alcoholic drinks may be consumed during events as long as proper masking is taking place between actively taking a drink.