SALEM, Ore. – Three players scored in double figures, but the Linfield women's basketball team lost 70-50 to Willamette Friday night at Cone Field House.
The Wildcats shot 35.7 percent from the field but went just 2 for 15 from three-point range. They finished with 32 rebounds, eight steals, five assists and three blocks. The 'Cats dominated in the paint, outscoring the Bearcats 32-24 down below.
Junior forward
Alexis Heald led the 'Cats with 14 points to go with four rebounds and a steal. She connected on 7 of 15 from the field. Freshman guard
Rowan Cusack scored in double digits for the second time this week with 13 points and a team-high eight rebounds. Fellow freshman guard
Emma Schmerbach scored in double digits for the third straight game with 11 points while freshman forward
Gillyan Landis had seven points and six rebounds.
Linfield climbed back in the third quarter, outscoring Willamette 19-15, but the Bearcats closed the game with a 23-9 fourth quarter. The 'Cats got within five points with the score standing at 49-44 with 8:50 left to play, but the Bearcats went on a 21-6 run to close the game.
The Bearcats shot 39.6 percent from the field, 40 percent from beyond the arc and 78.6 percent from the free throw line. They pulled down 37 rebounds and scored 13 points off 16 Linfield turnovers.
Amanda Carpenter went off for 31 points, going 7 for 13 from the field, 4 for 8 from outside and 13 for 14 from the charity stripe. She also grabbed seven rebounds to go with four steals and an assist. Sami Riggs and Megan River dropped 14 points apiece while Ava Kitchin turned in a double-double of 10 points and 12 rebounds.
NEXT
Linfield fell to 0-14 overall and 0-6 in Northwest Conference play with the loss. Willamette climbed into fourth place, improving to 8-6 overall with a 3-2 NWC mark. The 'Cats will return home on Saturday, hosting Pacific Lutheran at 4 p.m.
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.