PORTLAND, Ore. – The Linfield Wildcats erased an 11-point deficit to win their third straight game of 2023 with a 65-57 decision over Lewis & Clark Friday night at the Pioneers' Pamplin Sports Center.
Lewis & Clark led by as much as 11 points at the 7:51 mark in the third quarter. The Wildcats were outscored in each of the first three periods, entering the fourth quarter down 52-44. The 'Cats shot 50 percent in the fourth quarter and sunk nine free throws to outscore the Pioneers 21-5 and run away with an eight-point road victory.
Linfield (8-6, 4-1 NWC) is riding a four-game win streak for the first time since the 2019-20 season. Winners of three straight Northwest Conference games, the 'Cats are tied for second place with the Pacific Boxers, who fell to first-place Puget Sound (12-2, 5-0 NWC) Friday night in Forest Grove.
The 'Cats struggled from three-point range, making just 3 of 19 from beyond the arc. But they outscored the Pios 40-22 in the paint, got 26 points from the bench and scored 17 points off 13 turnovers.
Senior
Jordan Worthington connected on 7 of 9 from the field on her way to dropping a team-high 14 points to go with eight rebounds and a block in 30 minutes. It was her ninth straight start since the team's Dec. 2 win over George Fox.
Ella Koebelin and
Peyton Bergevin finished just under double figures with nine points apiece. Koebelin finished with five rebounds and four assists. Bergevin had four rebounds and went 4 for 6 from the field.
Gillyan Landis scored seven points while
Eve Burke grabbed seven rebounds.
Casey Bunn-Wilson and company limited Lewis & Clark to two field goals in the fourth quarter. The Pios went cold from three-point range, going 1 for 11 from deep.
Karli Mukai played 39 minutes to put the home team on her back. The reigning NWC Women's Basketball Student-Athlete of the Week dropped 26 points on 9 of 32 from the field with four threes. She added two rebounds, five assists and two steals. Piper Curry scored 13 points while Gabby Beltran matched Worthington's game-high eight rebounds.
NEXT
The 'Cats will play their next four NWC games at home. They open the homestand against Puget Sound, hosting the Loggers at 4 p.m. Saturday at Ted Wilson Gymnasium.