McMINNVILLE, Ore. – Linfield shot the ball well from the field, but it wasn't enough to avenge a first-round loss to Pacific as the Wildcats fell to the Boxers, 74-54, Friday night at Ted Wilson Gymnasium.
The Wildcats made 41.7 percent of their shots against the top defense in the Northwest Conference, going 5 for 9 in both the first and third quarters. They put up 18 points in the third period, seven coming off free throws. The 'Cats kept the ball inside the three-point line for most of the game, making four shots from deep while scoring 26 points in the paint.
Linfield fed
Gillyan Landis all night. The sophomore center scored 17 points off 5 of 6 from the field while draining her lone three-point attempt and sinking all six of her shots from the charity stripe. She added five rebounds to her performance. Landis' 17 points marked her second-best scoring output of the season. Her season high came in a 20-point outburst in a non-conference win over Northwest on Dec. 28.
The Wildcat bench scored 23 points. The group was led by nine points in 23 minutes from freshman
Eve Burke. Sophomore
Elyse Waldal contributed eight points off the bench while senior
Janessa Yniguez had seven points to go with three assists in her 18
th straight starting assignment of the season.
The 'Cats were forced to tip their caps to the visiting Boxers, who made 48.3 percent from the field while knocking down 10 shots from beyond the arc. The Boxers' largest lead was 27 points at the 5:17 mark in the third quarter. They turned 21 turnovers into 27 points.
Rilee Price finished just short of a 20-point game with a season-high 19 to lead the Boxers on offense. She went 7 for 9 from the field, 3 for 5 from outside. The guard picked up two rebounds, three assists, a block and three steals along the way.
Four Pacific starters scored in double figures. Alexis Intong tacked on 12 points and a game-high six rebounds while Sydney Gray matched Intong's six rebounds and scored 10 points. Brilie Kovaloff scored 10 points of her own.
NEXT
Linfield (8-10, 4-5 NWC) is just outside the NWC playoff picture, tied for fifth place with George Fox, which won two of its last three games but fell 69-54 to Willamette at home Friday night.
The two cross-county rivals will meet at 4 p.m. Saturday in Newberg. Their first meeting of the season ended in a 56-50 home win for the 'Cats on Dec. 2.