PARKLAND, Wash. –
Elyse Waldal had a monster game for Linfield and the Wildcats completed their best defensive game of the season to beat Pacific Lutheran in a 56-35 rout Saturday at Olson Auditorium.
Waldal dropped a career-high 19 points off the bench, surpassing her previous best mark of 17, scored against Occidental last season. The sophomore's season high entering Saturday was nine points. The banner performance was her first double figure game of the season. Going 8 for 13 from the field with a three-pointer, Waldal also registered five rebounds, an assist and five steals to lead the Wildcats on both sides of the floor.
The Wildcats scored as many points as the Lutes in the second and third quarters alone. They shot 40 percent in the game, scored 36 points in the paint and got 38 points from the bench thanks to Waldal's efforts.
Alexis Heald and
Anna Dazey put up six points apiece off the bench.
Jordan Worthington also scored six points in just nine minutes. Heald matched Waldal's team-high five rebounds along with
Gillyan Landis.
Pacific Lutheran was held under 10 points twice. The Lutes struggled to get anything going on offense. They connected on 13 of 51 from the field for a 25.5 percentage. The Lutes took 19 shots from beyond the arc but made just one.
Sydney Reisner was the bright spot for PLU. She logged 32 minutes, making 5 of 11 from the field on her way to scoring 13 points while grabbing six rebounds. Emi Wada was second on the team with six points.
Linfield's win closed the book on a season sweep of Pacific Lutheran. The 'Cats won 74-63 in the first half of Northwest Conference play on Jan. 6 in McMinnville.
NEXT
The 'Cats (9-12, 5-7 NWC) will be in Tacoma again next week, playing at Puget Sound on Friday before returning to Ted Wilson Gymnasium the following day to host Lewis & Clark on Senior Day.